Abstract
However, it is more prevalent in workplaces with visible structural power imbalances. The retail sector is one of the industries where structural power imbalances are visible. From top management to subordinate employees on the floor, the power one holds depend on the position one is in. Based on the ideas held by Black feminists, that Black women’s experiences need to be documented, and given the limited research that has been done on Black women retail workers and their experiences of workplace bullying, this research aimed to close that knowledge gap. A qualitative research approach was used to guide the study. A purposive sampling method was used to select participants of the study, and snowball sampling was used to locate the participants. Six open-ended interviews were done to collect data from the participants. It was found that indeed Black women in the retail sector experience workplace bullying, and usually they stay in the toxic working environment because of the need to make money to support their families. The women who are bullied then find ways to cope with the bullying. Seven themes were identified through thematic analysis of the data. The themes illustrate that Black women in subordinate positions in the retail sector are more vulnerable to workplace bullying because of the intersection amongst their class, race and gender. These women are bullied by their managers or supervisors in the store because they are women and Black. For future research, it is recommended that a larger sample will offer more insight into the issue of workplace bullying in the retail sector.
M.A. (Industrial Sociology)