This essay is an ethnographic study of Whole Foods Market which is located in Kensington, London. Whole Foods Market is a niche supermarket that sells high quality organic and natural products at high prices. In this essay, I will provide a brief orientation of ethics with regards to the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility - macroethics and Business Ethics - microethics and the theoretical frameworks of consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics. I will be using deontology framework in ethics devised by Immanuel Kant to assess if the marketing strategy and the products sold at Whole Foods Market support their principle of ‘organic and natural’. My ethnographic study took place at Whole Foods Market in Kensington, London. Before entering the store, I closely examined the front display windows. The products displayed include very red fresh apples that were in a stack. The apples were placed on a tray and table to provide the product with a lift and increase product visibility for all to see. Merchandised in another window, were books written by several authors whose expertise include organic foods and farming. Behind the stack of books was a poster which had a picture of each book, highlighting the authors’ names and quotes made by the authors in the book. Also posted on the display window was information about the store supporting products made by local farmers in the Kensington area. The products were sold in store and the farmers’ names were written as well as the foods the farmers were selling. Colours used by the organisation with regards to store layout and marketing posters were light brown and green which highlights Whole Foods Market green credentials to existing, new and potential customers. The layout o... ... middle of paper ... ...Market making this a primary issue and placing it in their code of conduct before the business began. Lahdesmaki (2005) argued that marketing can be an ethical contract between businesses and their customers. Therefore businesses are morally obliged to inform their customers about the products in store and provide all the information necessary via marketing strategy so the customer can make informed decisions about their purchase. Whole Foods Market does display qualities of deontology framework in relation to its marketing strategy. The analysis of the organisation and its marketing strategy within deontology theory has been carried out. The supermarket performed its ethical duty by informing customers about the products in store and showing them the preparation area, thereby justifying the high prices the high quality organic and natural products are sold at.
RNRA Team, “Supermarkets, Fresh Produce and New Commodity Chains: What Future for the Small Producer?” Hot Topics: February, 2004.
First, increased its competitive market by acquiring competitor such as Wild Oats, which was the second largest natural foods supermarket in the nation and it had 193 stores. It eliminates the competition and allows for more locations where Whole Foods was not available. It is a huge possibility for growth on Whole Foods Vision of expanding and being dominant in the market. Second, build its brand equity with organics through marketing so when consumers think “Organic”, they think “Whole Foods.” Also, the company involves in the community to help extend the market through the social mission. Based on the motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet,” its social mission is donating 5% of after-tax profits to nonprofit organization, supporting sustainable agriculture, reducing waste, and encouraging environmentally friendly store maintenance programs. One of the example of Whole Foods’ efforts in promote sustainable agriculture and protect farm worker and the environment is Local Producer Loan Program. This program provides loans to small, local producers who sell their products to Whole Foods and need the loans to continue their
In the field of academia, ethnographic studies are often overlooked as a serious source and reviewed as literature for the mass populace. Because of the often common language, fluid writing styles, format, and production of typical ethnographies, it is much more appealing and attainable to popular culture than the research within a scholarly journal or anthology. Although, perhaps instead of deeming ethnographic work unworthy of a scholarly title due to the appeal it possess, historians should relish in this relativity new form of research for its popularity. Ethnographic studies provide readers with a rare and untarnished micro historic view of the customs of a particular culture or individuals within said culture. Opposing most academia, these studies can sometimes be void in political agenda and personal biases, providing the audience with more objective material. Ethnographies often allow readers to see private and intimate moments within the milieu of the subject which is not often reserved for public life, which is the typically sphere of scholarly study; because of this tendency, individuals and groups which lack a strong public voice are frequently the foci of ethnographic studies. Throughout history women have often been the victims of such marginalization, with a recent focus on Eastern and Islamic women. Considering the previous, Muslim women and gender have been the center of contemporary ethnographic studies, giving a voice to non-Westernized Muslim women and providing a natural research of gender relations with little bias or political agenda.
