W.L. Gore And Associates

3072 Words13 Pages
Abstract In this paper, we address the strengths and weaknesses of W. L. Gore and Associates. We explain how Gore empowers employees to succeed in their positions, while also being creative and inspiring others. Weaknesses are addressed within the organization’s lattice approach including those of place and purpose for employees. Gore is compared with larger organizations and governmental bodies in general to provide examples as to how the current structure of the organization, the lattice approach, would be inefficient for most firms. W. L. Gore and Associates: An Efficient Lattice Structure? With today’s economy, organizations live or die based on the decisions that they make. These decisions rest a great deal on the foundation, or structure, surrounding the organization. Without a firm structure, organizations can fall from greatness to become sad visions of what they once were. W. L. Gore and Associates has found a working structure in their lattice organization that increases employee interaction and creativity and thereby increases sales. This structure defies what most managers would call sound for a multi-billion dollar organization. W.L. Gore himself explains that the company’s goal is, “To make money and have fun” (Daft, 2009, p. 554). W.L. Gore and Associates lattice approach focuses on empowering employees to be decisive while the weaknesses of this method have led to reasons why organizations have not adopted this approach. While Gore focuses on having fun and making money, he delineates from a solid managerial structure. W.L. Gore and Associates gets rid of the vertical hierarchy and instead focuses on a horizontal structure. The company has no titles, conventional structures, or hierarchy of any sort (Daft, 2009, p. 557). Horizontal structures “organize employees around core processes” (Daft, 2009, p. 115). In Gore, this takes form of
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