A Motivating Place to Work: the Case of Zappos
Introduction Zappos is considered by many to be a shining example of customer service, culture, and ethics (Chafkin, 2009). Zappos was founded in 1999. It is an online shoe and apparel company that has grown to be the largest online shoe store. In July 2009, the company announced it would be acquired by Amazon.com in an all-stock deal worth $1.2 billion (Chafkin, 2009; Lacey, 2012). The executive team would include key founder Nick Swinmurn, CEO Tony Hsieh, and CFO Chris Nielsen. As an end result to the acquisition, Zappos will be moving their headquarters in 2013 from Henderson, Nevada to Old Las Vegas City Hall in downtown Las Vegas (Lacey, 2012).
Research shows that organizational culture is a primary driver in employee behavior and that leaders shape this behavior (Burkus, 2012). Zappos has become renowned for its ethical culture (Chafkin, 2009; Burkus, 2012). The course text states that there is an alignment between culture and core values (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009). Hence, culture is the primary driver of employee behavior. Consequently, these cultures are greatly influenced by the actions of organizational leaders (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009).
Approach Used By Zappos According to the case, Zappos approach was to create an environment that encourages motivation and builds inclusiveness. The company lacked a formal statement of core values for the first six years of its existence (Hsieh, 2010). Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh believed that writing out core values was too corporate and ineffective. Subsequently, Zappos took the time to understand what they uniquely valued or possessed and developed its ten core values: (1) Deliver WOW Through Service; (2) Embrace and Drive Change; (3) Create Fun and a Little Weirdness; (4) Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded; (5) Pursue Growth and Learning; (6) Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication; (7) Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit; (8) Do More With Less; (9) Be Passionate and Determined; (10) Be
Research shows that organizational culture is a primary driver in employee behavior and that leaders shape this behavior (Burkus, 2012). Zappos has become renowned for its ethical culture (Chafkin, 2009; Burkus, 2012). The course text states that there is an alignment between culture and core values (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009). Hence, culture is the primary driver of employee behavior. Consequently, these cultures are greatly influenced by the actions of organizational leaders (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009).
Approach Used By Zappos According to the case, Zappos approach was to create an environment that encourages motivation and builds inclusiveness. The company lacked a formal statement of core values for the first six years of its existence (Hsieh, 2010). Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh believed that writing out core values was too corporate and ineffective. Subsequently, Zappos took the time to understand what they uniquely valued or possessed and developed its ten core values: (1) Deliver WOW Through Service; (2) Embrace and Drive Change; (3) Create Fun and a Little Weirdness; (4) Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded; (5) Pursue Growth and Learning; (6) Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication; (7) Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit; (8) Do More With Less; (9) Be Passionate and Determined; (10) Be
References: