18 BUSINESS

Dave Blume and Bob Chase both earned undergraduate degrees in business. In addition, Dave and Bob also earned second degrees in sociology. According to Dave, "The competition in the business world can be very intense. You have to give potential employers a reason to select you over other candidates who have the same business degree that you do. Sociology, with its focus on groups, organizations, and human interaction is a natural compliment to business. And, it is a degree which is increasingly well–received in the business world." Bob adds, "There is so much that has changed in the way business is conducted that companies are looking for people who can be very flexible. People socialized in some of the older business patterns are just so inflexible that they cannot adjust. Sociology prepares you for understanding change and anticipating it. The degree is a real asset."

The important point is, conducting business requires well– managed human relationships. Two types of relationships are especially significant. The first is relations within the business organization itself. Inside any organization there are a complex array of roles. Imagine the relational adaptations required to manage interactions among engineers, secretaries, accountants, professionals, managers, blue–collar workers, CEO's, etc. Add to this the changing face of the organization itself. With hostile takeovers, mergers, downsizing, restructuring, and other changes in the business world, how easy is it to keep on top of essential business relations? Recently two major airlines have been financially salvaged by employee buy–outs. The employees are now the owners. How might this influence traditional management–labor relations? Complicating this is the manner in which we actually conduct these relations. According to Bob, "Much of the time we treat business relations as interpersonal relations; that is, relations among friends. The problem arises when a person's behavior is being determined by their official role and that role conflicts with the interpersonal role to which we have become accustomed. The sociological perspective allows me to see behind a person's actions and not take everything personally."

The second type of relationships important to business are those conducted with clients, or customers of the organization. According to Dave, "A lot of new people have culture shock when they begin working their first job. The problem, at least in sales, is that new sales people don't realize that there is an important difference between what they see as their product and what customers want. While I sell sports equipment my customers are mostly interested in service. If you can't put yourself in the shoes of your customers and see things from their perspective then you are going nowhere. In sociology you learn to dig behind surface appearances so you can see what is really motivating a person's behavior. The connection of this to sales is both straightforward and important." One thing which must be understood about modern customers, according to Bob, is that "Customer preferences frequently change. In banking what people seem to want is convenience. While some in banking understand this, many cling to old ideas which tend to put the bank first and the customer second. People want the bank `to come to them' in the shape of longer hours, more locations, and fewer hassles in the bank itself. If you are not constantly researching customer preferences and perspectives then you will find yourself falling behind your competitors and losing your customers."

The important lesson so far is that without a good understanding of others, co–workers, superiors and subordinates, customers, and competitors, and how to relate to them, it is nearly impossible to succeed in business. In addition, sociology is a discipline which enhances a business person's ability to manage these relations. According to Dave, "The details of business are pretty easy to learn. What most students don't understand is that they must ultimately learn to read the interests of those who are important to them, and then figure out a way to satisfy those interests. In fact, if possible you need to know what a client, or your boss wants, even before they actually tell you. This means you must always be in a learning/researching mode. You are constantly observing and making notes on the patterns of these people. What sociology does for me is provide the tools and perspectives necessary to do this part of my work."

Since graduation Dave and Bob have taken thorough advantage of their education in both business and sociology. Of particular importance has been their success at recognizing, building, and accessing networks. Both took advantage of college– related networks to secure first positions. For example, Dave's college had a long–standing relationship with the CEO of a major sports management corporation. Each year the CEO would hire, at the recommendation of the college, a "personal assistant." Upon graduation Dave was recommended and hired for this position. According to Dave, "While the job really didn't pay very much in terms of money, it paid great dividends in expanding my networks. Unfortunately some who have filled this position just haven't understood this potential. In my opinion, my sociological perspective fostered the development of my own network. This was one of the repeated themes in my sociology coursework." According to Bob, "I would not have the job I how have had it not been for there being a network connection. The advantage was that my application was given more personal attention than others because I was from the same college as one of the bank officers. This alone did not get me the job. I had to take an exam and go through three interviews. But without something that made me stand out –– my place in a common network –– I doubt I would have been noticed. Some see this as an unfair advantage. I see it as the intelligent use of a resource available to anyone willing to work at it."

Since graduating from college five years ago Dave's career has mirrored national trends in the rate of job changes. As mentioned, Dave began his career as a personal assistant for the CEO of a major sports management corporation. Dave notes that, "I learned that this business was all about people skills. The gift that my boss had was to make any person feel as if they were most important to him. Even his letters have a very personal ring to them. Clients just feel comfortable with him." Success with some of the biggest names in professional sports attest to this particular strength.

Dave carefully observed his mentor's practices, including building his own network, and after his year of service was completed he was able to take a job in the sports equipment industry. He worked as a regional sales representative for a tennis equipment company. His responsibility was for developing a new region in terms of new accounts and increasing the business volume of existing accounts. In three years Dave was extremely successful in his work as he was several times named "national salesman of the month," and once was named "national salesman of the year."

