Case study: IKEA
1.To what extent does a company’s culture end up reflecting the personality of its founder? To what extent does it reflect the values of the country it was founded in? Which seems to be a more potent force in the case of IKEA?
The culture of an organization is considered to be the mirror of the personality and character of the founder; thus, his vision acts as the reason for the existence of the organization. A founder-inspired culture reflects their attitudes, views, personality, beliefs, and even strengths. A nation’s values are highly influential towards citizens’ behaviors and economic performance, thus highly effective in the company’s operational culture. An example is the case of IKEA as located in a nation that has many refugees thus is highly active in supporting the cause of generosity. Organizations, either international or not, are therefore charged with the responsibility of making necessary adjustments on their perspectives concerning the market, work ethics, and their approach towards diversity and conflicts to fit the needs of the government (Colquitt et al.,2018). Thus, IKEA acts as a reflection of the country in which it was founded since it seeks to address world problems that have been prevalent for a very long time, such as refugees, environmental pollution, and even technology and innovation.
2.IKEA operates in several countries around the world. The governments and people in those countries may have different attitudes about working hours, diversity efforts, pay levels, and political and environmental activism. Should companies alter their policies and activities in a way that is sensitive to such differences?
Because most organizations carry out business dealings with other organizations on both national and international scopes, the national values of countries have a high impact on the target market and the organization’s culture. Various organizations located in different world locations have been seen to have different views and attitudes regarding matters such as work ethics, operational scope, market viewpoint, approach towards diversity, and methods of conflict resolution. Therefore, companies should be ready to alter their policies and operating procedures to incorporate and adapt to the cultures of different world nations if, however, it has a broad market coverage (Colquitt et al.,2018). This is because failure to comply with the cultures of foreign partner nations indicates failure in understanding the needs and requirements of their citizens or, rather, consumers. To avoid unnecessary conflicts will prove essential in preventing political and legal implications.
3.Assume you were an employee at an organization like IKEA and Fortune Surveyed for its Best Companies to Work for list. To what extent would your attitudes be shaped not just by international work policies but also by how the company engages with society?
An employee’s engagement is defined as the physical, emotional, and cognitive interconnection with the work roles. Employee attitudes, in most instances, are shaped by their satisfaction with work, job involvement, and commitment towards the organization. As an employee at IKEA, an organization highly recognized for its high participation in society’s activities, maintaining membership is considered worth it. Having high knowledge and articulation of the international market, such as engaging in promoting environmental stability and promoting a clean environment, IKEA is thus an organization to be admired. Therefore, being a member of this organization is considered a privilege. This, therefore, involves that as an employee, I am happy and engaged as a result of an effective and stable work environment (Colquitt et al.,2018).
Reference
Colquitt, A.J., Le Pine, A.J., & Wesson, M.J. (2018). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace, McGraw-Hill Education, Fifth Edition, pp 1-609.