ajay
New Member
Posts: 7 
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Zappos
Nov 12, 2015 3:59:56 GMT
Post by ajay on Nov 12, 2015 3:59:56 GMT
We discussed Amazon as an organization that has a celebrated culture, one that is not to everyone's taste (here's a link to the NYT piece: www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html and a link to a reaction to the piece: www.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/technology/amazon-workplace-reactions-comments.html?_r=0 ). But forgive me for, as usual, losing track of time and failing to discuss the Zappos case, except in passing.
As you know from reading the case, Zappos is maniacal about their culture... but the market for the most part does seem to see Zappos's culture as a, in the language of business strategy, distinctive competence, one that is hard to imitate/erode. I posed several questions for reflection.
Zappos.com:
1. How is the Zappos.com culture designed and maintained ?
2. Is the culture of the company instrumental to its success? How so?
3. Could the culture also become a deficit at some point?
4. How important is Tony Hsieh to the ​culture of the company? Could it endure without him?
5. What are some of the downsides of the Zappos culture?
Would love to hear your thoughts/reactions to one or more of these questions (or to some other case related question on your mind). Fire away!
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Zappos
Nov 12, 2015 17:30:04 GMT
Post by Jen Darling on Nov 12, 2015 17:30:04 GMT
At first the culture seemed relaxed and pretty nice, but you quickly see that he is forcing all of that at this point. It started seeming more like a cult and a scary place to work. The culture has begun to get in the way of the actual work now.
Another downside is that without any obvious standards, there is nothing to strive for, and the creativity he is trying to foster is actually stunted by the confusion he has created.
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ajay
New Member
Posts: 7
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Zappos
Nov 13, 2015 0:22:45 GMT
Post by ajay on Nov 13, 2015 0:22:45 GMT
Thanks for the input, Jen. The parallels between strong cultures and cults are, indeed, remarkable. Yet there is no doubt that one benefit is strong cohesion and potentially more pro-social, other-oriented workplace behaviors. The downside, of course, is that cults produce (like groups deep in the thrall of groupthink) a homogeneity of perspectives, and, over time, inflexibility/rigidity in behaviors and strategy. Apple, for example, is every bit as cultish as Zappos, and one can both see the benefits and sense the drawbacks of such strong culture.
You are also right, Jen, that the outcome of the leader-less, "manager-as-monkeys" culture that Hsieh has foisted on Zappos appears to have sowed a LOT of confusion. As we've discussed, organizational structure is valuable in part because it reduces confusion (think back to Fayol's principles of administration); so the lack of it must be a bewildering experience. It will be interesting to see how that plays out over time...
Please jump in folks if you have thoughts/agree/disagree...
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Zappos
Nov 13, 2015 3:56:30 GMT
Post by Jessi Quillen on Nov 13, 2015 3:56:30 GMT
Jen and I discussed this article thoroughly after class yesterday and I am in agreement with her. What I've noticed from the article about Zappos, and the earlier article we had about Amazon, is that some companies find (a specific, and often forced) culture so crucial that the employees end up in a situation where their full-time job is trying to be an employee for the company, not necessarily doing work for the company. For example, after Zappos moved to the Holacracy structure, employees had to spend valuable working time not actually doing work but figuring out their place in the new structure, as well as coming up with and designing "badges" and justifying receiving a pay-raise. All items that get in the way of moving the company forward. What is interesting is that both companies mentioned are successful but Jen and I discussed that it may be in-spite of their extreme culture measures and I'd like to do more research to find what those reasons are. If I were given the "offer" I would have taken it.
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