Making Working in Retailing Interesting: A Study of Human Resource Management Practices in Danish Grocery Retail Chains

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 17, 2010

Posted: 21 Mar 2010

See all articles by Lars Esbjerg

Lars Esbjerg

Aarhus University - Department of Marketing and Statistics

Nuka Buck

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Klaus G. Grunert

Aarhus School of Business - Marketing and Statistics

Date Written: March, 15 2010

Abstract

This paper discusses how five retail chains in the Danish grocery industry attempt to make low-wage, low-status store-level retail jobs as checkout operators and sales assistants interesting. It does so from the perspective of both retailers and employees. Following analysis of the social and institutional context of Danish grocery retailers, we identify three types of retail employees (transitional workers, core employees and career seekers), who have different motivations and aspirations for working in grocery retailing. The central challenge for retailers is to make store-level retail jobs interesting to the different employee types. Although retailers mainly focus their attention on career seekers, we find that working in retailing is interesting for all employee types because the retailers are currently able to meet their respective motivations and aspirations. Nevertheless, we identify several areas in which retailers can improve their practices.

Keywords: Grocery retailing, Human resource management, Employee types

Suggested Citation

Esbjerg, Lars and Buck, Nuka and Grunert, Klaus G., Making Working in Retailing Interesting: A Study of Human Resource Management Practices in Danish Grocery Retail Chains (March, 15 2010). Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 17, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1571184

Lars Esbjerg (Contact Author)

Aarhus University - Department of Marketing and Statistics ( email )

Haslegårdsvej 10
Århus V
Denmark

Nuka Buck

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Klaus G. Grunert

Aarhus School of Business - Marketing and Statistics ( email )

Haslegårdsvej 10
Århus V
Denmark

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