- Please watch the following videos on Walmart and Amazon (also listed in the content section).
Walmart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_dxWKQxjIs
Walmart Values list: https://careers.walmart.com/values
Amazon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0VeVzcal9w
Amazon Values list: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/principles
What are some of the similarities and differences you see between these two companies solely based on their listed core values? After watching the Walmart and Amazon videos, describe the fundamental differences between the two organizational cultures, as well as similarities. Why do you think the differences exist, and how would you describe these in terms of the information in section 4.3 (“Organization Design”) and the Environment pictured in section 4.2? E.g., because Amazon is completely online, technology and speed are critical to their business model and to improving the customer experience.
- Please explain the general differences in company culture at Walmart and Amazon based on the information that you discovered when answering question 1. Why do you think these differences exist? A cultural difference is that Walmart (from the video) appears to focus on the internal environment and the employees. In his message the CEO reiterates the value of respect for the Walmart employee. The former CEO, Sam Walton, used stories and “heroes” to describe the expectations for behavior. This message was explicitly stated in the message from Walmart, but not in the message from Amazon; see Inside Amazon: Wrestling Ideas in a Bruising Workplace Culture. Sam Walton rode with his truck drivers, he knew their issues. A strong people centered culture determines whether employees want to stay at the company, and how happy they are. In addition, the Walmart value of integrity implies consistency in how they treat other people, both internal and external customers. In a people centered firm, your employees are your first ministry. Who do you think are happier: Walmart or Amazon employees? Amazon’s values relentless focus on the customer (the external environment) and on using technology to improve the service, absent focus on the people who are producing the results.
- Do you think that it’s better to have a shorter set of company values that may be easier to relay to employees or a longer set of values that is more comprehensive? Please explain. According to Harvard Business Review, it’s not how many values a company has, but how meaningful they are: see the Harvard Business Review article, Make Your Values Mean Something. Bureaucratic organizations may have a longer set of values, but they may not necessarily communicate more information to the employees and to consumers. Walmart values are short, but you get a sense that the company values both the employees and the customers and wishes to improve the experience for both.
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