Question

Describe the corporate culture of company and compare culture with strength and weakness of culture. Also demonstrate the mission statement and descripe hypothetical view of culture from you as a working in that organization and describe your suggestion that you provide to make change in the culture ?

Answer 1

Let's consider the online shoe retailer- Zappos for this question.

Corporate culture at Zappos:

The company's management is based on the philosophy of Holacracy or self-management/self-organisation - wherein job titles and workplace hierarchies are eliminated - to achieve an absolutely flat work structure with no bosses.

Strengths of Holacracy-

1. Equal distribution of accountability and leadership among the workforce
2. Enables quick adaptation to an ever-changing business environment (decision making is quick because there are no levels)
3. Fewer conflicts (no hierarchy implies fewer power driven clashes between employees and managers)
4. Raised staff morale and commitment (engagement levels turn higher with equal responsibility and authority) which leads to,
5. Higher productivity and competitiveness.

Weaknesses of Holacracy-

1. It isn't applicable on a large scale (Holacracy is, so far, known to work only for small-mid-sized, fast growing companies)
2. May not be inclusive enough to incorporate diversity (are conflicts only power driven? what about diversity? who has the final say - (if the company lacks a power/hierarchical structure) - in a diversity based clash?)
3. May not be sustainable (teams may not be able to regulate themselves for very long! Workers may become confused at times and look to consult with superiors)

Mission at Zappos:

• To become online service leaders.
• Gain market/consumer confidence via quick service delivery
• Leverage consumer trust/relations (built by providing quality service - speedily) to expand to other categories beyond shoes

Hypothetical View/ Changes proposed:

A hypothetical view would obviously be the ideal way of running things...

Based on the weaknesses of Holacracy, noted above, an ideal culture would be a mix of hierarchy and holacracy - (something like Procter and Gamble's matrix structure), wherein organisational controls and employees (innovative/creative) freedom can co-exist. This will lead to a collaborative and participative work environment with little conflict and confusion.