Question

Zappos: A Workplace Where No One And Everyone Is The Boss

I. Provide a brief overview of the successful company that you have chosen to benchmark for management best practices
II. Include specific examples relating to the fundamental principles of management and the company’s mission and visionstatement

Answer 1

Brief Overview:

Zappos Company is a company in Las Nevada with the Company Executive Officer as Tony Hsieh and was founded on July 12, 1999, and sells shoes and clothing. The company’s vision is ‘one day, thirty percent of the retail shops in the United States are online. Individuals will buy from the company that offers the best service and best brand. Zappos Company will be that online shop. The mission of the company is to provide best customer service possible. The vision and mission have enabled the employees to work together to offer the best services.

Company’s mission and visionstatement:

Zappos has ensured that there is honest communication between the management and the employees. Workers are made to understand why they should provide excellent services to the customers for the company to remain competitive among other companies such as Amazon. Zappos creates sessions of fun with the employees which motivate the employees to the achievement of the mission and create meeting with employees from time to time reminding them of the objectives which need to be achieved. Also, The Zappos management has practiced shifting of the management strategy to ensure that every person is determined to achieve the goal.

Strategic Management:

The strategic management plan is Zappos Company is ‘holacracy’ management. The management plays a significant role in the company to make the necessary changes in the power to ensure that the plan is executed. In the company, no one is a boss over others, and anyone can contribute to the agenda for the benefit of the company. The leadership structure ensures shifting of managers and administrators for the execution of the plan for the betterment of the company.

Zappos Culture:

The Zappos Company has been defined by the core values like delivering the best services, making changes in the company, creating fun, being creative and open-minded, build open and honest communication. The actions the company does to ensure that the culture has been enhanced include the company incorporating a training team that that trains the employees on the core values of the company and how to behave in the workplace. The hiring process takes long term where an individual has to meet with the employees to create a healthy relationship before one is hired. An example is when Ms. Henry had to meet with a team at a bar and was hired after four months social meetings. Performance evaluations and rewards have enabled Zappos to reinforce the culture. This strategy makes the employees feel obligated because they are motivated by the work they do to improve the company.

Code of Ethics in Zappos:

The code of ethics that is enhanced in the core values of the company which focuses on offering the best services to the customers build open and honest relationships and be humble. The management has its ways of making decisions which ensure that the ethics conduct are adhered to by the employees. Openness in among the employees that are created by the management operations ensures that the customers receive the best services through integrity. The leadership utilizes deontology and utilitarianism to make the decision that will bring the positive effect to the company. These decision models ensure that the employees conduct the business with high principles to bring profits to the company and provide the best services.

Functions of Management:

Management functions include planning, organizing, directing and controlling. In Zappos Company, the management has adhered to the principles of ethics, for example, the control function used in the company is an honest and open way of communication where the management and the employees work as one unit towards goal achievement. The motivation of the employees as a way of directing the employees helps in offering the best services to the customers prove that it has adhered to the principles of ethics. The employees become more motivated by the functions of management and feel obligated to the work for Zappos driving it towards its success.

Use of Human Resource:

Human resources have been utilized at Zappos and have contributed to the great achievement of the company. The hiring process used by the company ensures that the individuals who join the company are well trained on the culture of the company and the rules which guarantee the success. The other human resource is the long time that is taken before hiring the employees which create relationship that will enhance on working together as a team for the success of the company. Also, Zappos Company uses a unique method of interviewing new recruits by accessing the inherent ability to fit in the culture of the company. This strategy ensures that the new employees are aware of the core values and works towards the achievement of the goals.

Conclusion:

The principles of management that have improved performance are the unity of command that is used, the degree of centralization and the division of work. These policies have made Zappos ensure that the mission of making the customers and employees happy is achieved. The self-management system that is decided by the management brings each and every person in the organization as one unit who work as a team. All the individuals play a part in making the company’s decisions which help in making changes to the company and in the achievement of goals.