Case 15.1: Organizational Change at Amazon

Read chapter 15. Scroll down to the end of the chapter to find Case 15.1. Read the case study and any accompanying articles, then respond to the tasks and questions below.

Brief Case Description Innovation and change are happening around us every day, at faster rates and more dramatically than ever. This chapter walks students through the concepts that help facilitate these changes within organizations, and this case provides an example of a company leading the way in terms of change and innovation. Jeff Bezos Amazon is an ever-changing company, and it has been since its inception in the 90s. From starting as an online bookseller to evolving into a multi-industry titan (e-commerce, grocery, media production, cloud storage, etc.), the organizational change practices within Amazon can be seen at all levels of the organization, from the top to the bottom. One of the largest changes in Amazons history was the acquisition of Whole Foods. This case challenges students to envision how organizational change is taking place presently as Whole Foods is fully integrated into the Amazon ecosystem.

Task and Discussion Questions

Explain the impact of Jeff Bezos being the leader of Amazon since its beginning. How does this compare to organizations that change their CEOs during times of challenge?

Part A) Discuss the role of experimentation and learning from failure in Amazons approach to organizational change.

Part B) Research (cite the source) and develop another example of where an organization has learned from failure and ultimately succeeded.

Discuss how the acquisition of Whole Foods helped Amazon executives learn how to disrupt the grocery industry. In your opinion, will they succeed in the retail grocery market? Why or why not?

In addition to an obsession with the customer, what are the other keys to Amazons success in implementing organizational change?