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Small Business, Big Ideas
Christine Bedway's Capstone Project
Welcome to Christine Bedway's Capstone Project for the Minor in Writing program!
Thank you for visiting my website. I am very excited to share a semester worth of work with you! In my last term at the University of Michigan I wanted to utilize the skills and knowledge I've gained in my major, Organizational Studies, and my minor, Writing, and make a difference in an area that I cared about. Organizational Studies is an interdisciplinary program that melds the different aspects of the social sciences to study the effect that organizations and people have on one another. In the Writing minor, we have learned how to tailor our writing to specific audiences to best convey our message by taking advantage of different forms and mediums.
My Project: Effectively Managing Employees When Owning a Successful Small Business
My parents were the inspiration for my project. Our family owns a meat market in downtown Detroit in the Eastern Market area. Over the past two years, because of external circumstances (sick family members, etc.) the stressors at our business have taken a major toll on both my mom and dad. It has become too difficult to deal with the daily operations of a successful business as well as attending to personal issues. Specifically, they are currently experiencing high employee turnover rate and they are dissatisfied with their current staff's lack of professionalism and commitment to their job.
By using our business as a case study, I wanted to take my knowledge of organizational structure and management and find ways quick and effective procedures small business owners could implement to improve employee efficiency and decrease turnover.
I imagine that these suggestions I present will be helpful for either family businesses that are stuck in their old ways or small business owners in Detroit who are committed to hiring locals who may not have the same educational background or work experience as other applicant pools in metropolis areas.
My Perspective: White Collar Education, Blue Collar Blood
With this dilemma in mind, I think I bring a unique perspective to the issue. My exposure and experiences have prepared me to look at these issues and consider elements others may not even notice.
At the University of Michigan, I've had the opportunity to take multiple classes at the Ross School of Business, one of the top undergraduate BBA programs in the entire country. However, if you got a group of Ross students together to do a case study on our family's business, they'd fail miserably. Their suggestions would be too grandiose and idealistic. They would not be able to wrap their heads around some of the eccentric customers were serve, the stress of managing under-educated employees and the overall physical grind of the job.
They lack the sense of reality.
Similarly, neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college when they were my age. They have not had the exposure I have had to certain case studies, research, technology and new ideas/concepts in managing employees.
They lack the advantage of research.
I happen to land somewhere in the middle of these two realms. I am not an expert in organizational structure, but I have learned about many proven concepts and effective tools to manage employees during my undergraduate studies. I have never been asked to work as hard as either of my parents, but I've spent time at our store for my entire life and I understand the hustle and grind of owning a business in Detroit.
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