Both downward from management to employees and upward from employees to management, are also important in an organization. General Manager’s routine meeting with the supervisor, supervisors’ routine meeting with employees, is the flow of downward communication flow. Discussion meetings between employees and their supervisors, supervisors provide feedback and question to the managers, is the flow of upward communication flow. Communication in the Starbucks organization is very successful. Starbucks is using upward communication flow. One of the reason is about Starbucks’ organizational structure has a change; it changes into a matrix structure. Everyone can communicate to the top. As Starbucks is a typical America firm, upward communication flow can be found in America easily. Secondly, the CEO of Starbucks, Howard said that the employee relationship is valuable. Starbucks promotes frequent visits to store location from regional managers, also it also encourage opening the employee communication. Here is an example that quote from a letter which is wrote by Howard.
“Most importantly, I ask everyone to please keep your ideas coming and your enthusiasm high. It is the passion and dedication of our partners that are critical elements in bringing to life the creativity and innovation that will drive our ongoing success. Our customers see your commitment, your excitement? And they respond. Executing our agenda takes each and every one of us. Thank you for your excitement, and your continued focus on helping to build the best Starbucks Experience for our customers and for each other. We know what we need to do to be the best, and we will do it.
Onward,
Howard”
Employees’ ideas will be considered and attached; everyone is arranged in a circle including the product innovation. It wanted to encourage employee collaboration and innovation, which has been somewhat limited by its traditionally hierarchical organization culture