From a small local business operating in their home state to a major multinational corporation encompassing cultures and time zones, every human group develops its own distinct culture. The beliefs and opinions shape the organizational culture we form due to what we perceive, see, and understand. Culture is a lasting part of corporate life and implies stability over time. High-performance organizations are built on a foundation of core values that transcend throughout the company, creating a high-efficiency chain. These corporate values are often engraved in stone or mounted somewhere visible to formulate habits and ingrain them into the workers’ subconscious. Walmart was no exception. With its success as a multimillion-dollar chain, being a household name, the company takes pride in its working culture.
The founder’s values are a significant influence on a company’s organizational culture. They entail the vision of the company from the beginning (Konopaske et al., 2018). An unwavering commitment directs Walmart workers to their shoppers, which is focused on the primary objective of “saving people money so they can live better” (McGee,2018). This philosophy came from the company founder, Sam Walton. His goal was to provide affordable goods to everyone. He viewed his company as a way to give back to his community. This dedication goes back to Walton’s when he founded this company. Since the first supermarket launched in Rogers, Arkansas, Walmart has turned into a worldwide trade name. Amidst its 60 years of success and development (McGee, 2018), Walmart is still faithful to Walton’s commitment to “Everyday Low Prices” and his belief that workers are the ones who make a difference for consumers and overall success. His philosophy of affordability as well as good customer service is what drives it today.
Moreover, Walton always encouraged managers to listen to their workers as they are the best idea generators. Branch managers are commissioned to hold briefing sessions every Thursday to inform employees of any scheduling or departmental changes. During these meetings, they also can voice their opinions and suggestions they see fit in the stores. Conflicts are also resolved during these sessions, ensuring steady workflow. Workers who aren’t allowed to voice their opinions feel undervalued and often disengage from their jobs (Biliavska, 2017). Lower quality of work is thus achieved because workers are no longer motivated to do their best. Managers need to invite workers to speak up at work continually (Biliavska, 2017). Making these invitations just a routine part lays the groundwork for when people have to speak up on challenging issues for the management to hear.
Walmart has corporate and branchial employees, which form a chain of command hierarchical style. Within each location, branch managers are the leaders with departmental heads beneath. The other workers all play different roles but fall on the same hierarchy. This command style allows information to flow effectively throughout the company (Konopaske et al., 2018). Branch managers interpret and explain top and intermediate management policies and compile and issue detailed instructions regarding operations. They also motivate employees to work for organizational goals (Konopaske et al., 2018). They are also heavily in the planning and establishment of company goals. The company thus becomes a well-oiled gear destined for success.
Working at Walmart was a very suitable way to learn their culture. The company is built on a foundation of integrity and respect for its workers. Other than by the branch manager, employees are never constantly looked over whether they worked diligently. It creates an atmosphere of mutual respect amongst workers of different experience levels, making them feel adequate for their job. Walmart also takes pride in diversifying its workers. They hire based on qualification while also considering marginalized communities. Each individual has a variety of characteristics and attributes that all contribute to the larger Walmart community. Differences in goals, values personalities have substantial effects on group and organizational performance (Konopaske et al., 2018). These differences contribute to Walmart’s competitive advantage when it enables all employees to contribute their full talents and motivation. Diversity expands the talent pool of a business, as employees have different skillsets (Konopaske et al., 2018. The primary cause for Walmart’s effective diversity is that doing so brings out the best in employees.
Strong company culture makes employees more engaged. When employees are excited to come to work and are more in tune with their jobs, they get more sales, profits, and success (Konopaske et al., 2018). Moreover, the company fosters good working relations with the community, allowing for a continuous labor force supply and less turnover (Konopaske et al., 2018). Walmart has significantly gained from the good working relations encouraged early on and owes its success to its tremendous working environment.
The culture that has contributed to this success did not spring by chance; it was established through effective leadership, which has not been simple. Walmart’s long history of international improvement and development demonstrates that the management structure and culture of the company are advantageous for achieving a competitive advantage. Other upcoming organizations should also embrace their culture. Walmart maintains a substantial market share advantage over competitors such as Amazon and Target by an influential organizational culture which gives it the ability of transforming the world.
References
Biliavska Y. (2017). The vital cycle of the organizational culture of the trading enterprises. The Vital Cycle of the Organizational Culture of the Trading Enterprises, 1(10), 3-11. Web.
Konopaske, R., Ivancevich, J., & Matteson, M. (2018). Organizational behavior and management (11th ed., pp. 35-38). McGraw-Hill Education.
McGee, R. (2018). How large is Walmart? A comparison of Walmart sales to nation’s GDP. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.