The performance implications of the work-oriented cognitions of shopfloor workers: A study of British retailing

While a number of studies have been conducted into individual employee cognitions and organizational performance, few studies have examined the combined effect of a range of cognitions. This gap in extant knowledge is particularly apparent in the retail sector where store performance and consequently company profitability are largely dependent on the relationship between shopfloor workers and customers. This paper presents the results of a study into the performance implications of work-oriented cognitions of shopfloor workers in the retail sector. The paper presents a series of analyses which find that the performance of individual stores is affected, to varying degrees, by a range of cognitions. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the study and highlighting the issues which merit further research attention.