The Obstacles to Creating Good Jobs

The conventional wisdom in retail and other low-margin service industries has been that bad frontline jobs-with low pay, unpredictable schedules, and few opportunities for advancement-are necessary to compete. Yet some leading companies have achieved great success without the bad jobs those industries supposedly depend on. The author has concluded that resistance to a "good jobs" model comes down to doubt, fear, and a lack of imagination-all stemming from beliefs about the value of frontline workers, how to analyze potential investments, and the risks of system change.