Introduction
The learning organization is constantly transforming itself as it changes to accommodate the current members. The members shape the organization to react and proactively respond to the changes in the business vertical and environment. Team learning can be the goal of a learning organization or the converse may be true that the learning organization fosters team growth. As in any organization that is business driven the profits of a company very often depend on the ability of a business to change appropriately to adopt policies and procedures to remain competitive.
This paper will focus on the organizational culture that encourages team learning. The concept of team learning and growing is a basic tenet of working together in the modern business climate that is so overrun with computers and digital expressions of emotions and business procedures. Spending so much time alone at a computer terminal may be effective for data entry skills but as far a as human relations skills and interpersonal skills are sometimes lost in the day to day workflow. It is will an emphasis on person to person contact in the digital business that the learning company will have its greatest test.
The second objective of this paper will be to the key ideas that the manager thinks is important in their departments to encourage learning for their team. It is expected that the objectives will vary according to the goals of the department. For example a highly functioning client focused team such as a customer relations division may need advanced techniques in handling conflicts with customers whereas a IT team may need to attend learning sessions that deal with interpersonal relations. It is not assumed that general learning concepts are lost on any department but that the goals of the various departments may vary based on the specific tasks that are performed each day.
Specifically this study will examine the team approach in organizations that are involved in dealing with the public in a public market. This organization was chosen because there are many retail ventures involved in a public market, some that are more permanent in nature, and others that are outlets of major stores. Still others in the market are creative entrepreneurs who make and market their products. These various functions will expect to elicit different experiences in the market on any given time frame. Managers will be directly connecting with sales and production areas on a small number basis so that the large scale problems can be broken down into smaller more manageable study outcomes.
Situating the Self
Situating the Self: Gender, Community, and Postmodernism in contemporary Ethics is a interesting discourse on modern ethics . Since the book was written in 1992 the ideas of the digital component growing to t he incredible levels that it is used to day in business was not even a though. So some of the ideas need to be tailored in light of the digital advances that pervade the businesses of the 21st century. In the market scenario, the use of the digital computers are an integral part concerning the supply chain and the financial chain but the person to person selling is based upon the contemporary ethics of the Situating Self book. From the book the ideas of non verbal communication in a one on one situation is an important concept to be used in the marketplace or with any team that deals with the public. The author relates the idea of an adult knowing what an infant wants while the infant cannot speak. The adult is able to respond successfully to the infant's needs. It is in the same way that the front line teams must realize that the body language of the customer dictates the conversation and encounter. Additionally the body language of the sales associate influences the encounter with the customer to encourage positive sales relationships.
Initial Guiding Questions
The organization involved in Public Markets in the United States and in other countries is a very grass roots organization for the most part. Some vendors are from outside he area and others import goods from around the world to be sold at the vendor market sue to the low over head. Therefore the questions might concern the products themselves because the venders might have a connection to the products. Some entrepreneurs sell their own goods and that is a positive draw at the markets. The most knowledgeable person is the sales person so artisan products are extremely valuable when the artisan can explain the makings of the piece to the buyer.
Also in the sale of fruits and vegetables the farmers themselves or their families may be on the front line selling the products and can verify the growing methods. To many people looking to eat only organic produce it is an important issue to talk with the farmer.
So with this nuance in mind the study of the public market the guiding questions can be of a more intimidate nature. Some of the questions can concern the desire of teh manager or sales person to offer the best products that they can. Other questions can be geared to the belief of the sales staff in the benefit of the products. The connection of the employees to the products will be significantly different than the sales staff of a big box store that sells produce or artisan products. The connection is an important asset for the success of the market.
Review of Relevant Literature
In the Public Market, direct sales may lead to employee burnout. Burnout is the global condition in which a social transformation takes place from a worker who was originally a desirable worker begins to exhibit less desirable tendencies. . This happens in all professions with doctors being at the top of the list and direct sales being next. An engagement study in 2012 found that employees in 29 markets globally found that the highest engagement is no longer sufficient to create the highest level of performance . Sometimes the burnout happens because there is just too much business. The demand for organic grown vegetables and food products is so great in many large urban areas that the farmers and seller cannot keep pace with the demand .
Research Procedure
The goal of the study is to measure the team approach to the employees in the direct sales of the items in a public market. These items are seasonal and are highly desirable so the sales are brisk. The artisan products that are available are one of kind products that can only be purchased locally in the market. The sales staff is also responsible for the set up and display and are paid extra for the increased selling. A pay for performance setup in addition to a set hourly wage is how the manager are currently compensated.
The number of participants will be about 200 participants. The group will be mixed between male and females, and various age groups from 18-60+. Social media will be the medium for getting the message out and securing the participants.
Site and Selection of the Study
There are public markets in all cities in the United States and in most cities there are more than one. Some are small and only have less than 20 employees and some have over 100 employees. Therefore the use of social media will be able to address all markets regardless of the geography.
Description of the Setting
The instrument to assess the burnout and turnover in the public markets is a survey using the Survey Monkey software and the Likert emotional scale.
References
Benhabib, S. (1992). Situating Self ([online] https://books.google.com/books?id=GQoTBJb-myUC&dq=Situating+the+Self&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s. accessed February 2016 ed.).
Ness, C. (2007). Farmers burn out on markets. SF GAte, pp. [online] http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Farmers-burn-out-on-markets-2521719.php. Accessed Feb 2016.
Schaufeli, W. (2008). Burnout: 35 Years of reaearch and Practice. Emerald Insights archives([online] http://www.burnout.nl/docs/35-jaar-burnout-wetenschap-research-onderzoek-1973-2008.pdf. Accessed February 2016).
Schwartz, T. (2015). When Employees Engagement Trun into burnout. New York Times, pp. [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/business/dealbook/when-employee-engagement-turns-into-employee-burnout.html?_r=0. Accessed February 2016.
