This is an interdisciplinary master's level thesis that explores links among technical writing, training manuals, surveillance, and anti-union rhetoric used with service workers in select American chains and franchises. Brief histories are provided, including those of technical writing, the rise of unions in America, and how technical writing became inextricably linked with labor. A major shift occurred in the 20th century when workers began interacting less with products and more with the public. The research focuses on training manuals, techniques, and rehearsed dialogues of McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Panera, and Publix, though similar organizations are referenced. Service worker language, uniforms, and store decorum are sometimes analyzed for their rhetorical content. The idea of a single, technically written training manual in the service sector is a misnomer; training is delivered through a pastiche of manuals, videos, computers, apps, flipcharts, and on the job training. Unions are avoided through franchising (and therefore eat outlet not possessing enough workers to organize), creating conditions of high turnover rates, rhetoric, and use of euphemism. Global corporations are likened to "superfiefdoms," with service workers equated to modern serfs. If the world has evolved into supercorporations, it is argued then that the Publix employee-owned model may be the best approach and the most dignified of all. The technical writing and instruction in state-sponsored and federalized school pedagogies, which emphasize drills and compliance, may be culturally linked to the training found in these entry-level service jobs, and more academic study exploring these links is called for.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:18:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Desire Blum Menezes Torres.pdf: 8617965 bytes, checksum: 700ef00066cfcc6bbe0143e8870f2557 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-14 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work complies with the intent of studying, in terms of language, the contrivances used by supermarket network to establish relationships and communication with the environment around them within the atmosphere of a mixed society. We compared two establishments in the city of Curitiba, Brazil: a national network and another pertaining to an offshore network. The assumption that edges the research is that, since this kind of supermarket displays the characteristic of non communication with external ambiances - unlike a local grocery store or a market place where the service is personalized and engaging - human relations in their environment are depthless, superficial or even nonexistent. In a society that tends towards the hybridization of typical composé of Latin American cities, in which the cultural blend is evident in urban areas, the understanding of how the supermarket network deals with this multiplicity and participates in several series to raise cultural leans towards expressive contrasts. The research is exploratory and explanatory, with empirical observation supported by photographic record. The theoretical and methodological framework is based on sources developed by Latour, Canevacci, Ferrara and Rennó, leading the analysis of urban culture from the point of view of the observation of the image. The concepts of fusion of culture and cultural studies, with the metaphors generated by the same provide the mechanisms of translational identified phenomena. The procedure of analysis is enriched by the contributions of Laplantine, Nous, Martín- Barbero, Gruzinski and Pinheiro. Another significant theoretical core under analysis was obtained in systems theory, with Vieira, Uexkull and Bunge. Urban space, center and periphery, mixed borders, consumer relations and the concept of non-place comes from the theoretical constructs of Certeau, Canevacci, Santos, Ferrara, Lotman, Delgado, Silva, Bauman, Underhill, Webber and Augé. The analysis of this study envisages the fact that the supermarket networks, domestic or offshore are not related to the individual as a customer, which is contradictory in societies that tend towards the hybridization of forms, such as Latin societies. At the national supermarket under analysis, were found embedded cultural series, but in an offshore network, these elements are not valued, as happens with the external aspects of local culture. Based on the systemic point of view and cultural studies, it can be said that these environments present themselves as non-places / Este trabalho tem como objetivo estudar, do ponto de vista de linguagem, o modo como os supermercados de rede estabelecem relações e se comunicam com o ambiente que os circunda, na atmosfera de uma sociedade mestiça. São comparados dois estabelecimentos na cidade de Curitiba-PR: um de rede nacional e outro de rede estrangeira. O pressuposto que norteia a investigação é o de que, em virtude de esse gênero de supermercado apresentar a característica de não se comunicar com o lado de fora diferentemente de uma mercearia de bairro ou um mercado municipal, em que o atendimento é personalizado e envolvente , as relações humanas em seu ambiente são despersonificadas, superficiais ou mesmo inexistentes. Em uma sociedade que tende à hibridização de formas típica das cidades latino-americanas, nas quais a mestiçagem cultural é manifesta nos