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MeganHaliRay SOC1010 DanielPoole Nov.19,2012

MySociologicalImagination
Intro: Tobeginletsmakeafewkeytermclearthatwillbeusedthroughoutthis paper.SociologicalImagination:Theapplicationofimaginativethoughttotheaskingand answeringofsociologicalquestions.Someoneusingthesociologicalimaginationthinks himselfawayfromthefamiliarroutinesofdailylife.Thesociologicalimaginationforme meansthinkingaboutsituationsusingdifferentperspectivesotherthanmyown.Social group:Acollectionofpeoplewhoregularlyinteractwithoneanotheronthebasisofshared expectationsconcerningbehaviorandwhoshareasenseofcommonidentity.Examplesof socialgroupsarefamilies,friends,coworkers,andmanyothers.InthispaperIwillbe discussingoneofmypersonalsocialgroups,myplaceofemploymentforwhichIhave beenemployedwithforfiveyearsnow.IworkforWalgreensandwillbeusingmy sociologicalimaginationtoexplainthenormsandbehaviorsofworkingforWalgreenswith emphasisonbeingamemberofmanagement.Iamgoingtobeusingthesymbolic interactionismtheorylaterinthispapertodigdeeperintomysocialgroup.Iwillbe discussingthreeconcepts:age,gender,andstratification.

Describethegroupofwhichyouareamember: LetsstartwiththehistoryofhowIbecameamemberofmygroup.November12,

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2007,IwashiredatWalgreensasacashierafterafriendofminehadtoldmetocome apply.HehadworkedthereforaboutayearandIhadbeenworkingacrossthestreetat TacoBell.IfinallylistenedandputinmyapplicationandwashiredatWalgreensright away.IhadafewyearsofretailexperiencethatIgotwhileworkingforAlbertsonsforthe previousthreeyears,whichhelpedmetolearnmynewjobwithease.Twoweeksafter workingasacashierIwaspromotedtoaphototechnician.Althoughthiswasapromotion withinthecompany,whichmeantabitmoreresponsibilityandpay,Iwasstillequalwithmy fellowcashiers,phototechs,andbeautyadvisors.AfterrealizingthatIwasenjoying workingforWalgreensandIstoppedgoofingaroundandbeinglateallthetime,Istartedto showmytruededicationandstartedtoprovethatIcouldbeahardworkerandthatIwas worthyofmovingontobiggerandbetterthings,Management. September4,2010,IwasfinallypromotedtoStoreTeamLead(STL)whichisa managerwithoutthepayandtitle.Ihadgottenmyfootinthedoorofmovingupat Walgreens.Ikeptupthegoodworkthathadgottenmepromotedandstrivedtolearnas muchasIcouldaboutanythinganyonewouldteachme.AfterayearofbeinganSTLIput inmyapplicationformanagementandafterharassingtwoCommunityLeadersIfinallygot myinterview.Ihadjustenrolledincollegewhichwouldhelpmetobeconsideredforthe promotion.IwasverynervousandafteraveryinterestinginterviewIgotthecall.I unfortunatelydidnotgetthejobthistimebutIwouldbeconsiderforfutureopenings.

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December17,2011,IfinallygotmypromotiontoManagement(MGToran AssistantManager).ThiscouldnothaveworkedoutanybetterformebecauseIwasarare case.Walgreenshardlyeverallowspeopletobepromotedtomanagementintheircurrent storeduetoproblemsthatarecausedbypowerstruggleswithbecomingasupervisorover previouslyequallycoworkers.InalmostanyothersituationIwouldhavebeentransferredto anotherstore.Aswithmostretaillocations,thereisusuallymanystaffingchanges. Walgreensisnodifferent.Everyonenewpersonthatstartschangesthesocialatmosphere ofthestore.OverthefiveyearsthatIhaveworkedattheBountifulWalgreens,Ihavehad twostoremanagers,thefirstthreeyearswerewithMr.Denkers.Hehasbeenwiththe companyfor20+yearsandwasaCommunityLeaderthathasastorebutisalso supervisingbetween46otherstores.Hisresponsibilitiesoutsideofourstoremadeitso hewashardlythere.Iwouldseehimmaybe10hoursaweekonaverage.InaCommunity Leadersstore,theExecutiveAssistantManagermuststepupandtakeonmore responsibility.TheEXAgettransferredfromstoretostoremorethantheotherassistants, theyareworkingonprovingthattheyaregoingtobeabletoruntheirownstore.Wehave

