Unabashed Hypocrisy: A Dichotomy of Values

Superiority Superiority is another vague term that could qualify for just about anything. It is a noble and worthwhile endeavor to seek superiority in all categories of service especially in such a competitive market. In this case I will not question the superiority of the product. I will even go so far as to assume that the product is superior. Moreover, I do not question the ability of the team members.

Although their ability is relevant, superiority it is not primarily, or at least initially, determined from the overall ability of the employees. What I question in regards to superiority, is the system by which Papa John’s determines the value of its employees. In other words, the way they choose whom to hire, whom to fire, whom to promote, and so forth. Before I continue, allow me to preface my statements by noting that there are a great many diligent, hard-working, responsible, wonderful, and worthy people working for Papa John’s at all levels. I know this firsthand. But, I also believe that Papa John’s prefers, in general, employees who are less capable, less reliable, less intelligent, less ambitious, and who are expendable. That sounds harsh, and quite possibly misguided. But from what I can tell, Papa John’s’ upper management undervalues, devalues, and fails to recognize noteworthy qualities in its employees. It does this for a very specific reason – control.

Papa John’s seeks to employ people they can control. They want people with little or no experience.

They want people who have rarely or never been employed.

They want people who will not view minimum wage as a form of under-employment. Again, this sounds harsh and I admit that this is challenging to articulate. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Papa John’s seeks people they can control. And once an employee has stepped outside their limits of control they are no longer viewed as valuable no 14