Corporate Culture of Microsoft

What is corporate culture? 

The belief and behaviors that determine how a company'w employees and management carry out outside business transactions. In often times a company's culture will be reflected in its dress code, business hours, office setup, employee benefits, turnover, hiring decisions, treatment of customers and customer satisfaction

What is Microsoft's Corporate Culture? 

Microsoft has often been described by many employees as having a developer centric corporate culture where a lot time and money is spent each year on recruiting young university-trained software developer and keeping them in the company. As an example, while many software companies often place an entry-level software developer in a cubicle desk within a large office space but Microsoft assigns private or semiprivate closed office to every developer. In addition , Microsoft also uses its own latest product in an effort to test them in real life situations and ask off the wall question to get its employees on their feet. From time to time Microsoft organize puzzle hunts to keep their from feeling demotivated. In 2006, Microsoft employees excluding Bill Gates has give $2.5 billion dollars to non-profit organizations worldwide making Microsoft the worldwide top company in per-employee donations.

How can it be further developed?

From an article i dug up, (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-hanft/microsofts-massive-reorga_b_3619736.html) Adam Hanft, a political columnist and CEO of Hanft Projects, criticized that Microsoft is all structure and no culture. He stated that "Based on the reorganization announcements of last week, that's the way Microsoft is trying to address their own mega version of the parental challenge. While Steve Ballmer has acted boldly from an organizational point of view, he's done nothing to address the fundamental crisis in his culture. A culture of warring factions, mistrust, and a void of shared values and common purpose." so from this article i can conclude that Microsoft needs to stop all the nonsense regarding warring factions, mistrust, a void of shared values and revert back to their former innovative self under the leadership of Bill Gates. From there Microsoft can improve on the oneness of the company by having more team strengthening not only in a single department but a combine team strengthening with all the department. That way, Microsoft can kill two birds with one stones by eliminate the warring factions problems and also train their employees to work together.

What great and not so great about the Microsoft corporate culture?

it is clear after what i had research that the benefit of Microsoft's corporate culture is that it decreases employee turn over but it will cause problems like warring factions, mistrust, and a void of shared values.

Is corporate culture vital to the success of a company?

Creating a corporate culture is important because that will have a significant impact on a company's overall success. It is an important aspect that many businesses overlook. By cultivating a professional atmosphere where your employees know what to expect and what is expected from them is crucial to employee retention and productivity as well as a company's success.

Microsoft world wide culture

One side does not fit all, Microsoft tailored each offices around the world to accommodate the local culture, economy and work styles of employees and management. For example, In the Microsoft office of Schiphol, Amsterdam it has no assigned seating, that means that employees come and go as they please. The office is defined by fluidity of movement and collaboration between employees and with customers with the the success of this approach it creates an optimal work environment for employees. Whereas in head office is more american culture and corporate style is rigid which stick corporate structure. 

The accommodation made by Microsoft to accommodate to local staff

Dubai

Dubai office 

In the Dubai office, the rest day is Friday instead of Sunday and they give flexible hours for prayers as Dubai is a Muslim country.

India

India office

In the India office, the canteen is specially modified for vegetarians and Microcosm also provide transportation to employees.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam office

In the Amsterdam office, it has no assigned seating, that means that employees come and go as they please.