Reading an Organization's Culture: General Electric (GE)
Introduction
Every business has its own set of values and beliefs that make up an organizational culture that is unique to each specific business. "_Organizational Culture_ is a complex set of basic underlying assumptions and deeply held beliefs shared by all members of the group that operate at a preconscious level and drive in important ways the behavior of individuals in the organizational context" (Strategy Glossary, 2006). GE's organizational culture is considered one of high ethical standard in the corporate world. According to The Age of Ethics (2007) "_GE now has one of the best ethics compliance programs in existence_, says Larry Ponemon, national director of Business Ethics Services at KPMG". The purpose of this research paper is to identify and evaluate GE's organizational cultureal appeal, shared values, customer base and customer service standards, characteristics of organizational culture, and to determine if GE's organizational culture is ethical, customer-responsive, or spiritual.
Organizational Cultural Appeal
When looking at an organization's cultural appeal, one must first realize what he or she looking for in a company. What appeals to me may or not appeal to someone else. Therefore, the following categories will show what it is about GE's organizational culture that appeals to me personally. These categories include but are not limited to:
Leadership: It is important for me to be with a company that allows leaders to have the freedom and flexibility to contribute their knowledge and expertise in both their daily job and at company levels. "At the top, we don't [sic] run GE like a big company. We run it like a big partnership, where every leader can make a contribution not just to their job, but to the entire Company" (Immelt, J., 2005).
Opportunity for Advancement: It is important for me to work for a company that offers employees an opportunity