espaços urbanos, a compreensão de como o supermercado de rede lida com essa multiplicidade e participa de várias séries culturais permite levantar contrastes expressivos. A pesquisa é de natureza exploratória e explicativa, com observação empírica sustentada no registro fotográfico. A fundamentação teóricometodológica tem base em fontes desenvolvidas por Latour, Canevacci, Ferrara e Rennó, que conduzem a análise da cultura urbana sob o ponto de vista da observação da imagem. Os conceitos de mestiçagem da cultura e os estudos culturalistas, com as metáforas a que dão origem, oferecem os mecanismos tradutórios dos fenômenos identificados. O procedimento de análise é enriquecido com as contribuições de Laplantine, Nous, Martín-Barbero, Gruzinski e Pinheiro. Outro fulcro teórico expressivo nas análises foi obtido na teoria sistêmica, com Vieira, Uexkull e Bunge. Espaço urbano, centro e periferia, fronteiras mestiças, relações de consumo e o conceito de não-lugar provêm dos construtos teóricos de Certeau, Canevacci, Santos, Ferrara, Lotman, Delgado, Silva, Bauman, Underhill, Webber e Augé. As análises deste trabalho apontam para o fato de que as redes de supermercado, nacional ou estrangeira, não se relacionam com o sujeito cliente, o que é contraditório em sociedades que tendem à hibridização de formas, como as sociedades latinas. No supermercado nacional analisado, foram encontradas séries culturais incorporadas, mas, na rede estrangeira, esses elementos não são valorizados, e sim, aspectos externos à cultura local. Com base na visão sistêmica e em estudos culturalistas, pode-se afirmar que esses ambientes apresentam-se como não lugares

The retail industry is considered to be a very competitive industry in the United States since there are so many players in the almost saturated retail markets that provide similar products and services at similar price levels to customers. Market selection has been identified as an important strategy to differentiate a retailer in this competitive market. Therefore in this thesis, we describe a conceptual framework to evaluate retailers investment opportunities in dynamic, competitive retail markets. The objective is to describe a conceptual investment analysis framework to address the strategic aspects of a retailer s investment opportunity as well as the dynamic uncertainty of a retail market in a single framework. This conceptual framework outlines a strategic view towards retail stores as flexible assets of a retail enterprise. This conceptual framework is general and can be adjusted and applied to investments options in other services. In addition, we develop an integrated investment analysis approach based on dynamic programming to explore retailers investment behaviors in dynamic markets. The objective is to determine retailers optimal investment thresholds in noncompetitive and competitive markets. We consider two retailers to illustrate our approach and use a simple game theory treatment to address competition in retail markets. We use our integrated investment analysis model based on a real options methodology to evaluate the apparent tendency for the small discount retailer invests earlier in a new developing market due to the competition effect from the large discount retailer. This early entry gives the small retail a first-mover advantage and delays the big retailer s entry into the competitive market. In addition, we conduct sensitivity analysis to characterize how significantly the values of our model parameters impact the retailers investment decisions. We also develop an integrated investment analysis approach based on contingent claims analysis to explore retailers investment behaviors in dynamic markets. The objective is to determine retailers optimal investment thresholds in noncompetitive and competitive markets. The equivalent risk neutral evaluation approach is presented in this thesis as an extended version of the contingent claims analysis approach, which facilitates the market-oriented valuation of the retailer s investment option in dynamic markets. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to study how retailers optimal investment thresholds change as the values of parameters in this equivalent risk neutral evaluation approach change. The relationship between the dynamic programming and the equivalent risk neutral evaluation approach is also summarized in this thesis to identify the similarities and the differences between these two investment analysis approaches. One of the most important objectives of this comparison is to determine in what market conditions the choice of investment analysis approach is critical and dramatically changes the retailer s optimal investment threshold. Finally, we empirically examine an important aspect of our theoretical work that the big retailer invests and opens a store relatively later in markets with a small retailer compared to markets without a small retailer. In addition, the big retailer opens a store at relatively higher retail market potential in markets with a small retailer compared to markets without a small retailer. In this thesis, we discuss some empirical evidence to support these theoretical results. We chose Wal-Mart and Dollar General as the big and small retailers, respectively, in our empirical study. Our empirical results do not validate the theory and just provide supporting evidence for our theoretical works.