Two characteristics were especially important for Dave's success. First, Dave had excellent customer relations. According to Dave, "So many sales reps simply go through the motions with clients. I make it a point to actually listen to what they say. Further I make literal notes on what they say. I learned this while working as a personal assistant. You just can't remember everything when you have so many things to remember." This practice served as a kind of market data for managing accounts. Second, Dave had to develop good intra– company contacts. Dave notes that, "The idea of a network applies not only to clients, but also to the company in which you work. This matched the idea of informal organization I studied in sociology." With the right organizational contacts Dave was then in a good position to service his clients in a timely fashion.

Because of Dave's success other sports equipment companies actively recruited him for their sales forces. One of them provided a complimentary line of products –– shoes and clothing. While his first company preferred he sold only their product they did not want to lose him and allowed him to carry the extra line. However, according to Dave, "I now had to learn a new organizational structure; one which was larger, more formal, and more bureaucratic. Networking in this company was more difficult because of the greater degree of division of labor. So, I had to work harder and be more creative." Again Dave achieved a good level of success as evidenced by yet other companies pursuing his services.

Now Dave works for one of the largest racket sport equipment companies in the world. In this case Dave made the move, leaving his other two companies, for two reasons. One, was offered a secure salaried position with excellent benefits. In his previous work his income was based solely on commissions. The other reason is that with his new position he now has worked in nearly all aspects of the racket sports industry. According to Dave, "I'm learning the last part of this business." Such a perspective speaks to Dave's long– range orientation. "I must be fully prepared for whatever the future brings. If there is one thing my combination of degrees taught me it is to expect change, and therefore be prepared for it."

By being prepared Dave has managed to be successful financially in a very competitive industry. In his last year working on commission, as an independent contractor for two companies, Dave earned $65,000 – $70,000. Today, in a salaried position, with benefits, a car, etc., his salary is approximately $50,000. Yet, as successful as he has been Dave is now considering a return to school. According to Dave, "I may have gone as far as I can without more education. I'm sure that in the next few years I'll be pursuing an MBA. I have to stay on top of industry trends. If I get too comfortable others will soon be passing me by."

Bob's career, still in its first year, is far less developed, but just as interesting sociologically. Bob is on the cutting edge of banking services in what is called, "supermarket banking." Because of consumer demands for convenience and service, banks have begun opening more branch locations which offer a complete set of bank services. For example, at Bob's branch you not only can cash a check, you can borrow money for a car or even refinance your mortgage. "The problem within the banking industry," according to Bob, "is that existing employees simply could not make the needed transformation to a more consumer–driven pattern of work. In fact, many people in traditional banking tended to see the bank as having priority over the customer, not the other way around."

Supermarket banking requires a more organizationally aggressive, but user friendly approach. It also has a much flatter, less departmentalized organizational structure. Bob notes that, "In banking it is not just a matter of making organizations flatter, these new branches are simply constructed without any real hierarchy. We work much more like a team where everybody knows everybody else's business. In a traditional bank you have very separate departments for each function." In terms of service, according to Bob, "The supermarket branches are more approachable. In a traditional bank setting the customer must be available during normal bank hours which often isn't very convenient. Then, for each service they need they have to go and wait in line in each department. At the branches the bank comes to the customer with longer hours and one stop service, meaning one bank employee is capable of servicing all needs." Obviously this type of banking is people intensive. As Bob says, "A premium is placed on your customer relations." This even extends to walking the aisles of the supermarket and introducing the idea of supermarket bank to store customers. This obviously requires great flexibility and agility in conducting customer relations.

According to Bob, "I am still learning the job. But, I believe that my background in sociology has been especially helpful for this new type of work. In fact, I'm learning three different organizations at once. One is my branch team of five people. A second is the supermarket where we are located. The third is the main bank. I know there is a formal relationship among the three, but I also know that it is the informal relations, invisible to most, that makes things work. Since this is new, it will take time to sort out all the variables. But I'm confident I will." While still developing his concept of supermarket banking Bob is earning $20,000 – $25,000 in his first year. "It is not a lot, yet, " according to Bob, "but I'm on the ground floor of a major new trend. I'm sure it will pay off in the long run."

What Dave and Bob are demonstrating is that sociology is a highly compatible degree for business. In fact, it is likely to be compatible with most other careers. The question is whether the career you choose involves important relations with others. These profiles have shown that there is more in common than there is different in careers as apparently different as banking and sports equipment sales. The sociological lesson is that it is important to dig beneath the surface to see how things really are, because things –– people –– are not always what they seem. As Dave suggested, "Sociology would be a good leg up on any career."

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