Corporate Culture Exercise (2 1/2-4 pages)
Fill in the following rubric (use both the write-up and the pictures): JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS COMPLETELY, NOT AN ESSAY
1. What is the name, location, type of business, and business structure (privately held, stock held, profit, non-profit).
2. What is the goal (driving force) of the business; what do the owners want as their return? (remember for-profit businesses’ goal is not to serve customers. That is perhaps part of their strategy).
3. What elements of appearance and physical setting, including traffic pattern do you see in
the pictures and from the write-up? 3a. What does this tell you about the goals of the business, whom management values, etc.? 4. What does the company say about itself (this is ad slogans or which groups they support) and what does that tell you about what management thinks is important?
5. How does the company greet strangers and what does that tell you about what
management thinks is important?
6. How are people compensated and what does that tell you about what management thinks
is important?
7. What do employees say about their workplace (interviews) and what does that tell you
about what management thinks is important?
8. How do employees and managers people spend their time, how do they dress and what
does that tell you about what management thinks is important?
9. Do you see any glass ceilings to promotion and success (that is, where you see people
like yourself (at all?; in what jobs?; how often promoted?)? This is about prejudice.
10. What is their business strategy (model) to succeed?
11. What is their strategy in dealing with employees to make sure they succeed according to their business model?
United Charities: “United We Stand”
United Charities is a non-profit organization that was founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President Franklin Roosevelt, in 1950. Her idea was that if one could put together lots of people who support lots of charities, it may be possible to raise even more money than the individual charities alone. One could also minimize administrative costs of having many separate charities. Many specific charities like the March of Dimes, the Heart Association, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc. went their own way as separate organizations, so United Charities began to concentrate more on funding smaller community-based arts and social welfare agencies in each of the cities where they have an office.
The goal of the company is to raise as much money as possible and create vital links to local charitable organizations. Their focus is therefore two interrelated activities. They need people who are committed, energetic, and are good communicators. They are the key to the success of both aspects of the organization’s activities. A lot of volunteers in each community are recruited to help in meeting their goals. At the same time, the complexity of the organization requires some experienced managers. United Charities therefore has a young, diverse Board of Trustees (Directors) drawn from each of the cities where the organization operates.