Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNICATION STARBUCKS

Organizational Behavior & Communication - Starbucks

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNICATION - STARBUCKS

Organizational Behavior & Communication - Starbucks

Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by a writer and two teachers: Gordon
Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl. Starbucks began as a single coffee shop in Seattle and is
now one of the worlds premier specialty coffee roasters and retailers. Their vision states
together we will elevate our partners, customers, suppliers, and neighbors to create positive
change, to be innovators, leaders, and contributors to an inclusive society and a healthy
environment so that Starbucks and everyone we touch can endure and thrive (Starbucks Coffee
Company, 2015). Starbucks main mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit one
person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2015). With a
care for the environment, Starbucks has an environmental mission as well. This mission says that
Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business
(Starbucks Coffee Company, 2015).
According to Starbucks website, and in accordance to their vision, Starbucks offers a
work environment which treats each employee with dignity and respect. Starbucks refers to their
employees as partners within the organization. Starbucks aims to create a diverse culture that
strives for excellence in the roasting and delivery of their coffee, to develop strongly satisfied
customers, and to contribute to the community and environment.
Culture is defined by the way people communicate, interact, how information is shared,
and how decisions are made (Lotich, 2013). Culture in any organization begins with upper
management. For Starbucks, how their leaders communicate is their main focus. Jim Donald,
the current CEO and president, describes himself as fanatical about communicating
(Businessholic, 2015).

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNICATION - STARBUCKS

The main functions of communication within an organization are to control, motivate,

express emotion, and to relay information to (Robbins & Judge, 2011, Chapter 11:
Communication). Upper management not only communicates to their employees what needs to
be done, how well they are performing, and how they can improve their performance but they
also listen to their employees and encourage feedback from employees and customers.
Communication is the key to building trust and understanding as well as to empower and
motivate employees.
The Starbucks leadership has worked hard to create an environment where
communication can flow freely between upper management, its employees, and its customers. In
such a large organization, this can be difficult to achieve with numerous possibilities of
breakdown in communications but Starbucks works hard to ensure their cross functional
employees are not just heard, but listened to as well. This is partly done by allowing employees
to report to multiple supervisors. This type of structure can allow for effective communication
throughout the organization.
Misalignment between espoused values and enacted values affect the perception within
an organization and can decrease motivation among its employees, which can then expand out
and cause the company to lose their loyal customers. Starbucks has a strong culture and they
value their employees and customers. This can be seen through their faithful customers who are
satisfied with the services they receive. Customer service is important to Starbucks. According to
the Starbucks Coffee Company website, its stress will be on the quality of coffee, calling its
employees its partners, connecting with its customers, creating a sense of belonging with its
customers and taking its responsibility to its neighborhood seriously. Starbucks not only says
what they do but they show what they say and do what they say. This is seen through how they

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNICATION - STARBUCKS

source their products ethically through the support of their farmers, they recycle and reduce
waste by providing reusable cups and environmentally friendly products and through the
establishment of local youth programs, community service programs, and other foundations
within the neighborhoods in which they are located.
Effective communication helps manage the conflict (Beebe & Masterson, 2009,
Chapter 7: Managing Conflict). Starbucks encourages their employees to communicate
feedback and Starbucks uses this feedback to improve performance, their products, and their
customer service.
Open communication aids the feedback of innovative ideas, problems, and solutions to
those problems and are heard on a regular basis. The decision making process within Starbucks
considers every opinion of every employee from every level of the organization, including the
opinions of their customers. Starbucks also considers ethics to be the another important aspect in
their decision making process and has based their mission statement on ethics as well.
A company such as Starbucks Coffee Company values its employees, customers,
products, and community. Showing respect to their employees, giving effective communication,
tapping into their customer needs and giving back to their community are the keys to success for
any organization, and Starbucks has proven their success through these methods. Starbucks
mission statements coincide with their values and practices. Their success is largely due to their
policies, innovations, and the quality of their partners (employees) from the CEO down to the
baristas as well as the loyalty of their customers.

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNICATION - STARBUCKS

References
Beebe, S. A., & Masterson, J. T. (2009). Communicating in Small Groups. Principles and
Practices (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection
database.
Businessholic. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.businessholic.net/the-inside-of-a-starbuckscompany/
Lotich, P. (2013). The Thriving Small Business. Retrieved from
http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/organizational-culture-and-communication/
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational Behavior (14th ed.). Retrieved from The
University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.
Starbucks Coffee Company. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.starbucks.com/