Wrestling with Starbucks : Conscience, Capital, Cappuccino

by Fellner, Kim

• ISBN13: 9780813543208
• ISBN10: 0813543207
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-07-30
• Publisher: Rutgers Univ Pr

Summary

On one level, this is the story of Starbucks, the coffee company that seems to be taking over the world. On another level, Kim Fellner uses this story to explore globalization, unionization, gentrification, and probably some other "ation's" too. In her hands those concepts are not abstract or jargon-ridden, but are made concrete through the saga of Starbuck's struggle to be all things to all people. For example, how can it be that the company that claims to be environmentally saavy is criticized by a substantial number of environmentalists? How can it be that a company that makes a big deal out of caring for its employees has faced unionization pressures? How can it be that a company willing to come into a poor neighborhood drives up prices so that the neighborhood becomes too expensive for some of its residents? How can it be that the same people who won't shop in Walmart for political reasons gravitate regularly to the nearest Starbucks. Kim writes with solid progressive credentials, which she wears on her sleeve, but even she finds there are no clear answers -- good intentions can lead to bad results and bad intentions can lead to good results.

Table of Contents

The Global Economy Comes Home	p. 1
The Empire Strikes Gold	p. 15
Running the 10-K	p. 27
Banking on the Bean	p. 47
Go Sell It on the Mountain	p. 69
Moving Up on Eighth Street	p. 105
The Cross-Dressing of Coffee-Counter Culture	p. 123
When Worker Met Partner	p. 140
At the Global Crossroads	p. 163
The View from Headquarters	p. 186
Capitalism Is Like Fire...	p. 203
Goodness As Battleground	p. 220
Bread. Roses. Coffee.	p. 236
Acknowledgments	p. 245
Notes	p. 249
Index	p. 267
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.