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Our core aim was to explore the perceptions of precarious workers on the ways in which the pandemic impacted their relationships with their employing organizations and to explore the ways in which they viewed the pandemic as (re)shaping the dynamics of precarious work and the extent to which they saw the pandemic as contributing to substantive improvement in their working lives or whether the pandemic is exacerbating their marginalisation.

We adopted an approach akin to grounded theory in an exploratory research design and utilized in-depth, semi-structured interviews as the most apposite method of data collection. Our research design centred on a two-phase data collection approach, which were intended to gather data at two points. First, during the most difficult part of the pandemic, which we describe as the “Lockdown phase” and second, during the period wherein the pandemic rules were eased but elements of the risks remained; the “New Normal phase”.

This article reports the findings of a longitudinal study of the reflections and interpretations of precarious workers on the impacts of the pandemic on their relationships with their employing organizations. We supply findings across three periods – pre-the COVID-19 pandemic, during the pandemic lockdown phase and post-lockdowns in the “new normal phase”.

The first contribution of the study is the importance of “voice” and giving voice to workers in nontraditional, fragmented and marginalised employment. Our study builds on these contributions by exploring the journeys of precarious workers and is particularly valuable in that we explore the perceptions of these workers across the societal, organizational and employment/working turbulence of the pandemic. The second contribution arises from the insights developed through studying the working lives and experiences of precarious workers longitudinally rather than in a single, snapshot fashion. A third contribution centres on how precarious workers felt they were treated by others during both the two phases of the study. The insights here are complex and, in parts, contradictory – reflecting the interpretations and conflicted opinions/deeds of those connected with precarious workers.

It is particularly important for scholars to understand the ways in which the pandemic shaped (or reshaped) the dynamics of precarious work and to understand whether the evolving conceptions of the centrality of such workers as “essential” during the pandemic (Crane and Matten, 2021) contributed to substantive or merely illusory, improvements in their working lives. Thus, we analyse the reflections of precarious workers on changes to their working lives that are linked to the pandemic.

This article explores differentiation in the responses of precarious workers to the instability and uncertainty imposed on their work by employing organizations. Our focus is on the ways in which different workers respond to precarious working conditions, with a particular interest on marginalised groups who have been especially overlooked by studies of workforce precarity.

Employs an approach akin to grounded theory in an exploratory research design and utilizes in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 56 precarious workers.

Finds that different precarious workers, with divergent characteristics and resources, facing differing working conditions, and diverse structural constraints vary in the ways in which their strategies of surviving precarious work are manifested. Uncovers three differing forms of precarious workers who each employ a different range of tactics and strategies in work.

Generates insights into differentiation of precarious workers in their responses to the ambiguous, challenging and, in many ways, subjugating conditions of their working conditions.

The aim of this article is to supply grounded empirical insights into the forms of negative word‐of‐mouth by front‐line, customer contact employees.

The article adopts a qualitative approach through interviews with 54 front‐line employees in three retail organizations: food, clothing and electronic goods.

The paper finds four different forms of negative word‐of‐mouth behaviours which are labelled customer‐oriented, anti‐management/firm, employee‐oriented and anti‐competitor word‐of‐mouth. The paper shows how each of these behaviours varied in terms of the target audience (the intended listeners), the focus of attention (the focal point of comments), the motivation (the perceived rationale for the behaviour) and the extent to which employees perceived their own comments to be truthful.

The article calls for an expansion of research horizon to incorporate a fuller understanding of the dynamics of employee (mis)behaviour in the workplace in relation to resistance, subjectivity, instrumentality and clandestine control of certain aspects of workplace dynamics.

The findings suggest that managers should be concerned with front‐line employee negative word‐of‐mouth especially because some of the examples which were uncovered are potentially damaging to both financial and non financial performance measures.

The article contributes insights into the neglected area of employee negative word‐of‐mouth. The article argues that the identification of the forms of employee negative word‐of‐mouth is an important step towards developing a theory of employee negative word‐of‐mouth that is especially pertinent to front‐line service work. The article develops a series of propositions which future researchers may find useful in advancing research in this area.

