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Chapter 8 Case: Whole Foods

The purpose of this document is to discuss interpersonal communication. Interpersonal

communication is found in various aspects of life. How we communicate in most cases makes up

what other people think and observe of us. Poor communication often is the main problem in a

troubled relationship, both professional and personal. To better understand communication a

person must acknowledge many different aspects, including speech, body language, and context.

Context, the time, place, or occasion when communication is encoded, has a very large role in

transmitting a message. Without the right context, a message could be perceived as the opposite

as it was intended. The best way to begin to understand the communication process is to

understand the interactive communication model. First, there is a sender who encodes a message

to the receiver. Noise interfering with the communication of a message is called a channel. The

receiver then decodes this message depending on the context of the situation, and the speaker’s

credibility.

1. Discuss how the basic interpersonal communication model that is presented in

Figure 8.1 can be applied to the impersonal nature of an online forum.

The basics of interpersonal communication are represented in an online forum. A sender

or the person originating the message exists in an online forum as does a receiver, the person

receiving the message. There is a two-way communication as there is interaction between a

sender and receiver, although a delay in responding could alter the intent of the message received.

In an online forum, it is difficult to know if the perceptual screens, the quality, accuracy, and

clarity of the messages are received in the way intended. The online forum is impersonal, the

transmission of thoughts is void of the important nonverbal elements of communication, and the

intent could often be distorted based on the individual traits, experiences, and cultural differences
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of the communicators. Feedback usually occurs in an online forum, although it is not always and

immediate response. Reflective listening, the skill of carefully listening to another person and

repeating back to the speaker the heard message to correct any inaccuracies or misunderstandings

is often a lost art in the online forums. (Nelson/Quick, 2010)

2. How does defensive communication enter into this case?

Defensive communication is defined, in the text book, as communication that can be

aggressive, attacking, and angry, or passive and withdrawing. In the case of Whole Foods, John

Mackey used defensive communication in the online forum. Even Mackey’s defenders described

his comments as anonymous, boastful, provocative, and impulsive. The recipients of defensive

communication often deliberately discard the intended message and are often invoked to retaliate

with their own defensive mechanisms of communication. Defensive communication is

nonproductive and leads to injured feelings and alienation. John Mackey had to have realized the

negative impact and possible alienation of customers and potential customers to Whole Foods in

his online attacks of the competitor, the Wild Oats Market, Inc. and that is probably why he chose

to make his comments anonymously. A defensive tactic is to use misleading information, which

is a form of deception, and the selective presentation of information designed to leave a false and

inaccurate impression in the listener’s mind. John Mackey used defensive tactics in his online

postings. (Nelson/Quick, 2010)

3. How is the Internet transforming the way people communicate?

People are not face to face with their audience and often take more liberties with their

style of communicating when on the internet than they would share in a face-to-face conversation.

Interpersonal skills like tact and graciousness diminish when using the internet to communicate.

The internet tends to equalize the participants; the lower status participants are sometimes more
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open and willing to share their input in an online setting than they would feel comfortable to do so

in person. The higher status members can lose power in an internet setting when their charismatic

personality and personal demeanor are not part of the equation. Nonverbal behaviors can be

important in establishing rank and hierarchy of the participants. Nonverbal behaviors are also

important to establish trust between the people communicating. The internet challenges the

ability to create or maintain a trust relationship. The internet reaches farther in distance, in a

shorter timeframe, and to a much larger audience than personal conversations and non-electronic

communication modes can accomplish. The access of the advanced electronic technologies

surpisingly, have relatively little impact on work culture, but they do influence effective,

successful communication and affect behavior. (Nelson/Quick, 2010)

4. Discuss the ethical problems that are revealed by examining John Mackey's

online postings in relation to the communications provision of the Whole Foods Declaration

of Interdependence?

John Mackey’s online postings are not aligned with the communication provisions stated

in the Whole Foods Declaration of Interdependence. In part, the Whole Foods Declaration of

Interdependence states, “our ability to instill a clear sense of interdependence among our various

stakeholders … is contingent upon our efforts to communicate more often, more openly, and

more compassionately. Better communication equals better understanding and more trust.” John

Mackey’s comments were posted anonymously, which is opposite the “more open” vision of

Whole Foods’ communication requirements. He was abrasive and used open attacks on the

competitor, Wild Oats Markets Inc. In addition, Mackey’s comments such as, “No company

would want to buy Wild Oats Markets Inc. Almost surely not at current prices. What would they

gain? OATS locations are too small … [Wild Oats management] clearly doesn’t know what it is
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doing … OATS has no value and no future.” These comments could be considered slanderous;

they are certainly dishonest and lack integrity. Mackey did seem to meet the goal in the

declaration of more communication, but not the type intended. (“Case Study”, 2011)

Despite the negative publicity of his comments, “for the 12th straight year, Mr. Mackey's

company has been praised as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune

Magazine. Whole Foods sells healthy food, practices "socially responsible trade," and prides itself

on promoting foods that are grown to support "biodiversity and healthy soils." Mr. Mackey

donates 5% of company profits to charity and has been one of America's loudest critics of

runaway compensation on Wall Street. And he pays himself $1 a year. He would seem to be a

model corporate citizen.” (Moore, 2009)

My parents always used the quote, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is

watching” to encourage me to use wise discernment when making decisions. In my opinion,

Mackey did not apply integrity, nor represent his company’s vision when posting his comments

online.

The purpose of this paper was to discuss interpersonal communication and how it can be

applied to an online forum; how defensive communication enters into the discussion on Whole

Foods; how the internet is transforming the way people communicate; and the ethical problems

revealed while reviewing the online postings from Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey.
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REFERENCES

Moore, S. (2009, October 3). The Conscience of a Capitalist, The Wall Street Journal, Opinion

Journal. Retrieved January 29, 2011, from

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487 04471504574447114058870676.html

Unknown Author. BUS 322 Case Study -Student Handout. Strayer University. Retrieved

January 29, 2011 from http://strayeronline.net/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?

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Nelson/Quick. (2009). Organizational Behavior. (2010 Custom Edition). Ohio: Mason.