Abstract
First-line supervisors in U.S. retail organizations are unable to resolve nearly 34% of typical daily customer problems for their organizations. The purpose of this single-case study was to explore the strategies retail supermarket managers have used to improve first-line supervisor problem solving abilities within a retail supermarket company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with four retail store manager participants with a successful record of improving first-line supervisor problem solving abilities. Based on inductive data analysis and methodological triangulation of the data collected, four themes emerged after the data analysis: (a) the importance of communicating expectations with first-line supervisors, (b) coaching first-line supervisors on performance, (c) first-line supervisor learning and development, and (d) measuring first-line supervisor performance. Findings from this study warrant additional empirical exploration of strategies for improving first-line supervisor problem solving abilities.
Included in
Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Performance Management Commons, Training and Development Commons