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had5EXAsinmystoreoverthetimethatIhavebeenthere.EveryTimeanewEXA starteditwaslikeanewstoremanager.Therewerenewrulestolearn,newprocessesin whichthingswereexpectedtobecompleted,itwouldusuallycompletechangethesocial aspectofthestore.Althoughitisaneverchangingstafftherearestillstrongbondsthat groupusastheWalgreensteam.Wealllookoutforeachotherandhelpoutwhenwecan toallaccomplishacommongoal.Thebiggestsocialchangewasgettinganewstore manager.HehaschangedthestoresomuchIfeellikeIalmostworkinadifferentlocation butthechangeshaveimprovedourstore.Weareworkingbetterasateam. Norms,whatarenorms?Firstletsdefinethattermandthengooverthenormsof Walgreens.Norms:Rulesofconductthatspecifyappropriatebehaviorinagivenrangeof socialsituations.Allhumangroupsfollowdefinitenorms.Someexamplesofthenormsof Walgreensare,firstthereisalwaysatleastonemanagerondutyandapharmacist.The managerisresponsibleforthefrontofthestoreandalsoassistinginpharmacyifneeded. Customerserviceisourmainfocussowemustremainasprofessionalaswecanatall timesonthesalesfloors,thatgoesfortheentirestaffnotjustmanagersalthoughweareto bethepositiveexamplesofexcellentcustomerservice.Adayworkingforwalgreensis filledwithcustomers,stockingshelves,buildingdisplays,andmeetingthedailyneedsof thestore.Walgreensisasmallerstorethanmostretailstores,soweusuallyonehave35 frontassociatesand23pharmacyassociatesonanygivenshift.Thissmallerstaffmakes itsoweallneedtoknowalmostalltasksthatneedtobecompletedthroughoutthestore, thisespeciallyasamemberofManagement.Iamexpectedtosupervisemystaffby ensuretheyarecompletingassignedtasks,answeringcustomerandassociatequestions,

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andbeabletohelpinanydepartment. Discussthetheoreticalperspectiveyouhavechosen:

Iamlookingatmysocialgroupusingthetheoreticalperspectiveofsymbolic interactionism.Symbolicinteractionismisatheoreticalapproachinsociologydeveloped byGeorgeHerbertMead,whichemphasizestheroleofsymbolsandlanguageascore elementsofallhumaninteraction.Thistheoreticalperspectivewillhelpmetofurtherexplain thetransitionsandthemeaningsbehindthetitlesofWalgreensandmyjourneyupthe ladder.Althoughthetitlesarejustwordstheyhavesomuchmoremeaning.Justasimple wordcangiveyoupoweroverothers,likemymanagertitle.Beingamanagerhasmany meaning,Iamlookedatasanauthorityfigurethatmakesdecisionswhenneeded.Ihave

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tofigureoutcreativewaystosolveproblemsforcustomersorinbetweenemployees.The languageandthewaythatIchoosetocommunicateaffectsalmostallmyinteractionswith others.ThewayIportraymyselfatworktoeveryonearoundmecanmakeorbreakmy status.Ihavetoremainprofessionalyetfriendly.Myattitudeandtoneofmyvoiceaffectthe waypeopleviewme.IfIsoundunsureofmyselftocustomerstheydoubtmyabilitytohelp themeffectively.LanguageandSymbolsaffectmyworkgroupeveryday. Discussatleast3ofthefollowingconcepts: AlthoughIhavenotseenanydiscriminationagainstage,gender,andracefrom anyoneIhaveworkeddirectlywith,thereusuallyisanormtoaccompanydifferentpositions throughoutthestore.Managers,includingmypositionpredominantlyarefilledwithmiddle agemales,phototechsareusuallyyoungmenwithmoreandmorefemales,beauty advisorsareusuallyyoungerfemales,andthecashierpositionisthemostdiverse. ThroughoutmyWalgreenscareer,Ihaveneverhadacoworkerdiscriminateagainstmefor beingayoungerfemalebutcustomersisacompletelydifferentstory.AsaphototechIhad oldermalesalwaysasktotalktoaphototechlikeIwasjuststandingbehindthecounter lookingprettyanddidntknowwhatIwasdoing.MostofthemwerefunnyandIneverletit reallybotherme.IhadaphonecallthatIansweredinphotoandheasktospeaktophoto andwhenIrespondedthatIwasphotoheproceededtotellmeIsoundedmorelikea cosmeticgirlthenaphototech.Ijusthadtobitemytongueandstaypoliteonthephone.As amanagerIhavepeopleaskmeallthetime,iftheycanseeamanager,whenIsayIama managerIgetsomeofthestrangestlooksliketheydonotbelievethatIcouldbea manager,Iamtooyoungandafemale.AlthoughIhaveonlyhadafewsayanythingaboutit

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outloudtomyfacethattheydidnotthinkIwasamanagerbecauseofageandgenderI couldalwaystellbytheirfacesthattheywerenotexpectingthatorthattheythinkIamlying aboutmyposition.Stratificationisthebuildingupoflayers.Thereisstratificationat Walgreens.Iamjustgoingtofocusonthefrontofthestore.Thereismystoremanager, usuallyanexecutiveassistantmanager(althoughmystorecurrentlydoesnothaveone), assistantmanagers(whichismyposition),storeteamleads/shiftleaders,andthen associates(whichiscashiers,phototechs,andbeautifuladvisors).Thesedifferent positionsthroughoutthestoregivedifferentlevelsofresponsibility,authority,andprivilege. Conclusion: Ihavegoneovermanydifferentaspectsofmychosensocialgroup.Ihave discussedthehistory,norms,andgivenexamplesofhowmysocialgroupfunctions.Thisis allmypersonalexperiencesandopinionsonmyownsocialgroup.Ishowedhowthe symbolicinteractionismperspectivefitwithmysocialgroup.Italkedaboutthreeconcepts thatareevidentatWalgreenswithmyexperiences,age,genderandstratification.This paperhashelpedmetoapplywhatIhavelearnedinSociology1010tolookatmyownlife andmyworksocialgroup.Ilearnedsomuchapplyingmysociologicalimaginationtomy ownlife.