In Britain, welfare‐to‐work has been hailed as a radical initiative to help those that are socially and economically disadvantaged in society. The New Deal promises to offer young long term unemployed people the opportunity to train and experience the world of work in a bid to make them more attractive to employers. It is especially pertinent to ethnic minorities who have been identified as having an increased tendency to be unemployed. However, the intention to help ethnic minorities has not been matched with changes to the institutional framework for the delivery of training and work experience placements. This article assesses the likely impact of the New Deal on unemployed people from ethnic minority communities. It contends that the failure of the present arrangement to cater for the needs of ethnic minorities may affect the success of the New Deal as far as ethnic minorities are concerned.

A theme emerging from research into the determinants, content and consequences of market orientation is that developing a market‐oriented culture exerts a profound influence on the organizational culture of a company. Explores and describes the manner and forms of front‐line employees’ responses to market‐oriented culture change initiatives. The paper begins with a brief overview of existing literature discussing the definition and components of a market orientation. Thereafter, extant research into the consequences of developing a market‐oriented culture is reviewed critically. After detailing the research design and methodology adopted in this study, the summary findings of two in‐depth case studies are presented. The findings indicate that front‐line employees respond differentially to market‐oriented culture change programmes. Concludes with a series of implications for both marketing and culture theorists and practitioners.

Strategy and culture in British supermarkets are dealt with in a second article, this time from the viewpoint of the checkout. Attempts to create a customer care ethos include instilling a corporate philosophy. For checkout staff this means smiling and meaning it. The staff see it differently; compliance may mean just “putting on an act”. Their response is discussed within the broader context of internal resistance to change and market factors beyond company control.

Retailers are facing conflicting strategic variables as they enter the next decade; horizontal versus vertical diversification; high street versus greenfield out‐of‐town siting; own label versus branded goods; staff cost reductions versus loyalty and commitment of service staff. This article looks at these strategic choices in the context of the UK grocery retail sector, drawing comparisons with retail banking. It concludes that the industry is likely to consolidate market share by acquisition; that overseas diversification is unlikely; that “superstore” development will slow or stop; but that stores will expand product lines, particularly in non‐food items.

The aim of this article is to contribute to extant management and internet literature through exploring the impact of human dynamics, interaction, and influence on web site design, development, and implementation within the context of broader internet operations development.

Given the nature of the subject area under investigation and the need for both depth and rich understanding, an in‐depth, longitudinal case study approach was considered appropriate for this study.

The evaluation of the process of web site design, development, and implementation identifies six cultural gaps and numerous instances of hierarchical political influence that combined with the medium of communication to shape both the articulation and the understanding of messages.

This study will have significant appeal not only to management and culture theorists and practitioners, but also to those executives and academics interested in the processes and pitfalls of web site design, development, and implementation within the broader context of developing internet operations.

This article demonstrates the usefulness of applying the multiperspective framework developed by Martin (1992) to the analyses of organizational culture. The paper presents empirical evidence derived from the UK retail sector to illustrate that the culture of retail organizations can be more clearly understood by reference to Martin’s (1992) three perspectives. Moreover, it argues that the organizational members’ perceptions of culture correspond with their respective hierarchical positions. The paper concludes with an exploration of theoretical and practical implications derived from the application of Martin’s (1992) three‐perspective framework.

It is commonly argued that the exponential growth in the application of internet technology is one of the most important recent developments in business and management. However, although much research has been conducted on the strategic and operational aspects of the internet, there is a surprising dearth of research on the organizational cultural dynamics of this technological innovation. The purpose of this study is to examine the implications of introducing an internet‐led strategy on organizational culture.

Specifically, the study explores the attempts by management to exploit the introduction of internet operations as a catalyst to transform the culture of the organization.

It is argued that although a number of factors (such as organizational centrality and senior management patronage) increased the profile of the Internet Operations Unit, the attempt by this unit to dominate subcultural dynamics was met with difficulties, dissenting voices and issues that were not wholly consistent with the wishes of senior management.

The paper offers insight into the emergent subcultures and the attempts of their members to increase their visibility and influence within the organization as a whole.