1、ReportIntroduction In any companies has its own culture. Some culture is strong, others culture is weak. No matter the culture is strong or weak that will impact on the development of enterprises. Therefore, enterprises should also take effective measures to maintain the corporate culture. Wegman is
2、 a grocery store. He has a strong corporate culture, but also affect their employees follow the Wegmans culture.1. Strong and Weak Culture1.1 Definition of Strong and Weak cultureAn organization must be composed of both a variety of cultural. So we can divide these into strong and weak culture, acco
3、rding to different attributes of cultures. Strong Culture is the key values are strongly held and widely recognized cultural organizations by the public. Strong Culture will restrict a managers decision-making related to choice of all management functions. It determines what people should do or not
4、do anything. Organizations have strong cultures have a very clear recognition of the value. Strong cultural impact for the employees behavior, and reduce staff turnover have more direct contact. On the contrary, (Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong , M 2010 ) Weak Culture is the key values that cannot be
5、 widely accepted and strongly insist cultural organizations. In a strong culture, the organizations core values are both strongly held and widely shared. The more members who accept the core value and the greater their commitment to those value is, the stronger culture is. Consistent with this defin
6、ition, a strong culture will have a great influence on the behavior of its employees because the high degree of sharing and intensity creates atmosphere of high behavior control.1.2 The culture of WegmanCharacterize Wegmans culture is a Strong Culture. Strong culture for the greater impact of employ
7、ee behavior, and reduce staff turnover have a more direct relationship. A special result of a strong culture should be lower employee turnover. (Robbins, S.P. and Coulter, M, 2007) A strong culture demonstrates high agreement among members about what the organization standers for. Such unanimity of
8、purpose builds cohesiveness, loyalty and organization commitment. These qualities, in turn, lessen employees propensity to leave the organization. In general, grocery stores are not considered as a good place to work. Compared with other professions, Low income is in this profession. The result is a
9、n industry that sees high annual turnover rate. Employees at Wegman, however, view working for a grocer a bit differently. Instead of viewing their job as a temporary setback on the way to a more illustrious career, many employees at Wegman view working for the company as their career. This is becau
10、se there is a strong culture of Wegman; it can cultivate working interest of employees so that employees take pride at work. Employees and the company formed a consistent identity.1.3 How Wegmans cultural to influence staffWegman want to let the culture which is dynamic, happy, mutual aid, loyalty c
11、an affect every employee, and will sustain this culture. Therefore, the Wegman has done a lotl Ingrained managersWegmans culture is ingrained in the senior managers. More than half of these managers start working here since a teenager. Wegmans cultural impact on them is profound. They have been work
12、ing at Wegman at least two decades; their feelings of Wegman are deep. Their understanding of the companys culture is also very thorough. Thus, these managers leadership employees, they will follow the Wegmans culture, which can cultivate a loyal Wegmans employees. This enables the formation of cult
13、ural heritagel Careful selection employeesWegmans is very carefully in selecting employees. Employees at Wegman are not selected based on the mental ability or experience, but in the interest of the candidates as a judgment standard. Wegman wish to hire employees a real interest in food, they can he
14、lp the company maintain concerned on the delicious food. Such employees are in line with Wegmans own culture, they are also more likely to accept the companys other cultures.l Cautious expansionBecause Wegmans carefully selects employees. So the growth is often slow and meticulous, with only two new
15、 stores opened each year. While this rate of expansion is slow but it can ensure that each store contains a strong culture of WegmanWhen a new store is opened, employees from existing stores are brought into the new store to maintain the culture. The exiting employees are then able to transmit their
16、 knowledge and the stores values to the new employees.2. Wegmans Culture2.1 The primary source of Wegmans cultureThe organizations current customs, tradition, and the general way of doing things are largely due to what it in has done before and degree of success it has had with those endeavors. This
17、 leads us to the ultimate source of an organizations culture: its founder.Founders of the organization traditionally have a major impact on the early culture. They have a vision of what the organization should be doing something for future. They do not accept the previous practice or the shackles of
18、 ideology. (Li Sufang J 2009) A typical feature of the new organization is small size. This is further beneficial that the founder impositions of their own vision on all members. There are three ways to create a cultural. l First: founders hire and keep only employee who think and feel the same way
19、they do. l Second indoctrination and socialize employees to their way of thinking and feeling. l Finally founders own behavior acts as a role model that encourage employees to identify with them and thereby internalize their beliefs, values, and assumption. Wegmans flagship store located in New York
20、, which is the brothers of John and Walter Wegman founded in 1930. Its special feature is a coffee shop that seated in the store can accommodate 300 people. Obviously, founders pay attention to the delicious foods highly. Therefore, they hire people who are really interested in food. This helps to m
21、aintain the founders ideas focusing on the food, creating the original Wegmans culture. Wegmans development it seems to be successful today. Thus, the founders attention to the delicious food becomes seen as a primary determinant of that success. His successor is constantly strengthened and develope
22、d new cultures, such as increased employee benefits. At this point, the founders entire personality becomes embedded in the culture of the Wegman. 2.2 Sustain own cultureOnce a culture is in place, there are practices within the organization that act to maintain it by giving employees a set of simil
23、ar experiences. The selection process, performance evaluation critical, training and development activities, and promotion ensure that those hired fit in with the culture, reward those who support it. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge M 2008) In sustain Wegmans cultural process, mainly used two
24、 methods: Selection practices, the actions of top management. l Selection practicesThe explicit goal of the selection process is identify and hire individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job within the job within the organization successfully. Wegman is a food store,
25、 he hired staff, of course, is interested in food as a condition of selection. This selection criteria and Wegmans culture to maintain have a significant relationship. In this way, the company in the selection staff process insisted the Wegman culture, screening out those who are not interested in f
