Gore Case Study - Organizational Structure and Management Approach

Running Head: GORE CASE STUDY
Gore Case Study
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The organizational structure is the development of the enterprise operated in such a way
that helps to have the provide goals. It comprises of the structure of the relationships among the
jobs and positions with the aim of accomplishing the objectives of the organization as suggested
by Shafritz, Ott and Jang (2015). It is a disciplined combination of the functions, people and
facilities. The function is to establish the relationships between the authority of the enterprise and
the business activities. In the highly competitive industry every organization is concerned about
the sustainability in the industry. The customer demands are ever changing and it is the focus of
the companies to stick to their preferences and fulfill the consumer demands. A well-defined
organizational structure provides clarity and guidance on certain human resource issues (Stark
2015).
The managerial authority sometimes poses as a crucial issue. Hence, the start-up
companies must begin thinking about an appropriate structure in the initial stage of formation in
order to experience the competitive advantage in the market. It has been found that the
organizations can be organized in various ways. The traditional organizational structure is called
the ladder structure or hierarchy (Zupic and Čater 2015). A modern version of the organizational
structure is the lattice model. It allows the employees to self-directed and self-managed. It also
allows various career pathways and beyond the top-down hierarchy. The present report will deal
with the examination, understanding and analysis of the organizational structure of WL Gore.
The report will analyze the distinctive features of WL Gore and analyze how much it is
consistent with the management approach based upon the identifiable principles.

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Discussion
When the topic is innovation, the case of WL Gore must be drawn which is the honored
maker of Gore-Tex. It is also a host of pioneering materials and the products such as the
synthetic vascular grafts. Glide dental floss and elixir guitar strings. The company has been
considered as one of the most innovative company which has grown with the passage of time.
The inspirational organizational model is based on the innovation rooted in the story of Bill
Gore, the founder. In the year 1958, Bill Gore started quitted DuPont for the purpose of starting
a business focusing on the innovative use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is a kind of
material that is better known as the Gore Tex. However, he was less interested towards selling
products or inventing new materials. He established a completely new company that unleashed
every person in it at the same time inspired them towards ringing the real creativity from among
themselves. He facilitated a uniquely human and robustly profitable strategy or the
organizational structure. He conducted a different type of innovation in the management that is
still continuing. Gore became the model for the product innovation and organizational
innovation.
What are the distinctive features of WL Gore's organization and management and to what
extent do they represent a consistent management approach based upon identifiable
principles?
The management model of Gore is a critical part of the company’s success which is
founded on the entrepreneurial innovation. The model has experienced many evolutions and also
the effects of globalization, the high competition, the economic ups and downs, the IT
breakthroughs along with the organic growth of the company (Winnubst 2017). The company
has taken huge care in selecting new people and training them to adopt the ‘Gore way’. The

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company is also visionary towards the future and introduces new processes without leaving its
innovative edge.
The founder of the company Bill Gore had founded the company on the basis of few
principles. These principles and the beliefs still guide the associates of the Gore in making
correct decision and engaging in an appropriate behavior towards everyone in the organization.
These principles are the basis of the organizational culture which binds in all together. The
distinctive features of the company are as follows
The fundamental beliefs- The company beliefs in the ability of the individual to decide
what is right and what is wrong for the company. It harnesses the diverse perspectives, fast
decision-making in the collaboration of small teams. he individuals are expected to share the risk
and rewards and stay committed to the betterment of the company in the long run (Teece, Peteraf
and Leih 2016). The company takes a long term view based on their investments, long term
payoffs and values.
The guiding principles- The company provide freedom to the individuals or the
associates to achieve their career goals directing the efforts to the success of the organization.
They are also free to come up with the ideas, actions make mistakes which is a part of the
creative process. It helps the company to encourage each other to grow. The people in the
workforce are instructed to try their best to be fair with each other, with the customers, the
suppliers and anyone other with whom they do the business (Brustbauer 2016). They make the
commitments which they know they can keep. It I also apparent that everyone in the Gore takes
the consent and consult of everyone prior to taking any action which might somehow cause
damage to the company.