W.L. Gore and Corporate Culture - Essay Example

This means that there are neither specified superior/subordinate relationships nor hierarchical lines of communication. Where, in a traditional company, an assignment would be overseen by a manager and a task carried out by employees, Gore allows "teams [to] organize around opportunities and leaders [to] emerge" (Gore 1). This environment of fairness and freedom seeks to draw the very best out of each individual and the resulting contribution positively impacts the company's performance. 

Its unique communication model, for example, permits the cross-pollination of ideas and input across all segments of the team. The fact that any person on that team can speak to the entire workgroup is an effective empowerment tool. At Gore, a contrary supervisor is not allowed to bottleneck a good idea, or to discourage innovation from underlings by taking their ideas and presenting it up the chain of command as the supervisor's own. The freedom to speak out on the particulars of a project gives Gore's associates the opportunity to take personal ownership of the project; which encourages maximum interest and effort.

Similarly, this same structure provides an environment for innovation. In a traditional corporate structure, an administrative assistant would never have the opportunity to speak to a department head regarding a product design idea. At Gore, however, the team that operates in any particular work area has no such restrictions. Any person can have a good idea; with the team approach encouraging open communications, that associate's product development concept gets heard by the whole group. Once the group begins to discuss the suggestion, product innovation is dramatically increased as good ideas are incorporated and bad ones eliminated in a non-threatening way.

Gore’s corporate culture seems a little odd at first sight.  To a traditionalist, the idea of allowing employees so much freedom is foreign indeed.  Upon closer review, however, it is obvious that Gore’s corporate culture is working.   As for performance, no one can argue against the fact that the company has a stellar reputation for innovative design and a healthy balance sheet.  Taken together, the elements of a positive corporate culture have made W. L. Gore a winner in everybody’s playbook.