Understanding the Work Environment at Amazon: Values, Ethics, Public Policy, and Inequalities

UNDERSTANDING THE
WORK ENVIRONMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................2
Organisation’s main purpose and goals.......................................................................................2
Values and ethical practices.........................................................................................................3
Public Policy and Legislation .....................................................................................................4
Amazon’s approach to address inequalities.................................................................................5
Evidence.......................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Initiating the start- up Amazon in 1994 with the idea of selling books online, Jeff Bezos, has
today created a multibillion dollar company which operates in almost every industry having
earned the name, “The Everything Store” (Warrier and et.al., 2021). The global recognition that
company has gained as one of the Big Five IT companies, and regular awards it is winning,
indicates the excellent growth chart showed by company.
Broadly, organizations can be categorised into statutory and non- statutory bodies. Statutory
organizations are the ones that are formed legally and non- statutory are the ones which are not
funded by government and are run by public or individuals. Freedom of operation is one of the
major benefits if statutory organisations. For instance, NHS being a statutory body enjoys these
benefits. Similarly, non- statutory body also has numerous benefits such as variety of insurances,
a particular vision plan etc. For example, taxi services in UK constitute a part of non- statutory
body.
The chosen organisation Amazon is a private corporation that is run by some selected
individuals with Jeff Bezos as its founder. Amazon works with the overall objective of becoming
most customer- centric company of the earth by focusing on their long term growth strategy
(Taylor, 2018). Amazon functions with hierarchical organisation structure having multiple stages
and layers in their functioning.
The main aim behind this report will be to analyse the sociological issues arising in the
company and to also identify how Amazon is responding to these issues. Further, report will also
discuss two different forms i.e. aspects of social identity that are associated with Amazon and
further, how they are being addressed. In the completion of entire report, various theories such as
Modernity, Trade Union theory etc. will also be incorporated into the research drawing and
presenting relevant insights.
MAIN BODY
Organisation’s main purpose and goals
Amazon works with the mission to serve all of its customers by the method of online as
well as offline i.e. physical stores with adequate focus on price charged, convenience fees and
simplifying the selection process (Breuer and Szillat, 2019). Further, their goal to become highly
customer centric company in the world facilitating customers to attain or occupy anything they
want.
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The ideology that Jeff Bezos has created emphasises on the importance of Day 1 i.e. day
one is presented as the core driver i.e. everything major is to be done on Day 1 only because day
2 always gives lower yielding or brings irrelevance and decline.
Entire system and working of Amazon is based on the fact that organisation needs to adopt
and integrate the changes along with the changing trends and preferences of the consumers in the
environment (Tongkachok and et.al., 2021). This is in compliance with the Modernity Theory
which states that the society and its people should regularly change and evolves with the changes
required by the society at that particular time. This theory emphasizes the need to discard certain
traditional values and aspects with time in order to grasp and inculcate modern thoughts and
ideas which are necessary to improve the overall living standard and pattern of the society ( Fitzi,
2018).
The goal to become customer centric and to cater to every demand or requirement of the
customer can be achieved only when Amazon knows how to monitor every change and integrate
that in the products and services offered by them. Lack of compliance with the modernity theory
idea can lead to redundancy of the company (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 2022). Amazon treats
customers as their god and does not stick to same practices for a longer time period. The decision
making is very quick in the company and they don’t believe in giving next best alternative to the
customer.
Values and ethical practices
There are certain pre- defined principles which are strictly complied by Amazon strictly.
Their main emphasis is on developing products and services that satisfy the need of the
customers rather than competing with its competitors in a better manner. There is a special focus
on innovation and invention by the company and its research and development department is
super active in observing and tapping the latest modifications.
The people, workers and the communities have been focused on conducting their
operations with highest level of dignity and respect for their work (Arnett, Goldfinch and Chinta,
2018). While Amazon believes its employees to be their responsibility, they also believe that
customers should be the highest priority of employees.
The products and services that Amazon sells includes a diverse portfolio of products, and
the operations of Amazon are spread worldwide which are manufactured and sold worldwide.
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