Evaluating GE’s Organizational Culture Essay

IntroductionEvery business has its own set of set and beliefs that make up an organisational farming that is unique to separately detail business. _Organizational Culture_ is a complex set of basic underlying assumptions and deeply held beliefs divided up by all members of the group that operate at a preconscious direct and drive in Copernican ways the behavior of individuals in the organisational context (Strategy Glossary, 2006). GEs organizational tillage is considered one of proud ethical standard in the corporate world. According to The Age of morals (2007) _GE now has one of the best ethics compliance programs in existence_, says Larry Ponemon, study director of Business Ethics Services at KPMG. The purpose of this search paper is to identify and evaluate GEs organizational cultureal appeal, sh atomic number 18d determine, client dish and guest suffice standards, characteristics of organizational culture, and to determine if GEs organizational culture is et hical, customer-responsive, or spiritual.Organizational Cultural orisonWhen looking at an organizations cultural appeal, one mustiness first realize what he or she looking for in a society. What appeals to me whitethorn or not appeal to someone else. Therefore, the following categories allow for show what it is about GEs organizational culture that appeals to me personally. These categories allow entirely are not limited toLeadership It is primary(prenominal) for me to be with a company that allows leaders to suck the freedom and flexibility to fall in their knowledge and expertise in both their daily job and at company levels. At the top, we dont sic run GE akin a big company. We run it like a big partnership, where every(prenominal)(prenominal) leader can make a contribution not right to their job, but to the entire Company (Immelt, J., 2005).Opportunity for Advancement It is important for me to give way for a company that offers employees an opportunity for advancem ent. GE has sextette strong businesses align to grow with the market trends of today and tomorrow Our Business, 2007).Work Environment It is important for me to treat for a company that domiciliates a pleasant and vitalizing civilize environment that is easy to balance with my personal life. GE is an invigorating value to work. Ours is a high-performance culture that emphasizes high-integrity business practices as well as work/life sic balance (Our Culture, 2007).Training and Education Programs It is important for me to work for a company that provides additional training and educational activityal benefits that will grow employee leadership capabilities. We invest nearly $1 billion a course of instruction in career development for our employees at every level of master copy growth. (Leadership Programs, 2007).Shared ValuesWhen looking at an organizations harmonic values, one must first realize what he or she values. Categories in my value system may or may not be the same as someone elses. Therefore, the following categories will show the values that I share with GEs value system. These categories include but are not limited toEthics and Integrity I consider that it is important for an organization and its employees equivalent to operate with strong ethics and integrity. At GE, it isnt sic enough to think big. imagery must be honor adequate at bottom boundaries of ethics, compliance and integrity (Our Company, 2007).Community Volunteer Work I believe it is important for every person and organizations alike to come together and address community needs i.e. health and social welfare for disadvantaged community members. Each year, GE tenders come together as one GE to participate in Global Community Days, working(a) together to improve our many communities (Worldwide Activities, 2007).Environmental Health and Employee Safety I believe it is important for a company to focus on environmentally respectable production plants and employee safety. Ope rational excellence brings the tools and measurements that help keep employees safe succession reducing our impact on the environment (Our Business, 2007)Customer solutionGE has built a strong and loyal customer base by continually meeting the needs of the customer. Robbins, S. (2005) describes six variables that are routinely evident in customer-responsive cultures like GE.Type of Employees outgoing and friendly small-scale formalisation freedom to meet changing customer- table service requirementsExtension of Low Formalization widespread use of empowerment i.e. decision discretion to do what is indispensable to please the customer.Good Listening Skills listen to and understand messages sent by the customerRole Clarity Service employees act as _boundary spanners_ betwixt the organization and its customersOrganizational Citizenship Behavior employees are conscience of customers needs and go above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy a customers needsGE has been able to build such a strong and loyal customer base by meeting each of the six variables described by Robbins. Variable one, type of employee, is met by GEs thrusts to provide a diverse work environment. In fact, GE was named among the top 40 best companies for diversity by Black enterprise Magazine (Employees, 2007). Variables two and troika, low formalization and extension of low formalization, is met by means of GEs efforts to provide employees the freedom to become closer to their customers while finding new operational efficiencies and ways to work toward customer service (Leadership, 2007).Variable four, good listening skills, is provided by GEs customer reassert centers through 1-800 numbers or e-mail correspondence that provide support for all customers, civil and military, with a variety of innovative support solutions tailored to individual customer needs (Customer Support, 2007). Variable five, role clarity, is met through GEs effective use of influential employees (_boundary span ners_) who help shape the goals and parameters of inter-organizational cooperation with international markets such as Algeria, Brazil, Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany et cetera (Worldwide, 2007). Variable six, organizational citizenship, is met through GEs continued commitment to citizenship issues cosmopolitan including human rights, philanthropy, public form _or_ system of government and environment, health and safety (Citizenship, 2007).Customer Service StandardsGEs customer service standard demonstrates their commitment to excellence and customer standards. In an effort to ensure