Contradictory assumptions in the minimum-wage workplace - A focus on immigrants, the American-born, and employer preferences in Brooklyn, New York

A study of fast-food restaurants in Brooklyn, New York, examines factors co ntributing to inner-city racial minorities' underrepresentation in low-wage consumer-service jobs. Stressing the importance of "geocultural context" a nd workplace social relations, it helps broaden the framework around other qualitative studies attempting to understand race and ethnic patterns in th e growing service-based economy. Findings demonstrate a hiring preference f or the foreign-born, shaped by factors rooted in both the neighborhood cont ext and the workplace. In-depth assessment of workplace interactions and co nflicts reveals a set of contradictory assumptions between managers and emp loyees, contributing to a "self-fulfilling prophecy" and reduced employment rates among American-born racial minorities.