• In the Week 4 DB, we compared our own organizations to each of the 8 firms that were shown in Table 5-4. At that time, each of you decided which firm's MOE was most like your own organization's ecosystem. Assuming that you believe that your organization is still guided by that same strategic priority, review the bullet points under Culture in Table III-1 on pages 135-137.
  • Describe specifically how your firm's culture lines up with the bullet points listed for that firm.
    • For instance, if you believe your organization's strategy priority is creativity-driven, then describe how each of the 4 components of culture for Supercell align with your organization. What examples can you provide of "setting high standards", "bold experimentation" and so forth. If your organization's strategy is efficiency-driven, then (assuming you align with Alibaba) describe how each of the 6 company core values align with your own organization.
  • If you have changed your mind and you believe that your firm's culture aligns better with a different company than you selected last week, that's okay! Just provide some detail on why you changed your mind.
• On page 145, about halfway down the page, is the statement, "What is the short list of what we want to be known for, by our best customers?"
  • Provide that answer and then also state whether the customers outside, and the employees inside, your organization truly share that mindset about this cultural component. State why you believe each share that mindset.
• "Culture eats strategy for breakfast" is a well-known quote from Peter Drucker. Drucker was a leader in the development of management education. He invented the concept known as MBO, or management by objectives, and has been described as "the founder of modern management". In the Forbes.com article, the author states that "Culture is one of those intangibles that is very hard to define but needs to be designed and implemented -- and never by default."
  • Do you agree with that statement? If so, why? If not, why not?
  • Then review the 3 lessons that the author states are very important to consider. Which one would be the most impactful in your organization and why?
  • Which would be least impactful and why?
• The article about How Netflix Reinvented HR in the HBR 10 Must Reads book talks about a Netflix culture deck. There is an original version that was written in 2009, with successive updates, the latest of which was in 2020. If you wish to review all 129 slides, find them here Netflix Culture Deck | Sergio Caredda. (You will have to scroll down a ways, to actually see the slides.) However, as the Caredda article suggests, you can also find a summary of the culture here Netflix Culture summary
  • After reading this summary of the culture, select the values category (judgment, curiosity, communication, etc) and the corresponding values that your organization most resembles right now.
  • What values will your organization model, after the transformation is complete (or at least well on its way)? It would be helpful for you to review the section, How to Define the Right Culture, starting on page 140 of the Yeung/Ulrich book, to gain a mutual understanding of values.
• 2 "quick hit" questions about Netflix HR. For both these questions, be prepared to share your feelings about each.
  • The author states on page 23 that "I detest PIP's. I think they are fundamentally dishonest. They never accomplish what their name implies."
  • On page 29, the author states that "During 30 years in business, I've never seen an HR initiative that improved morale."