DreamWorks Animation Company Evaluation, Case Study Example

Organizational Culture

Organizational cultures play an important role in guiding the realization of objectives. The culture of any company establishes values that are communicated through the mission and vision. Reddy and Perepu (8) referenced the Great Recession that resulted in major layoffs for many employees. While the economic recession contributed to falls in revenue across the globe, DreamWorks Animation was driven by the need to retain employees. Talent retention is critical to the operations of the company. DreamWorks fosters a culture driven by engagement, collaboration, and creativity. This is vivid in the numerous animation productions that have characterized its successful history. DreamWorks Animation can be best described as having a clan culture. A keen focus on teamwork characterizes the company. The managerial teams at the company guide employees without necessarily taking an authoritative approach. The production of films such as Home, Madagascar, Trolls, and How to Train Your Dragon highlight the importance of establishing a creative space within organizations.

Collaboration remains at the heart of all activities at the company.  The management team acknowledges that employees are diverse and that each team adopts its own culture. Moreover, the company values the creative ideas of employees, which have significantly contributed to the company’s growth. The clan culture at DreamWorks Animation was established by encouraging open communication across the company. The training process across departments aimed to empower employees to put ideas forward. For example, the ‘Life’s a Pitch’ workshop enabled employees to develop animation movies such as ‘Shrek.’  The clan culture at DreamWorks Animation is based on a horizontal approach whereby the distance between employees and management teams has been reduced.

Role of Human Resources

The corporate culture of any organization refers to the general environment. Corporate culture entails the shared beliefs, standards, attitudes, and standards that define employees within an organization. A close relationship exists between the organizational structure, goals, customers, and strategies. Human resource teams at DreamWorks acknowledge the importance of each individual. In enhancing the corporate of the company, emphasis on face-to-face communication was important. Through personal communication, the company can establish and communicate its corporate culture. Linking the unique objectives of employees at DreamWorks with the company’s overall goals is important for success.  The impact of employees is given critical attention within the organizational culture of DreamWorks Animation. Throughout the history of DreamWorks Animation, it is vivid that diversity is given priority. Different animated movies tell stories that highlight the importance of diversity that dictate global matters.

DreamWorks motivates its employees by holding events whereby film releases are held. The events have significantly motivated employees and enhanced engagements. DreamWorks Animation also provides workplace perks that are non-monetary for employees. Employees are accorded with personalized workstations that keep them engaged and reach their creative potential. The head of HR at DreamWorks Animation, Dan Satterthwaite, is driven by the need to promote collaboration between software engineers, physicists, and creatives. Engagement significantly contributes to the motivation and inspiration of employees toward the achievement of goals. Furthermore, teams at DreamWorks Animation work in small numbers. Moreover, Satterthwaite acknowledges that having big teams may distract the creative process within which employees are motivated. The structure of the company’s premises is characterized by a large distance between management teams and employees. This enables employees to own the company as they are not being monitored. In enhancing the corporate culture at DreamWorks, the company provides art classes for all its employees. While talent is crucial for the success of DreamWorks, art classes equip employees with knowledge that can be incorporated into the creative process. DreamWorks Animation also offers free snacks, lunch, and breakfast for its employees. Employees are also allowed to showcase their art through galleries within the organization.

DreamWorks Animation Clan Culture and Creativity

DreamWorks’ adopts a clan culture fuelled by the need to enhance creativity. Employees are given the freedom to express their ideas. Clan cultures establish commonalities in values and goals. The clan culture framework is the least competitive among the different organizational cultures. More importantly, DreamWorks does not adopt a formal communication strategy. The company is a creative organization as employee involvement and teamwork are highly regarded. Clan cultures go hand in hand with creativity and innovation, as evident in the structure of DreamWorks Animation. Creative organizations are characterized by strong ties where teamwork is enhanced throughout the corporate culture. Furthermore, creative organizations allow employees to develop a sense of pride in owning the organization. Clan cultures significantly contribute to innovative ideas, as highlighted in animation movies that have attracted a wide audience.

Application of Clan Culture in Widget Automotive Companies

Clan cultures enable employees to own the organization. Employees working in a widget automotive factory must continuously innovate and reiterate. By applying the principles of clan cultures to companies involved in widget manufacturing, teams are motivated to achieve the company’s goals. Clan cultures allow for horizontal communication processes that enable sharing of ideas. The automotive widget industry is quite competitive, and the need for new ideas and innovations is important for sustainable competitive advantages. With that in mind, management teams at companies involved in widget production should allow the creative process to proceed unabated. This will enhance productivity which will transcend into profits.

Works Cited

Reddy, Bhavika, and Indu Perepu. “Organizational Culture at DreamWorks Animation.” IBM Center of Management Research (2013): 8.