7-Eleven, Managing in an Inclusive Environment – Diversity

Introduction – The nature of 7-Eleven’s commitment to valuing diversity and fostering an inclusive work environment is hinged primarily on the fact that first, it adheres to the existing laws that protect equal employment opportunities, and that its top management executives exert effort so that the diversity existing inside a culturally diverse work environment found in 7-Eleven stores are harnessed for its potential while the possible negative impact of such set up is downplayed and minimized. Dicker (1998) cites in her paper how the owner of 7-Eleven stores undertakes, among other things, the “discussion of cultural differences (Dicker, 1998, p. 291).” Bennet wrote about how Dallas-based 7-Eleven stores used education and the assistance that the store can give those who do not have enough so that they can finish school, an effort which Bennet describes as a subtle broadcasting of7-Eleven’s trumpeting of how the company is a “good place for minorities to work (Bennet, 2005).”

7-Eleven’s effort for diversity in the workplace also had some proof to show. 7-Eleven proved to be supportive of campaigns geared at promoting the employment of the members of the minority in the country, including African Americans, Hispanics and Asians. One of the times 7-Eleven showed its support for diversity and equal employment opportunity for minorities was during the time 7-Eleven supported the campaign of Jess Jackson, Operation Push, which is geared at “boosting minority employment and minority businesses and organizing those who were not making liveable wages (Stanford, Walters, 1997, p. 44).” This was a big time campaign supported by big named celebrities from the entertainment and the local government. “PUSH succeeded in negotiating covenants with firms such as Burger King Corporation, 7-Eleven Stores, the Coca Cola Company, Southland Corporation, Adolph Coors and so on (Stanford, Walters, 1997, p. 44).”

Still, despite the problems in employment, the issues of diversity and ethnic sensitivity and in fairness to 7-Eleven the efforts being made so that the company adheres to the rule of exercising and respecting diversity inside the 7-Eleven work environment, some institutions act as role players who provide the check and balance so that 7-Eleven does not go astray of its overall mission to the society. Perkins (2004) wrote, “The priest said Mass at the local church and gave his homily speaking of the roles these 7-Eleven stores should play in the overall well being of Guadalajara. The priest spoke from the pulpit about community, responsibility, awareness, employment opportunities, training and guidance. He said that 7-Eleven Mexico should act as a good corporate citizen and provide to the community: product, employment, safe haven and hope for additional opportunities for all of God’s people (Perkins, 2004, p. 39).” If 7-Eleven was intolerant of the impact of diversity towards corporate identity and overall operations, they would opt for American employees manning stores around the globe. But the fact that they entrust their stores to locals is indicative of their positive, pro-active action towards supporting diversity.

            Conclusion – While there are no exact findings as well as supporting related literature to ascertain exactly the effectiveness of 7-Elevens commitment to valuing diversity and fostering an inclusive work environment, the best proof that one can have so far is by taking a good look at every 7-Eleven store and seeing how many of the employed individuals in the stores actually represent different cultural background, and how all of them are managing to get along just fine.

If it was any additional proof, critics can take a look at the background of some of the success stories of modern times and see in their resume how once in their lives during their most trying times 7-Eleven was one of the few things that minorities like them had to stay alive long enough to reach the plateau of success. Woo (2000) writes, “In April 1998, the Washington Post retold a familiar fable, now rendered in the form of high tech success. The opening line read. The classic dream of entrepreneurial American came true in Landover yesterday: Jeong Kim, a Korean-born immigrant who once worked the night shift at 7-Eleven to put himself through school, sold his company – for 1 billion (Woo, 2000, p. 27).”

References

Bennet, Julie (2005). Recruiters Use New and More Subtle Tools to Reach Minority Job.

            Candidates. Retrived June 15, 2008, from

            http://www.latinoworkforce.com/diversity_apr05.pdf

Dicker, Susan J. (1998). Adaptation and Assimilation: US Business Responses to Linguistic

            Diversity in the Workplace. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development.

            Vol. 19, No. 4.
Perkins, Jim (August 2004). Beyond Bodegas: Developing a Retail Relationship with

            Hispanic Consumers. Paramount Market Publishing, Incorporated.

Stanford, Karin L. and Walters, Ronald W. (September 1997). Beyond the Boundaries:

            Reverend Jesse Jackson in International Affairs. State University of New York Press.

Woo, Deborah (January 2000). Glass Ceilings and Asian Americans: The New Face of

            WorkPlace Barriers. AltaMira Press.