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Emotional Labor in Public Houses: Reflections on a Pilot Study

University College Northhampton, peter.sandiford{at}northampton.ac.uk

Diane Seymour

Oxford Brookes University, dseymour{at}brookes.ac.uk

Researchers have suggested that emotional labor (managing emotions for financial re- ward) has a number of consequences for service staff members. The project reported here investigates this idea in the public house sector of the U.K. hospitality industry using ethnographic research methods. This article reflects on a pilot study conducted to test the project's methodology. Piloting the methodology was found to be particularly useful in establishing a structure and timescale for the main study to follow as well as establishing the appropriateness of data collection and analytical techniques, such as participant observation, in-depth interviews, and critical incident technique. A brief overview of some of the pilot study's findings is also included.

Key Words: emotional labor • public houses • ethnography • pilot studies

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