The purpose of this research is to examine the following research question: how has enforcement of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) adapted to the Big Box business system innovation? Additionally, the study explored the possible nature of regulatory choke points that may emerge from the enforcement of RCRA in the Big Box retail system. This study used contingency theory to establish a foundation for analysis of the Big Box business system innovation through identification of structural elements, external influences, and their subsequent interactions associated with the Big Box retail system in terms of environmental compliance with the RCRA enforced by the United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This research employed an embedded comparative case study design using the comparison of two Big Box firms, Walmart Stores, Inc. and Target Corporation, nationally and for the following states with opposing enforcement strategies: Arizona, Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas. The data used was obtained from third-party federal or firm-maintained sources. Findings indicate Walmart adheres to the structural models developed using contingency theory principles and incurs more impacts from regulatory agencies due to the enforcement of RCRA. Furthermore, it was observed that inspections of the firms are not distributed throughout the organizational structural elements by all states. Additionally, the use of different enforcement strategies resulted in the emergence of regulatory choke points by Arizona, Kentucky, and Texas; however, Missouri appears to balance enforcement without causing a regulatory choke point. This research has identified that the enforcement of RCRA has not universally adapted to the demands of the Big Box business system innovation. Agency implications, firm implications, directions for further research, and continued development of a regulatory choke point theory are discussed.

Thèse ou mémoire avec insertion d'articles. / Cette thèse s'inscrit dans une perspective de développement local tout en mettant l'entrepreneuriat local au cœur de la croissance économique endogène. Ainsi, l'objectif de cette thèse est d'étudier les trajectoires de développement des entreprises, en région non métropolitaine, afin de déterminer le rôle des caractéristiques individuelles et locales dans le choix de localisation et la performance (croissance et survie) des nouvelles entreprises. Pour ce faire, des microdonnées d'établissements d'entreprises (2008 à 2014) ont été utilisées. Le paysage économique de chaque établissement est défini dans un rayon de 1 250 mètres dans la région non métropolitaine du Bas-Saint-Laurent dans la province du Québec. Les résultats du modèle logit multinomial (chapitre 1) révèlent que les décisions de localisation des établissements d'entreprises dans le secteur primaire sont liées à la présence des avantages provenant de l'existence des ressources naturelles ainsi qu'aux avantages associés à la présence de grands espaces (comme dans les villes rurales). Les nouveaux établissements dans le secteur de la fabrication recherchent principalement une colocalisation (spécialisation) avec une légère préférence de localisation dans des villes de petites tailles. Finalement, la décision de localisation des établissements du secteur des services est fortement dépendante de la demande intermédiaire et de la distance aux principaux marchés. Les résultats du chapitre 2, montrent d'une part, à travers un modèle probit de correction du biais de sélection, que les caractéristiques individuelles et locales influencent la survie des établissements. D'autre part, à travers un modèle qui corrige pour un possible biais de sélection (modèle SDM-Spatial Durbin Model), les résultats montrent que c'est durant une période de récession que le milieu fait la différence pour la croissance de l'emploi des nouveaux établissements. En plus d'être influencée par les caractéristiques individuelles, la spécialisation industrielle relative au secteur du commerce et du transport et la variété reliée se présentent comme des facteurs favorables à la croissance des établissements pendant la période de récession. L'étude de la survie des entreprises est approfondie dans le chapitre 3 en considérant au choc structurel à savoir de l'entrée des méga-détaillants. L'impact de l'arrivée de Walmart sur la survie des nouveaux et petits commerces de détail est donc réalisé dans deux villes non métropolitaines (Rimouski et Salaberry-de-Valleyfield) et couvre la période de 1996 à 2007. Les résultats de l'analyse de la différence-en-différences (DD) menée à travers un modèle semi-paramétrique de Cox à hasard proportionnel révèlent que