Unlocking the potential of retail department managers: dilemma of exploitation and exploration

This article explores the dilemma between exploitation and exploration in the work of retail department managers in a Finnish grocery retail unit. In previous studies, the exploration dimension has been poorly understood in low status service sector work. The dilemma between exploitation and exploration is described by sociologist Bourdieu's practice theory. This study shows that in a highly efficient retail trade field, the focus is on the exploitation of managers' cultural and social capital over the short-run. Long-run work involvement generates 'the sense of work' for balancing dilemmas between exploitation and exploration, but it also prevents the potentials for change and development. Retail department managers have autonomy and freedom in crafting their jobs, but their capabilities to explore and innovate are not fully recognised. The department managers suffer from the lack of top-down guidance, but also from other employees support for creativity.