26913146 Assignment 3
Giancarlo Gatti
Comm 101, Section 101
November 28th, 2014
be Mind Map
Takeaway 1 – Importance of Corporate Culture
One of my most essential takeaways from Comm 101 was the concept of corporate culture. I understood that companies had to have satisfied workers to produce good results, but I never knew that companies like Zappos focused on this aspect as a framework for their entire company. When I eventually find a job, I would like to be acknowledged by my peers and be a part of a collective unit. In my opinion, workers are likelier to be more motivated when both their extrinsic and intrinsic motivations are met. One of my main takeaways from this topic is that money isn’t the best motivator. According to Mayo’s Hawthorne effect, employees feel more motivated when their efforts are recognized, and this can be achieved through bonuses for example. However, this can increase individualism as employees will focus on outperforming their peers. Intrinsic motivation helps create loyal employees who are more satisfied on a personal level. An example of this could be social security benefits. These motivations help the company recruit top level employees and increase their overall productivity. But this can be a trade-off as these benefits and rewards can be costly.
Takeaway 2 - Corporate Culture, Human Resources, and Ethics
Zappos is a great example of a company that has created a lively atmosphere for their workers through their casual working environment. But another takeaway is that this type of culture is not compatible with many companies. A company needs to define its culture by looking at the nature of their employees, but also the nature of the industry, and this can be a struggle for a lot of companies. How do companies draw the line between having a comfortable and enjoyable learning environment, and a professional productive one? This has to do with human resource management as shown through my mind map. This is a tricky function to perfect in organizations as seen in my blog post about HSBC. It is staggering that large established companies are struggling. There are many issues in HSBC, namely their willingness to engage in shady activities. This again creates a link between corporate culture, the HR department, and business ethics. The unethical behavior of its employees, and the failure of HSBC’s HR department have ultimately defined the company. Thus, throughout this course, I now realize the great responsibilities that companies have to their employees.
Takeaway 3 - Passion
One of the best moments in Comm 101 was when the class got to meet former Sauder alumni who are currently changing the landscape of business in the world today. The main lesson learned in this part of the course was the nature of entrepreneurship and the necessary traits needed to become a successful entrepreneur. One of the interesting things I realized was that these individuals did not try to come up with their own spin on a successful concept, but rather look at opportunities for new products in the market place. This made me realize the impact that small businesses have, and how it innovates and inspires new generations of business leaders. The main takeaway from the alumni was that they all had passion for their craft. Starting your own business is extremely difficult. It is hard to find the starting capital, time and energy. While I honestly admire these individuals, I now learn that starting my own business is not for me. When starting your own business, there is immense pressure as I would most likely trust myself to grow the businesses, and finding the right employees whom I can trust would be hard. I personally feel that the risk is too great for myself.
Takeaway 4 – Ethics of Market Research and Advertising
Coming into Sauder School of Business, I was thinking about going into marketing. And my experience in Comm 101 has only strengthened this desire as I