l'entrée de Walmart diminue le risque de fermeture des nouveaux et petits commerces de détail. Cependant, cet effet n'est pas toujours constant au fil du temps et semble en partie lié au lieu d'implantation. Les caractéristiques locales, telles que la diversification et la dynamique entrepreneuriale locale, confirment, dans une certaine mesure, l'effet négatif de la concurrence locale sur la survie des nouveaux et petits commerces de détail. Sur le plan des politiques de développement économique local, les résultats démontrent qu'en région non métropolitaine, il existe un sentier de dépendance entrepreneuriale dans certains secteurs. Chaque localité peut posséder un avantage comparatif et les initiatives gouvernementales doivent permettre de les promouvoir. Par ailleurs, en région non métropolitaine, la recherche de la pérennité peut primer sur la recherche d'une croissance soutenue de l'emploi pour les nouvelles entreprises. Les politiques de développement du gouvernement central doivent être adaptées aux contextes locaux. Les entrepreneurs sont capables de s'adapter aux réalités changeantes pour en tirer profit, et ce particulièrement en milieu non métropolitain. / This thesis is part of a local development point of view while putting local entrepreneurship at the heart of endogenous economic growth. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to study the growth trajectory of businesses, in a nonmetropolitan area, in order to determine the role of individual and local characteristics in the location decisions and the performance (growth and survival) of new businesses. To do so, spatial establishment-level, micro-data, pooled over time (2008 to 2014) was used. The economic landscape of each establishment is described within a radius of 1,250 metres in the nonmetropolitan area of the Lower St. Lawrence region in the province of Quebec. The results of the multinomial logit model (Chapter 1) reveal that the location decisions for new primary sector businesses are related to the presence of benefits a rising from the existence of natural resources, as well as those benefits associated with having large spaces (such as in the case of rural cities). New manufacturing sector businesses are mainly looking for a co-location (specialisation) pattern, with a slight preference to locate in small-sized cities. Finally, the location decisions of service-sector firms are strongly dependent on intermediate demand and on the distance to major markets. The results of Chapter 2 show, on the one hand, through a probit model of selection bias correction, that individual and local characteristics influence the survival of establishments. On the other hand, through a model that corrects for a potential selection bias (SDM-Spatial Durbin Model), the results show that it is during a recession period that the local environment makes the difference in the employment growth in new establishments. In addition to being influenced by individual characteristics, industrial specialisation in the trade and transport sector and the related variety are favourable factors for the growth of establishments during the recession period. The study of business survival is expanded upon in Chapter 3 by considering a structural shock, namely the entry of mega-retailers. The impact of the arrival of Walmart on the survival of new and small retail businesses is therefore carried out in two non-metropolitan cities (Rimouski and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield) and covers the years 1996-2007. The results of the difference-in-differences (DID) analysis, conducted through a semi-parametric Cox proportional hazards model, reveal that the entry of Walmart decreases the risk of closure of the new and small retail businesses. However, this effect is not always consistent over time and appears to be partly related to the location. Local characteristics, especially the diversification and local entrepreneurial dynamics, in some cases confirm the negative effect of the local competition on the survival of new and small retail businesses. In terms of local economic development policies, the results show that in non-metropolitan regions, there is a path of entrepreneurial dependence in some sectors. Each area can have a comparative advantage and the government initiatives must make it possible to promote them. Moreover, in non-metropolitan regions, looking for sustainability can be more important than trying to achieve high employment growth for new businesses. Central government development policies need to be adapted to local contexts. Entrepreneurs can adapt to changes and take advantage of them, especially in non-metropolitan areas.

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