26、ood, or threaten Wegmans culture.l The actions of top managementThe actions of the top management also have a major impact on the organizations culture. Top management, through what they say and behavior to establish the role model, penetrating into the organization used to maintain the organization
27、s culture. Wegmans first generation of managers to focus on employee interest in food, so whether intentional or not employees will pay attention to foods concerns. Walters son Robert served as President, he believed himself and the employee has not different, Walters son as president, he and the st
28、aff do not consider themselves different, so he immediately increase the number of employees generous benefits, such as profit sharing and medical coverage completely paid for by the company. Now the Wegman president is Roberts son Danny. He continued to carry forward the Wegmans traditional of conc
29、erning for its employees2.3 Another ways to maintain companys cultureSocialization In addition to selection practices and acting of top management, maintained organization culture approach there are many types. Socialization is an effective method. No matter how good organization does in staff selec
30、tion and recruitment, new employees cannot fully adapt to the organizational culture. Because they are not familiar with the organizations culture. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy Judge M 2008) New employees are likely to disturb the concepts and habits that are in placed in organization. Organization
31、s will, therefore, need to help new employees adapt to the organizations culture. The adaptation process is called socializationSocialization can be divided into three stages. Prearrival Stage: Including all learning activities occurred before the new members to participate in Organization. During t
32、his phase, we can clearly see each individuals different values and expectations of the company. Encounter Stage: At this stage, new members can see the true character of the organization. New employees may face to disconnected problem between personal expectations and reality. The period is a cruci
33、al stage of the process socialization. It is when the organization seeks to mold the outsiders into an employee “in good standing” Metamorphosis Stage: To solve the problem during the collision may last a relatively long period of time. The new employee masters the skills required for the job that s
34、uccessfully performs the new roles, and makes the adjustments to the work groups values and norms. For example, at Limited Brands, Newly appointed vice president and regional director through One month training program, it called “onboarding”. Purpose is to allow these senior executives integrate in
35、to the companys culture. During the month they have to no direct responsibilities for tasks associated with their new positions. Instead, they spend all their work time meeting with other senior leader and mentors working the floors of retail stores, evaluating employee and customer habits, investig
36、ating the competition, and studying Limited Brands past and current operations.3. Learn Culture in Wegman3.1 How to learn Wegmans culturesStoriesEach company will circulated a number of small stories in companies. They are usually the following aspects: founder experience, cutting workers, increase
37、labor welfare. The purpose of promoted the story is to provide explanation and support for the organizations policy. In Wegman, managers often tell employees to Wegmans founders set up in the store coffee shop, that unique approach to food concern make Wegman stands out in many grocery stores.Wegman
38、 use a part-time in the companys 19-year-old college students Sara as an example. He always remembers John Wegman for her help to display shop full of praise. “I love this place” she says. “If teaching does not work, I would do a full-time at Wegman” Wegmans with specific story shows that working in
39、 the Wegman is a matter of pride for the employees. This method is an important reason for the success of Wegmans culture. Reflects, among employees and Wegman, have a strong cohesion. Frequently described such stories, it provide a good explanation and channel to understand the Wegmans culture for
40、Wegmans employees, especially new employees. 3.2 Another ways t to learn companys cultureExcept telling stories, Wegman also can transfer their corporate culture to subordinates in many ways. Other effective methods like establishment of a fixed ritual, Creation of material symbol, and using the int
41、ernal language. l Establishment of a fixed ritualRituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of the organizationwhat goals are most important, which people are important, and which people are expendable. Wegman can create their service standards into the
42、slogan, requiring employees to read out loud every morning, as an incentive way to the employees to follow corporate culture. Morning, we began to work, reading the slogan can increase employees motivation. for work, can also remind staff to allow employees more memorizing Wegmans culture Through th
43、is ceremony, members of the Wegmans closely linked, and to strengthen the Wegmans culture, among the staff. l Creation of material symbolThe layout of corporate headquarters, the type of automobiles top executives are given, and the presence or absences of corporate aircraft are a few exemplas of ma
44、terial symbol. Wegman can set their own material symbol, such as the size of the office at different levels, various positions of office furniture grade, the additional allowances and clothing to senior manager. These materials convey to staff such a symbol of information that who is important, the
45、degree of what equality by executives expects, and what behavior is appropriate. As Wegmans culture believes that managers and ordinary employees is not much difference, they are very concerned about the employees and many generous benefits to employees. So the material symbol may not be obvious in
46、Wegman. l Using the internal languageOrganizations, over time, tend to develop some specific terms, the internal language, to describe with equipment, office, key personnel, suppliers, customers, which related to their business. Wegman and departments within the Wegman should create some internal la
47、nguage, and use these languages as a way to identify members of Wegman culture or subculture. In general, Wegmans employees just entered would be confused by these phrases and jargon, but about six months later, these elements will be turned into part of their language. Once employees who mastered t
48、his internal language, it formed employees of the common features with Wegmans culture. This also conducive to the protection Wegmans culture3.3 The most effective way to learnI think the most effective method is to structures and provide a learning platform for employees. Learning platform refers t
49、o that everyone participated equal, interactive communication, and exchange and sharing of learning spaces, learning opportunities and learning tools. The main forms are: network learning, books databases, training, conferences, and study room. The company has a bright and spacious library staff can support all kinds of learning materials and a good learning place; maturing of the internal and external trainin
