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W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES: STRUCTURING FOR CONTINUOUS CHANGE
Would you offer someone a high-salary position without knowing what job they would have? W. L. Gore & Associates does. It is one of the many unusual practices that have helped Gore, makers of the waterproof fabric Gore-Tex, to be repeatedly named to the Fortune list of 100 Best Companies to Work for in America, recently ranking as the 11th best firm. Gore has revenues in excess of $1 billion, and it operates in 45 countries while employing only 6,100 people.
Gore operates a high-tech company in a market (textiles) that is traditionally low-tech. As a high-tech company, Gore must be prepared to change rapidly when the market changes. To do this, Gore’s structure and processes are distinguished by three unique characteristics: sponsors rather than bosses, a “lattice” organization, and the “waterline principle.”
Gore believes that these three characteristics are what set it apart from its competitors. Gore shuns bureaucracy and sees hierarchies as the enemies of innovation. Gore hires “associates” (not employees) into general work areas. ... With the help of their Gore sponsors (bosses), associates select and commit to projects that seem to match their skills and interests. One of each sponsor’s jobs is to help associates find a place in Gore that will offer personal fulfillment and maximize their contribution to the enterprise. Gore does not assign managers. ... To become a leader at Gore, you need to perform in a way that attracts followers.
Approximate Word count = 1212
Approximate Pages = 4.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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