top quality service standards in todays competitive market, GE has implemented hexad Sigma Quality standards. According to qualification Customers Feel hexad Sigma Quality (2007) Six Sigma is a highly check carry out that helps us focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services.The goal seat training employees through Six Sigma and implementing this system is for GE to be able to evaluate defects and come as close to _zero errors_ as possible. Six Sigma standards have raised the bar and implemented the highest quality of customer service standards for GE since the 1980s. According to Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007) Sigma is embedding quality thought military operation thinking across every level and in every operation of our Company around the globe. According to Key Elements of Quality (2007) the three key elements of Six Sigma quality areCustomer customer merriment i.e. product quality, dependability, competitive pricing, quality service and so on takes anteriority so clients will not find another service provider. put to work _outside-in thinking_ i.e. observing the company from the customers viewpoint and identifying studys that could use forward motion to ensure customer satisfaction.Employee _leadership commitment_ i.e. providing training, opportunities and incentives for employees to excel and focus their talents on cus tomer satisfaction.Six Sigma centers on reducing forge deviations and improving process capabilities. This process is conditional on six key concepts. According to The Six Sigma Strategy (2007) these concepts that GE focus on includeCritical to quality customers most important attributesDefect customer satisfaction failureProcess Capability deliverability of the processVariation the customers perceptionsStable Operations guaranteeing a constant and predictable process that meets with customer perceptionsDesign for Six Sigma designing to meet customer requirements and process capabilitiesCharacteristics of Organizational CultureThere are seven primary characteristics of organizational culture (1) universe and risk taking, (2) worry to detail, (3) outcome orientation, (4) people orientation, (5) police squad orientation, (6)Aggressiveness, and (7) Stability. Research indicates that GE embodies five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture. first appearance a nd Risk Taking GE employees focus on innovation as their basis for taking calculated risks for change in the areas of transforming health care, spick-and-span power generation, exploring nanotechnology, aviation technology, greenhouse gas reduction, global research facilities and so forth (Innovation, 2007).Attention to Detail GE employees focus on attention to detail in such areas as customer service, quality and hookup of products, meeting performance targets, enhanced decision-making through training and education and so on. mint Orientation GE considers their more than 300,000 employees to be their greatest asset, and they are passionate about making life better with new ideas and technologies (Our People, 2007). squad Orientation A significant part of GEs culture as a global company involves nurturing diverse and cross-cultural teams in such areas as public relations, automotives, global research, nanotechnologies, marketing and so on (Employees, 2007).Aggressiveness Though G E does provide the tools necessary for employees to be truculent and competitive, the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive is truly up to the individual employee.ConclusionResearch indicates that GEs organizational culture is both ethical and customer-responsive. In the area of organizational culture appeal, it was be that GE appealed to me in four categories (1) leadership, (2) opportunity for advancement, (3) work environment, and (4) training and education programs. One should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the needs of each individual. In the area of shared values, it was found GE had three values that I identified with (1) ethics andintegrity, (2) community volunteer work, and (3) environmental health and employee safety. Again, one should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the perception of values of each individual. In the area of customer base, it was found that GE has been able to build and sustain a strong and loyal customer base through adherence to the six variables as described by Robbins.In the area of customer service standards, it was found that GE has demonstrated their commitment to excellence and high customer standards through the training and implementation of The Six Sigma Strategy. In the area of characteristics of organizational culture, it was found that GE does embody five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture (1) innovation and risk, (2) attention to detail, (3) people orientation, (4) team orientation, and (5) aggressiveness. Based on the above findings, my evaluation of GEs organizational culture is that they do provide a strong framework for positive attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values that would be appealing to almost anyone looking for job satisfaction and advancement within an organization.ReferencesCitizenship (2007). _GE mood at work_. Retrieved declination 18, 2007, fromhttp//www.ge.com/company/citizenship/index.htmlCustomer Support (2007). _GE Aviation_. Retrieved declination 18, 2007, from http//www.geaviationsystems.com/Systems/Customer-Support/index.aspEmployees (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/company/citizenship/2007_citizenship/highlights.htmlImmelt, J. (2005). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/company/leadership/index.htmlInnovation (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/innovation/index.htmlKey Elements of Quality (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/sixsigma/keyelements.htmlLeadership & development (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/company/culture/leadership_learning.htmlLeadership Programs (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. 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Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ampolbiz.com/consulting/resources/strategy_glossary.htmThe Six Sigma Strategy (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/sixsigma/sixsigstrategy.htmlWorldwide (200 7). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/worldwide/index.htmlWorldwide Activities (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http//www.ge.com/company/worldwide_activities/index.html