Strength of the Culture
With employees characterized by radical freedom, each of the companies, Whole Foods Market, Google, and A.W. Gore Company, has a distinguishing cultural orientation specific to its business operations deeply embedded in the values and beliefs in organizational behavior reflected across functional hierarchies of the organizations. The whole foods market’s organizational culture’s strength is based on the radical decentralization of functional units of the organization. Decision-making is peer-based, based on the premise that the impact and consequences of decisions on who to occupy a position are best understood by employees who are directly affected by the consequences. The values, beliefs, the assumptions of employees in running organizational business transactions inherently influence the strength of Whole Foods Market’s organizational culture. Whole Foods Market is physically structured to allow employees to make on-the-point decisions that affect the overall performance of the organization. Cultural values are strongly embedded in the employees and furthermore, organizational employees are made to feel a part of the organization. Whole Foods Market’s culture is strong, and changing it can adversely affect employee performance (Robbins, 110).
On the other hand, Google’s culture is marked by dynamism and some elements of a weak culture. That is the case because Google, despite the rigidity that characterized management due to excessive oversights and supervision and bureaucracy, the culture was short-lived, a dominant characteristic of a weak culture. A number of employees looked at organizational problems from the perspective of problems affecting the customer, and not from the perspective of solving organizational problems to improve performance. However, it is entrenched in Google’s culture where employees have the freedom to enhance and provide product innovations but falls short of making them feel the whole process is reflective of the efforts of the company and not an individual effort. The company falls short of inculcating in the employees the essence of embracing dominant values.
W.L. Gore, a chemical company has a culture whose strength revolves around one core value, to make money. Robbins argues that the organization has evolved and leadership has been naturally assigned to some individuals, thus distinguishingly institutionalized artifacts characterized by the single most common goal (45). An absence of culture traits the culture at W.L. Gore.
The fit of Culture within Industry Environment
In Robbins‘s view, a close study and analysis of the fit of culture within the above industry organizations are demonstrated by a number of benefits and values that are strongly inculcated in their employees (45). Whole Foods Market’s organizational culture is fit for the type of business it carries. The company’s culture is strong and tailored to meet organizational goals and objectives. Google’s culture has inherent weaknesses as employees seem to be in a dilemma on innovation as it is a core element in a competitive environment. However, management has a dynamism that keeps them alert about the need to change the culture. On the other hand, W.L. Gore is culturally oriented and characterized by a strong culture that is employee-oriented. Employees at the company are dedicated to the single objective, to make money, which they seem to have succeeded in.
Adaptiveness of Culture
It is important to note that Google has a highly adaptive culture as organizational management and employees have inculcated a culture that drives them to look at customer needs and expectations and tailor products and services to meet dynamically changing customer needs and address changing consumer behavior. Whole Foods Market organizational and W.L. Gore may require further cultural enhancements by focusing on inculcating belief in employees about the inherent need for continuous change, initiative, and leadership.
Cultural Differences with the Organization I Am Conversant With
The main cultural differences between Whole Foods Market, Google, and A.W. Gore Company, with an organization I am conversant with, Fast Foods Ltd, are embedded in their approach to service provision and practices relating to the emphasis placed on values and beliefs and organizational assumptions. The organizational culture of Fast Foods Ltd is characterized by deeply embedded ethical operations in the functional hierarchy of the organization. Fast Foods Ltd also emphasizes the persistence of culture and approaches to developing a cultural network, focusing on employee socialization, establishing and maintaining a stable workforce, ensuring rewards for cultural consistency are incorporated and identifying the need for founders and outstanding performers to be recognized.
Works Cited
Robbins, Stephen P. (2005). Organizational Behavior (11th ed.). Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, Prentice-Hall.