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Customer abuse to service workers: an analysis of its social creation within the service economy

Author

Listed:
  • Marek Korczynski

    (University of Nottingham, UK)

  • Claire Evans

    (Cardiff University, UK)

Abstract

Evidence from a range of sources suggests that customer abuse to service workers is a significant phenomenon. This article argues that a large part of customer abuse is endogenously created within the fabric of the service economy. Thirty book-length ethnographies were coded for relevant data and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis was undertaken. The findings show that frequent customer abuse is associated with a configuration of the promotion of customer sovereignty (at organizational, sectoral and national levels), the weak position of labour, the higher social status position of customers vis-Ã -vis workers and the structuring of service interactions as encounters.

Suggested Citation

  • Marek Korczynski & Claire Evans, 2013. "Customer abuse to service workers: an analysis of its social creation within the service economy," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 27(5), pages 768-784, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:27:y:2013:i:5:p:768-784
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wagemann, Claudius & Buche, Jonas & Siewert, Markus B., 2016. "QCA and business research: Work in progress or a consolidated agenda?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 2531-2540.
    2. Laura Good & Rae Cooper, 2016. "‘But It's Your Job To Be Friendly’: Employees Coping With and Contesting Sexual Harassment from Customers in the Service Sector," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(5), pages 447-469, September.
    3. Richard Godfrey & Joanna Brewis, 2018. "‘Nowhere else sells bliss like this’: Exploring the emotional labour of soldiers at war," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 653-669, November.

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