Behind the Line a Qualitative Study of Family Dynamics Within a Small Working Group
Tiffany Roberson
Qualitative Research Methods
Dr. Vance
4/29/09
Behind the Line: A Qualitative Study of Family Dynamics within a Small Working
Group
Introduction
The restaurant industry continues to be an economic powerhouse because of its ability to sell a desirable dining experience to customers. These sales rely heavily on the collective communicative abilities of the employees. If the servers are able to make larger sales, restaurants are more likely to thrive. Additionally, bigger sales often lead to bigger tips, as tipping is often based on a percentage of the bill. Therefore, interpersonal strategies are central to the success of the American restaurant industry. Relationships between employees within a workplace are important to the functionality of the business. If employees are unable to cooperate together, important tasks may go uncompleted, which would diminish the level of productivity within the company. While numerous studies have focused on improving the communication, productivity, and functionality of a business, few have explored the inter-relationships of a small group and their work together as a family unit. This study explores the relational dynamics of a small group of employees at a privately owned restaurant in the mid-Atlantic region of the US through in-depth interviews and observations while bringing to light the family dynamics the group shares. The interpersonal relationships shared between members of the group may be of interest to others in the field of communication because these relationships demonstrate how small groups interact, communicate, and cooperate together.
Literature Review
Previous has been conducted on the relational dynamics of small groups. Many of those studies evaluate the solidarity group members experience within a group. As Shields and Coughlin (2000) discuss, solidarity is a sense of community that members of a group share. Jones et al. (2007) further defines solidarity as
Qualitative Research Methods
Dr. Vance
4/29/09
Behind the Line: A Qualitative Study of Family Dynamics within a Small Working
Group
Introduction
The restaurant industry continues to be an economic powerhouse because of its ability to sell a desirable dining experience to customers. These sales rely heavily on the collective communicative abilities of the employees. If the servers are able to make larger sales, restaurants are more likely to thrive. Additionally, bigger sales often lead to bigger tips, as tipping is often based on a percentage of the bill. Therefore, interpersonal strategies are central to the success of the American restaurant industry. Relationships between employees within a workplace are important to the functionality of the business. If employees are unable to cooperate together, important tasks may go uncompleted, which would diminish the level of productivity within the company. While numerous studies have focused on improving the communication, productivity, and functionality of a business, few have explored the inter-relationships of a small group and their work together as a family unit. This study explores the relational dynamics of a small group of employees at a privately owned restaurant in the mid-Atlantic region of the US through in-depth interviews and observations while bringing to light the family dynamics the group shares. The interpersonal relationships shared between members of the group may be of interest to others in the field of communication because these relationships demonstrate how small groups interact, communicate, and cooperate together.
Literature Review
Previous has been conducted on the relational dynamics of small groups. Many of those studies evaluate the solidarity group members experience within a group. As Shields and Coughlin (2000) discuss, solidarity is a sense of community that members of a group share. Jones et al. (2007) further defines solidarity as
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