Zappos’ Organizational Culture Neck

Case Study 14.1: Zappos’ Organizational Culture Neck et al. Chapter 14

ntroduction

What is important to you? How do your values reflect (or fail to reflect) your organization? Companies with a positive organizational culture focus on building on employee strengths, increasing morale, and providing rewards for good work. Employees in a communal culture tend to think alike, are happy to share knowledge, and have a clear focus on the direction of the task. Organizations with a fragmented culture have employees who tend to keep to themselves, avoid socializing and work as individuals rather than part of a team. As the name suggests, mercenary cultures exist in organizations where making money is the top priority. Employees measured by their levels of performance and productivity and expected to have a high commitment toward achieving organizational goals. In networked cultures, a high degree of trust between employees and a willingness to communicate and share information exits. In an ethical culture, managers need to be role models themselves, communicate ethical standards, and train employees to behave ethically. Organizations with a spiritual culture focus on the opportunities for employees to grow in the workplace by conducting meaningful tasks that contribute to the good of society as a whole.

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Directions

Following a careful review of the assigned course materials for this unit, read Case Study 14.1: Zappos’ Organizational Culture. The case is in Chapter 14 of the Neck et al. textbook. Then, draft a formal academic composition in which you respond to the questions posed at the end of the reading.

The responses should reflect higher-level cognitive processing (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). Students should consider the demands made of decision-makers, as their choices can impact stakeholders within the organization and in the external marketplace. No minimum number of references exists for this assignment, but appropriate business (no Investopedia, Wikipedia, etc.) and scholarly sources must be utilized to support the analysis. Opinion is insufficient to demonstrate a graduate-level understanding of the course materials and topics.

• The submission will not exceed three (3) pages in length, excluding the title and references pages.
• The essay must adhere to the APA writing style and follow conventions of American English grammar and usage
• The final document should be prepared as a Microsoft Word file, and submitted as an attachment.