Safeway Supermarket
CASE IN POINT - SAfeway supermarket
Safeway Company has policies that require employees to smile at and make eye contacts with customers. Most of the customers would view this kind of facial gestures as a friendly way of doing business, but some customers might misunderstand them as a “flirt”. Twelve employees had filed complaints about this “Superior Service” policy and found it unethical for the company to have undercover shoppers to spot if there is any violator. This led to Union to get involved and suggest the company to modify the policy. However, the headquarters disagreed that the policy was the cause of the misunderstanding. And they think it is necessary to train their employees to be friendly and having the right attitude to serve their customers.
Analysis of the Case
Due to the “Superior Service” Policy implemented by Safeway, customers have two distinctive correspondent inferences on the employees: * Positive: A friendly way of doing business, * Negative: Employee intention or attempt to flirt with the customers.
Although the cases of customers having a negative correspondent inferences on the Safeway Employees is small however it was a major concern which lead the Union to be involved and consequently the Policy to be abolished.
Q1. How, specifically, is the process of attribution illustrated in this case? Causal Attribution is study on the causes of behavior based on the following: * Internal: based on actions for which the individual is responsible. * External: based on situations over which the individual has no control.
Majority of the customers are using Positive correspondent inferences to link the employees to be friendly. The internal causes might be the employees are friendly, helpful and socially natured individuals. On the other hand, the external causes might be the employees need to strictly follow by the Policy of implemented by Safeway, Culture and norm practiced in Safeway, fear of being sent of Smile
Safeway Company has policies that require employees to smile at and make eye contacts with customers. Most of the customers would view this kind of facial gestures as a friendly way of doing business, but some customers might misunderstand them as a “flirt”. Twelve employees had filed complaints about this “Superior Service” policy and found it unethical for the company to have undercover shoppers to spot if there is any violator. This led to Union to get involved and suggest the company to modify the policy. However, the headquarters disagreed that the policy was the cause of the misunderstanding. And they think it is necessary to train their employees to be friendly and having the right attitude to serve their customers.
Analysis of the Case
Due to the “Superior Service” Policy implemented by Safeway, customers have two distinctive correspondent inferences on the employees: * Positive: A friendly way of doing business, * Negative: Employee intention or attempt to flirt with the customers.
Although the cases of customers having a negative correspondent inferences on the Safeway Employees is small however it was a major concern which lead the Union to be involved and consequently the Policy to be abolished.
Q1. How, specifically, is the process of attribution illustrated in this case? Causal Attribution is study on the causes of behavior based on the following: * Internal: based on actions for which the individual is responsible. * External: based on situations over which the individual has no control.
Majority of the customers are using Positive correspondent inferences to link the employees to be friendly. The internal causes might be the employees are friendly, helpful and socially natured individuals. On the other hand, the external causes might be the employees need to strictly follow by the Policy of implemented by Safeway, Culture and norm practiced in Safeway, fear of being sent of Smile