Chapter 7 discusses identity and diversity in organizations with a special focus on gender. The authors note that liberal feminists advocate changes to government and company policies to create greater equity in the workplace for women. In contrast, radical feminists are interested in replacing traditional organizational structures with nonhierarchical ones.
A good portion of the chapter is devoted to discussing Ashcraft's four frames of identity associated with the workplace. The gender differences at work frame proposes that the communication styles of women and men stem from their gendered socialization. The gender identity as organizational performance frame posits that gender is performed, or something individuals do rather than something they are. The gendered organizations frame portrays organizations as agents that produce and are products of gendered discourse. The gender narratives in popular culture frame underscores the notion that how we understand organization stems from the media we consume, such as movies, books, and magazines.
For me the most interesting section in the chapter is on emotion labor, or the idea that organization members must enact certain emotions and refrain from enacting other emotions. Flight attendants, servers, sales clerks, and other service workers are not allowed to have a bad day--they must be upbeat and happy if they want to keep their jobs. This requirement always to be cheerful and positive no matter what can be quite stressful, especially when customers, supervisors, and others don't have to follow the same rules. Maybe that's why my waiting tables career lasted only two weeks.
~ Professor Cyborg
Week 5: Blog 4
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Web Lecture: Procedural Democracy
I think the main point of this concept is that without it, you cannot have
democracy at all. A profound example of this i...
14 years ago
3 comments:
I agree with your analysis on the emotion labor concept..how it's not for everyone to be able to have a type of job that caters to the public, and is suppose to always be in a good mood. You said that you tried waiting tables and it just didn't fit into your personality. I am right there on your boat! Funny thing, for five years I worked for a local bakery/coffee shop and had the same customers always coming in and they got to know me on a certain friendly level, then one summer I picked up a second job at a local restaurant. I would have the same customers coming into both places and alot of them had not idea who I was. My uniform was different, I looked more professional and not so laid back as at the coffee shop and the funny thing was these people were rude to me. They treated me as if I was low class for waiting tables! And it was silly since I also served them their coffee every morning and I was treated with more respect in that position. Needless to say, the money is good while in school,but I still can't bring myself back to working in a restaurant. I can't hide my emotions from people when I am being treated so poorly.
Initially the thing that caught my eye in chapter 7 was the definition of identity. It seemed so simple. As Americans I think we tend to view ourselves as more complex and deep with a sense of individualism. I guess I was just expecting more, especially when the chapter touches on the efforts of liberal and radical feminists, and when the majority of the chapter deals with different aspects of gender differences. I also find Ashcraft’s first frame: gender differences at work to be highly entertaining. It discusses how men use conversations to build their reputation through a style called report talk, and women use conversations to create a relationship based on a style called rapport talk. Men and women are essentially doing the same thing, communicating, yet their intentions are completely different.
It really does take a special kind of personality to be able to wait tables. I don't blame you. Dealing with the people, especially when they're hungry, really can be a pain in the butt!
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