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Interesting article about Zappos, Hsieh etc

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Joe, May 16, 2015.

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  1. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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  2. Piggylane

    Piggylane Well-Known Member

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    I read that article when it came out. Zappos was very successful, still is, with its unique, quirky business model and corporate culture.

    However, one has to wonder what prompts this change? The retail data across the U.S. Hasn't been good since January so maybe this is a unique way to trim staff rather than do a standard reduction in force (mass layoffs, pay unemployment).

    In most corporations the worker bees complain about the idiots at the top yet those same few idiots some how manage to keep the company afloat in bad times too.

    If Zappo's truly goes to this business model and the economy sours it will be very interesting to compare how this works versus the traditional model and this will likely be a case study for many future MBA's.
     
  3. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    That guy is either brilliant or a jagoff.

    Maybe both.
     
  4. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Sorry, but I'm rather biased and a bit sour on traditional corporate structures, but as a "worker bee" at a publicly traded company for 14 years, it seemed that managers kept their jobs by sucking up to the centralized management. Dissent and objection were rejected, just drink the kool aid, forget what the market wanted, don't look behind the curtain. Times got tough, consultants were hired, advice was rendered, ridiculous metrics were installed, managers went along. Just recently, a proxy battle erupted due to the rubber stamp policy of the board, so one third of the board members were replaced by a dissident slate. The CEO linally got schooled: we all got bosses.
     
  5. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    Wish them the best but as sdoon as profits dip they will strt seing managers where there once were none. Not like they don't have them nw, they just call them hy a different name.

    I mean realisticlly, why can't anyone at the company write the magic emil if thery all have a say in it.

    Of course, only a hndful are billionaires, the rest just get to bask in their glory. Oh yeh, and do all the ork too.

    I am no corporate shill by by stretch but I am not buying into this.
     
  6. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    No disrespect to Hammie, but I totally agree with you. It's sad there's so little trust and/or respect between the various corporate functions. Management thinks the folks who truly row the boat are all interchangeable and replaceable widgets and those folks are generally convinced management does no real work.
     
  7. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    It is sad. Workers are a company's greatest asset.
     
  8. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    I'd argue they're both right. :beer:
     
  9. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    This

    After 50 years working in mostly, ok all top down organizations I just can't imagine how this would work. The amount of meeting time must be astronomical in the beginning especially. As a manager I had a rule that no meeting should go over 15min with everyone talking sequentially must take forever.

    I hope it can and does work but I just can't imagine it.

    TomTWI
     
  10. Mooda

    Mooda Low-Roller

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    I think I heard on CNBC that 200 people have quit since this memo came out.
     
  11. saintpauljeff

    saintpauljeff VIP Whale

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    I just read an article on Slashdot recently about I believe was agile vs. waterfall development...needs to include the term "Holacracy" I guess now
     
  12. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    Where I worked they had what they called an "aristocracy" essentially it allowed them to give no raises unless you fell into the 8 or 9 of their 9 box. Very few achieved it and I never did. Might be sour grapes but i thought it was a scam and I let them know (in exit interview LOL). If you hear this in an interview be careful taking the job as you most likely won't keep up with inflation unless your one of the chosen or just that good.

    TomTWI
     
  13. Film-Noir

    Film-Noir High-Roller

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    Good article, thanks Joe

    It's amazing the neglect in Corporate America, where the people in charge do not even really know what their company really does.
    /points finger at Hooters, for example, just watch the show "Undercover Boss".
    Where for example, the CEO has no idea how to fill the Slurpee machine or how to make a Big Mac.

    A few years ago, it seems they have neutered their employees now, but gate Agents for Southwest could make things
    right for an SWA Air Traveler, Empowering their employees for good customer service, is never a bad thing.

    The same goes for cities, we seem in the U.S. to promote Chiefs, based upon Sheepskins & not on actually doing the job.

    This is why so many Cities use headhunters to poach a Water, Electric, Police or Fire Chief from another city, than promote
    someone that has been serving their city for 10-20+ years & knows the city like the back of their hand, it's unique Issues,
    and weaknesses in the Service they provide for the Taxpayer.
     
  14. bswim

    bswim High-Roller

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    Don't even have to get as high as the CEO. I work with about 1,000 people. My 3rd level boss transferred into his job last fall. Finally saw his face last month, very personable and likable guy. He had NO idea what we do or how do anything. He was quite fascinated when I showed him some of the more complicated projects we'd worked on. LOL. The guy that he replaced was in that job for 2 years. I don't recall ever seeing him other than meetings.
    All they care about is numbers and deliveries. I hate to thrown them under the bus to bad though. Their superiors have them in meetings all day, chasing numbers lol. They're paid well but it's a high stress job. I just find it odd that they can't come in 30 minutes early now and then and go out and talk to the people.
     
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