The Soul of Dell

Introduction

This paper seeks to provide recommendations to management on what to do with the Soul of Dell including the success of its implementation for Dell.

Problems

Order custom essay The Soul of Dell with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

The present state of the Soul of Dell as corporate philosophy as initiated  by management in the company  shows some indication of seeming lack  of relevance or importance  to a number of  stakeholders in Dell  particularly the employees.  

Facts

 With Dell CEO Kevin Rollin’s development of the Soul of Dell, he hoped people would refer to Dell as a place where respect, integrity , honestly and forthrightness are valued.  For Mr. Rolling the importance of the philosophy cannot be overemphasized.  The Soul of Dell is designed to  five major tenets including: Customers, The Dell Team, Direct Relationships, Global Corporate Citizenship, and Winning.  Since the purpose of the initiative was to create a statement of corporate philosophy and to provide all employees with an explanation of the company’s basic values and belief for the latter to know what kind of company they are and what they hope to become, Mr. Rollin is very much eager to have the philosophy understood and adopted the stakeholders including the employees.  However, some of the employees do not yet fully understand the Soul of Dell and for some it is not a priority in their jobs.

Analysis

Can the Soul of Dell help in acquiring the company’s identity and culture?  How? The Soul of Dell as new company philosophy can help in identifying company’s identity and culture in terms of really addressing what needs to be accomplished organization with due considerations to the strengths and weaknesses of the company in terms of attaining its defined mission or vision and objectives.

Should top management have considered employees, suppliers and customers’ opinions and viewpoint in developing The Soul of Dell? The Soul of Dell is initiated by management so that some employees were not consulted before it was made and announced.  Since the success of a philosophy lies in its fulfillment and its fulfillment, there is reason to assert the opinions of other stakeholders like employees, suppliers and customers’ opinions should have been considered.  Since the company is just initiation, these opinions will still be integrated since the philosophy could always be amended.  The  need to consider other stakeholders’ opinions is premised on the fact that an organization is but a group of people who must be motivated to go under one direction. This is only possible if all stakeholders have agreed in what the companies want to do.  Stakeholders can give or withhold their support or agreement and consulting them would be one of the basic requirements of putting up a philosophy.

Was the Soul of Dell diffused correctly throughout the company? It can be observed that the Soul of Dell was not yet diffused correctly throughout the company since not everybody is giving the importance as management has wanted and planned it to be.  Moreover, not everybody is consulted on the new philosophy before it was diffused or announced to all the employees.  However, if management is really decided on correctly diffusing the same, it could be done.  Deficiencies can be corrected by providing the needed information.  The company could reinforce the philosophy in the enactment of work rules and regulations and in code of ethics.  Thus as to how should the Soul of Dell be maintained in the company is management decision that must be done wholeheartedly.  The Soul of Dell should be maintained with utmost support and pride of the stakeholders particularly the employees, as the same will give them the right motivation and as way for them to measure, their success since the philosophy would define the reasons why they are in the company in the first place.

It must be noted even without prior diffusion of the Soul of Dell, the people of the company has already manifested an orientation to have one in the aftermath September 11, 2001  thus the success of the philosophy was partly proven during the time when employees were moved beyond what economic considerations could give.

What is the real value of corporate philosophy statements?  Does every company need one? The real value of corporate philosophy statements is to make the light where there seems to be confusion on what that company should go.  It will serve as guide for the company in crafting its policies and rules in the accomplishment of its objectives.  Every company needs to have one corporate philosophy if a company is to sustain its life over the long-term.  Mr. Rollin is aware that every successful company has a philosophy as per case facts.

Can Dell achieve what it aspires to be? Despite some problems encountered in the Soul of the Dell, the company can achieve what it aspires to be if sets what is wants to achieve and it knows how it will achieve.  The Soul of Dell will be one of the most important ingredients of its success since the people of organization will be doing their roles for the right reasons.

Conclusions and Recommendations

It can be concluded that The Soul of Dell is a very important part of the life of the company.  With it the Dell would be able to define its identify and culture.  By it, the company will know why it is doing what it is doing. In the same manner that a person must have a reason for living, so does an organization like Dell.  It is recommended that management must continue informing its employees through various office memorandums and other means through proper communications systems and management must be willing to receive feedback that could be used to fine tune the philosophy as its business evolves in a fast changing industry of which Dell is in.

Summary

Everything starts with a reason. Corporations find reasons to live and so they live.  While some corporations live long others live longer.  It is the reason for being that will make the difference on how to live long. The Soul of Dell was an attempt worth supporting based on the validity of its contents and its success was partly proven in the case when employees were moved beyond what economic considerations could give especially after the September 11, 2001  Twin Tower bombing.  The event was a turning point for the company, which made the company, realized the value of a reason to live as expressed in the company’s corporate philosophy.

Reference

1. Case Study - The Soul of Dell, Chapter 3, Communication Ethics

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer