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Playing the Part: Reflections on Aspects of Mere Performance in the Customer–Client Relationship

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  • Heather Höpfl

Abstract

The paper seeks to address the ways in which organizations are selective in the aspects of employees which they want and value, and those which are implicitly rejected by the organization. As such, the paper considers Diderot’s famous comparison between acting and whoring in order to give emphasis to what might be termed ‘performed synedoche’ in the employee role. The paper draws on a range of examples from service occupations in order to explore what ‘performed synedoche’ might mean in practice. It concludes with a discussion of the necessary hypocrisy of certain aspects of the service role and examines the psychological costs which attach to this type of performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Heather Höpfl, 2002. "Playing the Part: Reflections on Aspects of Mere Performance in the Customer–Client Relationship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 255-267, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:39:y:2002:i:2:p:255-267
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-6486.00291
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    Cited by:

    1. Sealy-O’Donnell, Sue, 2015. "Backstage – the play within a play: Utilising a dramaturgical metaphor to consider the rapid development of team culture in short-term stage crews," MBA Research Papers 4935, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Management.
    2. Sealy-O’Donnell, Sue, 2015. "Backstage – the play within a play: Utilising a dramaturgical metaphor to consider the rapid development of team culture in short-term stage crews," MBA Research Papers 19381, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Management.
    3. Sharon C. Bolton & Carol Boyd, 2003. "Trolley Dolly or Skilled Emotion Manager? Moving on from Hochschild's Managed Heart," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 17(2), pages 289-308, June.
    4. Sharon C. Bolton & Maeve Houlihan, 2005. "The (mis)representation of customer service," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 19(4), pages 685-703, December.

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