Leagility

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

In this paper, I will describe the organizational culture, structure and what has contributed to WL Gore's success. WL Gore and Associates, established in 1958, have one of businesses most unusual structures and cultures. However, the concept has worked and has been profitable for both the company and associates who have the privilege to be there. A corporate culture and the organization's structure can spell success or disaster for a business. Restructuring and reorganizations are a common event as businesses attempt to become more responsive to their environment, more efficient, and more competitive. WL Gore takes their reputation for product leadership seriously, continually delivering new products and better solutions for marketplaces. WL Gore has repeatedly been named among the '100 Best Companies to Work for in America,' and the culture is a model for contemporary organizations seeking growth by unleashing creativity and fostering team-work.

Organizational culture comprises the attitudes, values, beliefs, norms and customs of an organization. Whereas organization structure is relatively easy to draw and describe, organizational culture is considered to be less tangible and more difficult to measure. What sets WL Gore apart from the traditional organizations is that they encourage hands-on innovation, involving those closest to a project in decision making. Teams organize around opportunities and leaders emerge. The big difference from other organizations, however, is the work environment.

WL Gore has associates that adhere to four guiding principles; fairness to each other, freedom to encourage, ability to make commitments and consultation with other associates. WL Gore also maintains the status quo of equality and encourages associates to contribute independently and collectively in teams loosely based around a work area. Members of the organization bring their own individual experiences, beliefs, and values. Work-groups within the organization have their own behavioral quirks and interactions, which, to an extent, affect the whole system. Task culture can be imported. That is to say, computer technicians will have expertise, language and behaviors gained independently of the organization that set them apart from their colleagues, but their mere presence can influence the culture of the organization.

A Strong culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. Where culture is strong - people do things because they believe it is the right thing to do. Innovative organizations such as WL Gore need individuals, who are prepared to challenge the status quo to share information, implement new ideas effectively and add value to the organization. Organizational culture is "the residue of success" within an organization. The cornerstone of associate culture is encouraging individuals to believe in their potential overall contribution to the power of a small team.

Organizational structure is the way in which the interrelated groups of an organization are constructed. Founder, Bill Gore created a flat lattice organization where there are no chains of command or pre-determined channels of communication. Associates hired are personnel who are able to motivate themselves give a work area. Associates communicate directly with each other and are accountable to fellow members. Associates are encouraged to continually grow and develop. They are also encouraged to take an interest in a wide variety of job functions. Associates within WL Gore have the freedom to use their judgment to determine if they have suitable skills, time, and experience to lend a hand in another work area. Everyone can quickly earn the credibility to define and drive projects.

Associates are what differentiate Gore as an enterprise and fuel growth. Knowledge, expertise, talents, creativity, and hard work are what lead to unique, valuable, and profitable products. It is for this reason that attracting, growing, energizing, and retaining the best talent is critical to their success. There is a financial incentive for associates wanting to be part of a winning company. There are no pay structures, pay is determined according to a person's contribution, which goes towards the overall success of the company. Pay is calculated according to the individual's effort.

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