OVERVIEW
I conducted this study to explore the play of inter-ethnic and social ties and their impact on market-associated relationships. For the experiment, I chose a Starbucks coffee shop in an ethnically diverse area. This outlet is also popular with a diverse pool of out-of-town visitors. My experiment would involve studying ongoing interactions by listening to conversations between the order manager and his customers.
The experiment did not specifically concentrate on a racial or ethnographic perspective. Rather, it followed a more general view of whoever customers were around to interact with the manager during service. The experience meant that I selected and studied my subjects because of their proximity and accessibility at the time of the study. I chose the afternoon period because of its characteristic slowness in client traffic and listened to four conversations.
ORDER MANAGER (OM) PROFILE
The Order Manager was a Caucasian male aged approximately 20-22 years old. He was clean shaven, medium height, and slim built. Upon introduction, I noted that he was single and still lived with his parents. He also attended night school with a determination to attain the required certifications to secure employment a legal advisor with a reputable firm. Finally, he mentioned that he gained the current position because of his self-leadership, organizational, and customer service management skills.
CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
Conversation 2
Conversation 3
Conversation 4
SUMMARY
The results from the above experience show the existence of a complex relationship between ethnic diversity and cohesion. As van-der-Meer and Tolsma suggest, it shows that there is more to just ethnic differences that shape an interaction (459). That is, other factors such as age, gender, and class differences also have a role to play. For instance, the first conversation involves individuals from the same ethnic group. However, there was a clear definition of class difference, an idea mutually accepted by both parties. It was a short conversation that showed an unchallenged hierarchy.
The second conversation had a relatively equal footing. The reason behind such the idea is that none of the participants displayed animosity nor extreme familiarity towards each other. It was characteristic of a stable service interaction with an atmosphere of dignity, engagement and friendliness. Ideally, the absence of hierarchy was attributable to a combination of ethnic, age and gender factor differences between the participants. However, such interactions make it hard to tell the genuine intentions and beliefs of either participant (van-der-Meer and Tolsma 460-462).
The third conversation indicates a relaxed sense of familiarity. The two men seemed confident with each, their jobs offering a connection tied to meeting and helping strangers on a daily basis. Indeed, they both work in the service industry hence have a common knowledge of consumer behavior. The ethnic difference did not seem to be a major factor in the interaction save for the time the order manager made a joke about the customer’s weight and dietary preferences. Nonetheless, the customer displayed a light approach to the conversation (Hudson, Phillips and Ray 2).
In the last conservation, it was not clear whether the order manager was just making small talk or trying to flirt with C4. Notably, he seemed to have crossed a communication barrier. The customer realized this and decided to shut down the conversation as though to remind the order manager of his position in their interaction. Also, her body language shifted from neutral to defensive. However, she was not overtly confrontational towards the manager. Finally, the gender aspect of this interaction explains the gap in their positions and a possible unwillingness to bring the conversation to a close (van-der-Meer and Tolsma 459-478).
Work Cited
Hudson, Maria, et al. Social cohesion in diverse communities. Brief. Water End, York : Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2007. PDF.
van-der-Meer, Tom and Jochem Tolsma. "Ethnic Diversity and Its Effects on Social Cohesion." Annual Review of Sociology, 40 (2014): 459-478. PDF.
