Business Anthropology 101

Explore the human side of the business equation in a provocative and meaningful team building adventure.

Imagine that you and your fellow business anthropologists are participating in field work. Outfitted with cameras, notebooks, binoculars and walkie-talkies, you'll eavesdrop on conversations, "tail" shoppers, unobtrusively witness customer service interactions and secret shop vendors--all in the name of science.

In Business Anthropology 101, your team will be observing and recording social rituals, analyzing spoken and body language, watching shopping behaviors and eavesdropping on the interactions of others.

Some challenges require participants to study signage and merchandising displays while others examine the roles of technology in customer interactions. Still others illuminate cultural and generational differences that overlay all of these components.

It’s a great opportunity to immerse your team in a variety of communities, make observations, and gain insights into questions like:

•  “Do our stores appeal to Baby Boomers, our biggest revenue stream?”
•  “What impact will the growing Latino community play in the design of our new product offering?”
• “How can signage affect our company’s positioning with men vs. women?”
• “What technological upgrades do we need to make to attract Generation Y shoppers?”
• “Are we engaging our target market in the best possible manner?”

Your group’s inquiry into these areas will generate new knowledge that can contribute to corporate policy, or at the very least, guide your team’s decisions about the way products and services are positioned.

Our team building adventure, Business Anthropology 101, can be facilitated at just about any retail center. With minor modifications depending on the site, and significant customization to fit your corporate culture and needs, we can deliver a fun learning experience with practical applications.