The ethnographic study took place at McDonalds’ shop, Leeds, local market in the afternoon of Monday, 17th January 2011. From away I could observe the huge logo of McDonalds. I stood at the entrance and stared at the shop for few seconds. The shop was far more elegant than the average McDonald’s. The interior has a minimal style with posh chairs, tables, black art deco fixtures, beautiful paintings and attractive lights and draperies. There were large windows so it was impossible for customers to see into the Harvey Nichols store. Also, outside were window boxed filled with flowers or greenery. I could hear some relaxing music. At first glance, I noticed that customers were people with different age groups, genders, ethnic classes, social classes and cultural backgrounds. The language which was more spoken was English. [Without thinking, I was moving towards the counter, I faced] the girl behind the counter [; she] was wearing a red t-shirt with a cap and a hut. She seemed to be in a rush to handle the orders. Despite that, she was friendly and with a smile on the face to welcome the customers. The most co...
Farmer markets have always been around and a strong reason to believe that they will still be around long after our time. There are several reasons why this age old tradition still exitst today and revolves around a very common question, “What does a buyer find important when they are about to buy food to be consumed, or how the produce is grown/manufactured, processed, marketed, and distributed. Supporting farmer markets and ensuring fair trade among the dealer and the seller can help promote healthier lives while building stronger communities. There are several reasons to support a community’s farmer market event because buying true locally grown food can allows the buyer to have options to food that is picked fresh and tastes better than what is sold in the supermarkets. Another benefit to farmers markets is that the food is sustainable, flavorful, supports local farms, and also in some areas, part of the proceeds goes to the unfortunate within that community. With the addition of the food generally being more flavorful, locally grown food is adapted to the climate in which it was grown, and can remain fresh longer than that of an imported produce grown in a different climate. Final...
Reflexivity is a qualitative method of research that takes an ethnography one step further, displaying the personal thoughts and reflections of the anthropologist on his informants. Ethnographies generally take an outside or foreign perspective of a culture, like reading a text, and reflexivity introduces a new component of inside description. Here, the anthropologist may describe personal interactions and experiences with natives and use this inside information to make additional conclusions about the people being studied. The ethnographer may also reflect on his ethnic connections with his informants, or his acceptance into the society, explaining that it provides valuable, inside knowledge of the culture and ultimately leads to a greater understanding of the native people as a whole.
“Attention Whole Foods Shoppers” is an essay written by Robert Paarlberg for the May/June 2010 edition of Foreign Policy magazine. Foreign Policy was originally founded in 1970 with the intention of providing views on American foreign policy during the Vietnam war and does more or less of the same today. Paarlberg’s purpose in this essay is to convince an educated western audience that the Green Revolution was not a failure and improved life everywhere it took place, organic food having advantages over non-organic food is a myth, and the solution to food disparity is investing into agriculture modernization. With logos as the main mode of appeal, Paarlberg’s organization effectively sets up his points throughout the essay with consistently
When I was a kid my parents always took me to Nathdwara to take the blessings of Lord Krishna every now and then because my parents are so religious. So by going there several times I am also attached to that place. Actually Nathdwara is situated in Rajasthan state and I live in the state called Gujarat and in the city called as Ahmedabad. It takes six hours drive from my city to Nathdwara and this is the only nearest place where I could get mental peace. This is very important place for me and my family because it is a tradition of our family that whoever goes there gives free food to the hungry and poor people. We do so because we think that if we do good work in our life we will be allowed by god to go to the heaven. [The two states on the left are Gujarat and Rajasthan. One in light blue color is Gujarat with the arrows and on the top of it with cream color is Rajasthan. I live in the middle of the state and Nathdwara is at the border of the Rajasthan]
Alice Waters, in her 2007 article “Farmer Bill Should Focus on Healthful Foods”, instead of focusing on the farming techniques themselves, makes a more pointed inspection over the products and produce
Ethnography Works Cited Missing Anthropology is defined, in the most basic terms, as the study of other cultures. This field can subsequently be divided into more specific sections, and contain more precise defining characteristics, but this definition is essentially all that is needed. Anthropology is a science that attempts to look at other cultures and draw conclusions to questions that are raised while studying. An anthropologist is someone who accepts what is presented before them and is driven by an urge to understand each presentation as thoroughly as possible. Once the concept of anthropology is accepted, one must identify the means of reaching the goal of this field.
