Question

In writing the background for this weekend’s homework assignment, I realized that I didn’t need to spend much time with the introduction of the company. Everyone knows Amazon, as a matter of fact, most of us shop on Amazon for many things that we use in our daily life. The company is one of the largest in the world and has over 500,000 employees. The CEO and founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, was interviewed at an awards ceremony in 2016 and this ten minute interview was recorded and posted on Youtube. The link appears below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7JMMy-yHSU

As you listen to the ten or so guiding principles that Mr. Bezos describes as being at the core of Amazon’s success, please:

#1)Identify the top two with which you most identify. Explain the reasons for your selections.

#2) Refer to the descriptions of the four types of organizational cultures, which appear at the end of Chapter 3 in your textbook. Based on this interview, would you evaluate the Amazon culture as one that focuses on adaptability, achievement, involvement, or consistency? Explain the reasons for your selection.

Answer 1

The top two guiding principles described by Jeff Bezzos at the core of Amazon's success with which I identify most are as follows :-

1.Invest more in Product than Marketing - It is important to have a strong product before investing in marketing because if you do not have a reliable service or product than a customer base cannot be built and retained. A popular promotional strategy is word of mouth. If a customer is satisfied from the product then only they will recommend it to anyone else. Also, making a strong product gives a company or business the opportunity to expand its market and customer base and thus giving more opportunity for sales and growth. Marketing can be more fruitful if it is done for a good product and can make it more popular.

So the efforts needs to be focussed more on product than marketing so that the prospects for the business are of long term gains.

2.Focus on the customer - It is essential to focus on the customer as with changing times any technology or product or service becomes obsolete soon. If the focus is on the customer requirements and building a long term relationship with the customer then a company or business has more chances to sustain and build a business. It is important to retain existing customers and as well as acquire new customers depending on their needs and wants. Unless the product or service is consumed by a customer or converted into a sale it is difficult for a business to be successful.So it is essential for a business to focus on the customer.

Amazon culture focusses more on achievement than other factors. As per Jeff Bezos interview the factors at the core of Amazon's success are risk taking, customer focus and following one's interests and passions. These qualities propel an individual and organization to growth and achievement. It is about pioneering new concepts and ideas and making them a success . Hence, Amazon culture focusses more on achievement .