Reflection: Impression Management and Organisational Culture in Cafes

This reflective paper explores impression management and organizational culture within a cafe setting, offering insights from a cafe owner's viewpoint. The paper defines impression management and its impact on social interaction, employee behavior, and self-presentation. It examines how a cafe owner can manage these aspects to enhance the working environment and build a strong brand image. The reflection also delves into the importance of organizational culture, discussing how values, norms, and practices influence a cafe's success. The author discusses the role of infrastructure, location, and ambiance in attracting customers and fostering a positive atmosphere. The paper provides practical applications of these concepts, highlighting how the cafe owner can use impression management and organizational culture to influence employees, manage relationships, and achieve business objectives. The author also provides references to support the analysis.

Running Head: Personal Reflection
Reflective Paper

Personal Reflection 2
Reflection on Impression management: From the view point of café owner
Description
Impression management defines a conscious or subconscious process in which human
effort to influence or change the perception of the other people (Tedeschi, 2013). This
influence is done by the person to enhance the social interaction in the organization. I believe
that in the organization a person can use impression management both in the negative as well
in the positive manner. Over here positive impression management shows that one person
talking someone up. In simple terms, one person gives good or positive information about the
other person. This makes the other person change the views (Roulin, Bangerter, & Levashina,
2014). Taking about the deceptive impression management I believe that when any person
shows the other person in the poor light that is negative impression management.
Interpretation
Being a café owner I think that in a café one impression management towards a
person can change the views and thoughts of many people. Every employee working in a café
has a motive behind the impression management. It depends on the situation that the
employee is facing while sharing the views about the other person. I believe that it reflects
the Self-presentation or image of oneself in a café. This step is taken by the employees of the
café to enhance the social interaction in the organization. As per my opinion, social
interaction in the café plays a vital role in enhancing the working environment of the café.
There are different ways that can be used by the employees to interpret the views. I believe
that communication can be done either face to face or cross-culture communication can take

Personal Reflection 3
place in a cafe. Emerging way in the communication is computer-mediated communication
such as e-mail (Berger, 2014).
Evaluation
I believe that being a café owner social interaction plays a vital role in the
organization. I think each and every organization should manage the social interaction in
café. I saw that some employees share their experience with the views and thoughts. Seeing
this I believe that I need to understand the situation that employees want to explain.
According to me, I need to manage the situation that may not create impression management.
Practical
After going through the theoretical background of impression management I got to
know that the role of impression management is great in managing a business. I learned that
the impression management helps to influence the people, which is critical for the owner of
business to get the work done from the personnel. As the café owner I would be facing
conflicts with the personnel on many aspects. For instance, I may get into conflict with the
personnel over the scope of work, in this situation the concept of impression management
would help me to influence the personnel and persuade him to work in the manner in which I
want. Further, the skills gathered through learning of impression management would also
help me in managing relations with the regulators and the governmental agencies. It is to be
noted that relationship management with the regulators and the governmental agencies is
crucial for the smooth running of business and achievement of the overall objectives.

Personal Reflection 4
Personal Reflection on Organisational Culture: From the view point of café owner
I am interested in this topic because it will clear the practical aspect of the life and
will render the clarity upon the working of an organisation. This reflection will depict the
culture that is followed in an enterprise. Organisation cultures are the values, norms,
traditions, policies and practices that every organisation follows. Culture differs from
organisation to organisation depending upon its nature of work, environment, staff and
external environment as well (Mohr, Young & Burgees, 2012).
Description
Being a café owner the prime responsibility of mine will be the infrastructure and
appearance of the café. The appearance and look are the foremost things which attract the
consumer to give a try to the particular enterprise. Secondly, the location of an organisation
matters to a great extent; it should be situated at such a place which is within the reach of the
target market. After the appearance and location there comes the ambience of the café. The
interior design and atmosphere should be soothing and calm paired with the instrumental and
soft music that contributes in relaxing the mind set of my consumers and making sure that
they visit the place again. The organisational culture is highly influenced by the national
culture of the country. National culture consists of values and beliefs that a country follows
and these are the cultures that represent a strong image of the nation overseas. The national
culture constitutes 6 dimensions which vary from country to country. These dimensions are
power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty, long term orientation and indulgence
(Geert Hofstede, n.d.).

Personal Reflection 5
Interpretation
In order to strengthen my café, I will hold the staff meeting and note down their
suggestions as well adopting the centralised technique. To fulfil the motivational purpose
recipe contest can be organised to initiate fun with work. I will organise the annual party and
will appreciate my colleagues who performed well the whole year to boost up their energy
and initiate healthy competition in the café. To strive the employees towards attaining a
single goal uniform will be issued so that no discrimination takes place (Xaxx, 2017).
Evaluation
From the reflection, it could be evaluated that culture is the key to success of every
organisation. The behaviour and conduct of employees depict the picture of the workplace
where they have been working. According to me, organisational culture is the strong point to
grab customer’s attention and improving the brand image of café. The better organised an
organisational culture is high will be the employee engagement rate and adequate decision
making will take place (Yohn, 2011).
Practical
The knowledge of the Organizational culture is critical from the view point of a
businessman. As a cafe owner, it is essential to have good knowledge about the
organizational culture because it gives an idea of beliefs and values that are to be followed in
the managing the business. The success of the business is highly dependent upon the
organizational culture. The direction in which the business will run in future depends upon
the values and beliefs that are inculcated by the management or the owner of the business in
the other down the line personnel. Therefore, in order to run the café business successfully, it
is of high import that as the owner of the business I should know about the theories governing

Personal Reflection 6
the organizational culture. The learning and understanding of these theories would help in
carrying the out the café business operations smoothly in future.
References
Berger, J. (2014). Word of mouth and interpersonal communication: A review and directions
for future research. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 24(4), 586-607.
Geert Hofstede. (n.d.). National culture. Viewed on 4th September 2017. <https://geert-
hofstede.com/national-culture.html>.
Mohr, D. C., Young, G. J., & Burgess Jr, J. F. (2012). ‘Employee turnover and operational
performance: the moderating effect of group‐oriented organisational culture’. Human
Resource Management Journal, vol.22. no. 2, 216-233.
Roulin, N., Bangerter, A., & Levashina, J. (2014). Interviewers' perceptions of impression
management in employment interviews. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(2),
141-163.
Tedeschi, J. T. (Ed.). (2013). Impression management theory and social psychological
research. Academic Press.
Xaxx. J. (2017). List of things to help restaurant strengthen the organisational culture.
Viewed on 3rd September 2017. <http://smallbusiness.chron.com/list-things-
restaurant-strengthen-organizational-culture-24814.html>.
Yohn. D. L. (2011). Experts says success starts with culture. Viewed on 3rd September 2017.
<https://www.qsrmagazine.com/denise-lee-yohn/experts-say-success-starts-culture>.