Personal experience and reflexivity should be used within anthropology as a tool to reflect on the culture that is being studied and not a refocusing of attention on the self. Works such as Dorinne Kondo’s “Dissolution and Reconstitution of Self,” use the idea of reflexivity as a mirror in which to view the culture being studied in a different manner. This use of reflexivity allows for the focus to stay on the culture being studied. A move away from this is the new branch of humanistic anthropology represented in this essay by Renato Rosaldo’s “Grief and a Headhunter’s Rage” and Ruth Behar’s “Anthropology that Breaks Your Heart” allows anthropologists to use reflexivity as a way to explore universal human feelings. For me, this is not the study of anthropology as much as self-reflexive psychology. The focus shifts from culture to self. The anthropologists completely understands the feelings of the people he/she is studying. I think that it is rather ambitious to state that emotion is univeral, and I do not think that it is the job of anthropologists to do so. The reflexive voice is a necessary aspect of ethnographic writing, but the anthropologist must be careful not to shift focus from concentrating on culture to concentrating on herself.
Growing up in a multi-cultural family can broaden not only your life experiences, but also influence how you view the world. Culture is something that can either be accepted, or something to be apprehensive of. Ethnography helps society learn about culture by fully immersing yourself in the culture. By observing, learning and participating in various cultures it can eliminate a lot of apprehension as well as broaden your ability to accept others. Throughout this essay, I will answer a few questions associated with ethnography and how studying a culture can help our own society progress as well. It is important to know what ethnography is, as well as methods that can be useful (or even detrimental) to your experience. These are questions that
In designing the buildings, the storefront is a key focus, with its large public doors, heavy use of glass, display windows, and entrance signage. Much like today, a storefront often serves as its own advertisement to pedestrians or drivers passing by and as such becomes a heavy focus for a store’s design. As in the case of the Kress stores they established their brand in a shiny gold handwritten font over a green back...
Wholefoods Market a retailer of natural and organic foods has become well known all around the world is not just a market place for people to come in and out to get there necessary day to day needs. But it has been setting great examples every day to the people of the community which they reside in, teaching the people how to be greener and how to keep their community safe and clean. This store had started with their first opening in Texas in 1980 and has been making a difference since then. They are founded by a nonprofit organization called the Whole Planet Foundation, which has been combating poverty and has been promoting self-sufficiency for third world countries which provides them the goods for their store.
It is not hard to comprehend, for instance, that what is considered "client administration" in one nation might be completely wrong or even hostile in another. Along these lines, Wal-Mart 's German rivals merrily watched Wal-Mart outrage its new clients by stowing their buys. These contenders realized that thrifty German customers incline toward this undertaking not be finished by outsiders. While more well-to-do German customers may value this "administration", German rebate customers viewed this as an interruption into their security for which they were paying a concealed work cost. Wal-Mart 's blunder was intensified by its utilization of plastic packs in a general public exceedingly touchy to issues of manageability and matters of nature. Consequently, for reasons of both security and nature, Germans will take their own expansive packs to markets to sack and convey their own buys. This illustration is illustrative of Wal-Mart 's inability to value its clients. The organization 's utilization of greeters and its business of the "ten-foot guideline" whereby representatives would offer backing to customers were counter-beneficial decisions in a markdown market environment. Numerous customers were startled by these practices. Some even felt attacked. For instance, supermarket chain, Coop, which started in Germany, is a decent case of what