Edgar Schein described organizational culture as A pattern of basic assumptions—invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with the problems of external adaptation and internal integration—that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.
As companies compete for talent, many use their organizational culture as a recruiting tool. Watch the following Culture Video from Zappo’s, an online shoes retailer (keep in mind that this is a video produced by the company itself, so it likely emphasizes the positive aspects of working for Zappo’s and not showcase negative aspects).
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axlWBn7YQA4&feature=emb_title )
Now listen to or read the 2019 NPR story below (you can read it by clicking on the title of the story), which discusses the experiences of employees working for Instacart, a grocery delivery app.
Click link below
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/25/778546287/at-the-mercy-of-an-app-workers-feel-the-instacart-squeeze
Finally, watch this short clip of a recent UK Supreme Court Decision about whether Uber drivers are considered workers or independent contractors (note that in the US, Uber and Lyft have recently been able to get Proposition 22 passed in California, which maintains its drivers as independent contractors.
After reviewing the materials provided and reading Chapters 1 and 2, answer the following questions:
1. Using concepts from chapters 1 and 2 and the provided materials, compare and contrast the experiences of employees at Zappo’s and at Instacart.
2. Which of the two company cultures is more like your own work setting (current or previous)? Explain and describe the culture of your organization using concepts from chapter 2 and providing examples.
3. What do you think is the role of organizational culture in the “gig economy?” Think about the challenges organizations face in creating and sustaining a specific corporate culture, especially as employees work as independent contractors. Consider the challenges multinational gig organizations are likely to face in the future as countries vary in their regulations for how companies should treat company-worker relations.