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Learning, knowing and controlling the stock: the changing nature of employee discretion in a supermarket chain

Learning, knowing and controlling the stock: the changing nature of employee discretion in a supermarket chain
Learning, knowing and controlling the stock: the changing nature of employee discretion in a supermarket chain
This paper explores the nature of the relationship between Head Office and stores in a large British supermarket chain. It focuses on the role played by a range of technological tools available for managing the stock and connecting different parts of the productive system and the implications this has for employee learning in stores. The evidence illustrates the dual role of artefacts in making possible long-distance control from Head Office, on the one hand, at the same time as opening up spaces for local discretion and intervention, on the other. Accordingly, the paper also shows how the relation between the organisational centre and the periphery gives rise to different types of skills and expertise, providing the basis for a potentially expansive learning environment at the level of the store.
productive systems, learning, knowing, supermarkets, discretion, workplace
1363-9080
105-120
Fuller, Alison
c6b47796-05b5-4548-b67e-2ca2f2010fef
Kakavelakis, Kostas
ce3e12f3-0e9e-4e8b-9c65-334b51e4a315
Felstead, Alan
514e6ef7-2443-49aa-883e-706911d9191d
Jewson, Nick
f96f4be3-d026-4140-9c81-265d74aab544
Unwin, Lorna
8203040c-b1e8-4948-bc2e-4bb2db648720
Fuller, Alison
c6b47796-05b5-4548-b67e-2ca2f2010fef
Kakavelakis, Kostas
ce3e12f3-0e9e-4e8b-9c65-334b51e4a315
Felstead, Alan
514e6ef7-2443-49aa-883e-706911d9191d
Jewson, Nick
f96f4be3-d026-4140-9c81-265d74aab544
Unwin, Lorna
8203040c-b1e8-4948-bc2e-4bb2db648720

Fuller, Alison, Kakavelakis, Kostas, Felstead, Alan, Jewson, Nick and Unwin, Lorna (2009) Learning, knowing and controlling the stock: the changing nature of employee discretion in a supermarket chain. Journal of Education and Work, 22 (2), 105-120. (doi:10.1080/13639080902854037).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper explores the nature of the relationship between Head Office and stores in a large British supermarket chain. It focuses on the role played by a range of technological tools available for managing the stock and connecting different parts of the productive system and the implications this has for employee learning in stores. The evidence illustrates the dual role of artefacts in making possible long-distance control from Head Office, on the one hand, at the same time as opening up spaces for local discretion and intervention, on the other. Accordingly, the paper also shows how the relation between the organisational centre and the periphery gives rise to different types of skills and expertise, providing the basis for a potentially expansive learning environment at the level of the store.

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More information

Published date: April 2009
Keywords: productive systems, learning, knowing, supermarkets, discretion, workplace

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 79753
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/79753
ISSN: 1363-9080
PURE UUID: 48beb3a4-a93a-40b2-92c2-964f73464e1b

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 18 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 00:33

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Contributors

Author: Alison Fuller
Author: Kostas Kakavelakis
Author: Alan Felstead
Author: Nick Jewson
Author: Lorna Unwin

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