Business
Part I. Patagonia Organizational Culture
Introduction
When talking about the perfect balance between work and play, Patagonia ranks among the business organizations in the world that does not only allow its employees to go out and surf the waves during office hours, but its actually a requirement. Patagonia is a designer brand retailer, distributor of athletic, and outdoor apparel based in Ventura, California. The company encompasses a good example of organizational culture that promotes fitness, alternative work environment and community and environmental support.
The Outdoor Culture
Patagonia’s website describes the kind of working environment and core values it represents. The about us page of the website reveals the values that the company and its employees take by heart, it is the culture of surfers, climbers, and adventurists that takes the business into a whole new level (patagonia.com, N.D.). Outside Magazine describes the corporate culture of Patagonia to be a perfect working environment where employees feels alive and flourish (The Editors, 2011). The company insinuates a corporate culture that doesn’t stick t the conventions of corporate settings. Patagonia encourages employees to celebrate their social, personal, and career regardless of if they are activists, community leaders, an athlete, or just a person seeking for a different kind of adventure (The Editors, 2011). This allows employees of Patagonia to feel the freedom of experience while maintaining the responsibilities of their role in the company (knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu, 2007).
Conclusion
Patagonia is a business driven by the strong culture of active lifestyle and creativity. A culture that creates an environment conducive for organizational changes. Patagonia demonstrates a sense of community within its organization, which encompasses a common understanding among its people. This kind of understanding enables a much easier effort for the management to implement changes because the employees and other members of the organization understands the implications of changes and how the organization as a whole will benefit from it.
References
Knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu (2007, October 31). Leadership, Patagonia-style: Changing the Criteria for Success » Knowledge@Wharton. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/leadership-patagonia-style-changing-the-criteria-for-success/
Outsideonline.com (2011, August 15). Patagonia | Best Companies to Work For | OutsideOnline.com | Best Outdoor Jobs | OutsideOnline.com. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/best-jobs/38-Patagonia.html
Patagonia.com (n.d.). Patagonia Company Information: Our Reason for Being - Values, Mission Statement. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=2047
Part II. Presenter Notes
Overview
BARTH Inc. is a publicly trading pharmaceutical company, which is currently facing problems in pulling together its regional and country level business operation coordinated. In addition, cross-functional previously implemented have failed despite the efforts asserted by the its internal OD unit. In addition, the company’s incumbent president Ken Martin and Chairman of the Board Dr. Dupres are greatly concerned about the effects of the lack of cooperation and coordination both in the operational and executive side of the business.
According to the initial assessment of the company’s current issues through an initial conversation with Mr. Dupres on the phone and message exchange with Mr. Martin, the following problems were determined, which will require utmost priority;
- Quality of earnings
- Slow development on global expansion
- Lack of executive and country level management strategies
- No operational benchmark
- Internal alignment problems
- Lack of confidence in internal regions and coordination
- Perceived weakness in current leadership
- Lack of organizational infrastructure
Slide Three to Five
The aforementioned problems are attributed to a number of reasons ranging from hesitations of the board members to take the responsibilities initiating change in its current corporate culture and organizational structure. These possible problem causes are as follows;
- The executive department is faced with hesitations to take board responsibilities
- After Ken was hired he was not given the CEO title, which hinders the capacity to implement leadership decisions
- The lack of benchmark hindered capture of the specific measurable outcome
- Failure in pulling together regional business efforts during implementation of cross-functional efforts
In addition to the perceived causes of the company’s primary concerns, other problems were also identified, which also needs to be address in order to achieve the intended successful outcome.
- The board and its members lack the needed cooperation that will stabilize the organizational structure of the company. There seemed to be a power struggle in the executive department due to the personal sentiments involved in the distribution of key positions.
- Lastly, lack of communication between the current Chairman Mr. Dupres and President Mr. Martin inhibits the possibilities of collaborative efforts.
- The board and its members lack the needed cooperation that will stabilize the organizational structure of the company. There seemed to be a power struggle in the executive department due to the personal sentiments involved in the distribution of key positions.
- Lastly, lack of communication between the current Chairman Mr. Dupres and President Mr. Martin inhibits the possibilities of collaborative efforts.
Slide Six to Seven
The problems, causes, and other areas of concern identified in the initial assessment of the company’s current condition encompasses the need to identify the primary focus to be discussed with the participants on the scheduled off-site meeting. The following are the identified areas to focus on during the meeting:
- Improvements to the business and goal setting process
- Plan to upgrade the leadership at country level
- Identifying specific function and operational interface of country level operations
- Setting guidelines in understanding information sharing and determining the time when to work together
- Determining who should make the assessment of potential acquisitions in terms of matching synergy and cultural fit
- Standardizing operational processes and strategies from regional to country level operations
- Realignment of the executive team’s efforts and objectives
- Restructuring of the organizational chart to specify the positions, roles, and functions of the each of the executive team to avoid confusions and conflict
Slide Seven
Given all the important elements that needs to be discussed in the meeting, it is important that all key decision-makers and support units attend the meeting and the following lists the individuals required to attend the off-site meeting:
- Chairman of the Board – Dr. Jean Paul Dupres
- President - Kenneth Martin
- Members of the Board (Dr. Babcock, Mr. McDermott, etc.
- HR Managers
- Internal Operations Development Unit
- Other members of the Executive Committee
Slide Nine to Ten
Having all the issues discussed in the meeting, the representatives and executives of BARTH Inc. are anticipating an initial list of deliverables that corresponds to the need of the company to successfully implement a strong operational development initiative:
- Propose a re-alignment of the current organizational structure by mapping the areas of responsibilities that each participant would need to take in order to achieve the long-term goals
- Discuss initial benchmark criteria for operational performance measure
- Draft a standard guideline of functions, responsibilities, and interface to enable close work relationship
- Propose planning and goal setting improvement.
- A new cultural structure will be introduced to the company constituting a more cooperatively-conducive working environment for all the employees and management team
- The company’s mission vision, and core values will be revisited for re-evaluation in order to create a more defined object for the company that will guide its operations
- Strategies employing cooperation among all the members of the organization is important for its future success.
