Executive Summary
This essay compares and contrasts two companies, Sunrise Company, and Valve Corporation, based on their categorization, communication flows, company culture, and company handbooks. Sunrise Company is a service organization that specializes in construction projects, while Valve Corporation is a video game developer and digital distribution company. The essay highlights the different communication flows in the two companies due to their varying structures and hierarchies. Sunrise Company has a strong company culture of teamwork and values recognition of every voice, while Valve Corporation’s culture is based on experimentation, innovation, and equality. The company handbooks of the two companies are also compared, with Valve’s handbook being more user-friendly and accessible than Sunrise’s, which could benefit from being more concise and streamlined. Overall, the essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the two companies, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
Company Description
Sunrise Company
Referring to the Blau-Scott categorization, Sunrise Company is a service organization as it is a construction company and benefits the clients. The company specializes in developing resorts, hotels, communities, commercial hotels, and residential homes. It was founded in 1963 and is based in California, USA. The company has constructed more than 16000 homes, 1200 multi-family units developed more than 7000 acres, and 396 golf holes along other major projects (Sunrise company, 2014). From residential resorts to family apartments, Sunrise company has become one of the most respected developers.
Valve Corporation
Valve Corporation is a video game developer, digital distribution, and publisher company based in Washington, America. It was founded by Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington, former employees of Microsoft. The company is the developer of Steam, a well-known software distribution platform among other franchises referring to Valve corporation (2012). Using the Blau-scott categorization, Valve can be categorized as a service company as the beneficiaries are their clients. The company uses a flat structure whereby employees get to choose and decide what to work as there are no hierarchies or job titles.
Probable Communication Flows
In organizations, information flows in four directions which are upward, downward, diagonally, or horizontally. The structure and size of a company normally influence the direction of most of the information flows. With the two given companies, the communication flows are different as their structures and hierarchy are different. On Sunrise company, the most probable communication flow is the upward communication flow. Fracassi (2017) elaborates that it entails information moving from the lower-level employees to the high-level employees such as the managers and supervisors. Project proposals, budget estimates, progress reports, budget estimates, improvement suggestions, and complaints are some of the items that are communicated. With the Sunrise company, an example would be a construction worker reporting to a supervisor on the materials to be added to the budget list.
On Valve corporation, the most probable communication flow would be the diagonal communication flow as it operates on a flat structure. Diagonal communication flow entails exchanging information between employees at different levels (Fracassi, 2017). It works as cross-functional communication between employees and employers. An example would be giving suggestions on how to improve user experience in one of their software where the information is shared with everyone. Additionally, the company does not have job titles or hierarchy hence there is no passing of information from lower-level employees to high-level employees.
Company Culture
According to Groysberg et al., (2018) company culture is described as the shared goals, attitudes, values, and practices that depict a company or organization. It entails aspects such as company policies, employee behavior, and the working environment that influence the performance of an organization. Sunrise company, the company has a strong company culture hence known as the best developer. At Sunrise, the work environment is dynamic and international where values are respected, perspectives are shared and each voice is heard. The company aims in delivering value to its customers and ensure customer satisfaction hence the need to work as a team to accomplish that. On the artifacts, Sunrise company is known for honoring values and recognizing every voice whether it’s an employee, client, or employer among other stakeholders.
When it comes to Valve corporation, is well known for its corporate culture where there are no job titles nor managers and bosses. The company operates in a flat structure where there is no formal hierarchy within the working environment. Additionally, the company is known for its culture of experimentation and innovation that allows employees to make progress in their projects depending on their abilities and desires. Referring to Felipe, Roldán, and Leal-Rodríguez (2017), this culture allows employees to be more creative and empowered compared to the traditional ways of working. On artifacts, the corporation is known for giving a sense of belonging to its employees and workers. Allowing employees to work without being supervised or bossed allowed offers them to feel like a part of the project or the company. It allows them to be more productive and deliver better results. Equality is another of Valve’s company culture that allows employees to feel equal without having low and high leveled employees. Everybody has equal rights and opportunities allowing each employee to utilize their potential without worrying about the hierarchy.
Company Handbook
A company handbook, also known as an employee handbook, is a comprehensive document that outlines the policies, procedures, and expectations of a company. It serves as a guide for employees to understand the company’s culture, values, and rules (Fracassi, 2017). Typically, a company handbook includes information such as the company’s mission statement, code of conduct, benefits information, employee responsibilities, disciplinary procedures, and any other relevant policies and procedures. Hence, this section of the paper will compare the two companies which are Sunrise company and Valve corporation handbooks. Sunrise’s company handbook, is lengthy and uses complex language which can a bit challenging to read and understand (Sunrise company, 2014). The policies are spread out across the handbook, making it difficult to locate specific information. The handbook lacks a clear introduction to the company’s mission and culture. When it comes to the Valve corporation, the company’s handbook is well-organized and easy to navigate. It contains clear language and is written in a conversational tone. The policies are concise and to the point (Valve corporation, 2012). The handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s mission, values, and culture.
Overall, both handbooks cover similar topics, such as company policies, employee benefits, and workplace expectations. Valve’s company handbook is more effective in communicating important information to its employees. It is accessible and user-friendly, making it easier for employees to understand and follow company policies. Sunrise’s company handbook could benefit from streamlining its handbook and making it more concise and accessible.
Conclusion
Overall, both companies have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which company to work for would depend on an individual’s priorities and preferences. The analysis of Sunrise Company and Valve Corporation has provided insights into the communication flows, company culture, and employee handbooks of both organizations. While both companies are different in terms of their industry, size, and organizational structure, they have unique strengths and weaknesses in their operations. both companies offer unique opportunities and challenges to their employees and customers.
Bibliography
Felipe, C.M., Roldán, J.L. and Leal-Rodríguez, A.L., 2017. Impact of organizational culture values on organizational agility. Sustainability, 9(12), p.2354.
Fracassi, C., 2017. Corporate finance policies and social networks. Management Science, 63(8), pp.2420-2438.
Groysberg, B., Lee, J., Price, J. and Cheng, J., 2018. The leader’s guide to corporate culture. Harvard business review, 96(1), pp.44-52.
Mennino, S.F., Rubin, B.A. and Brayfield, A., 2005. Home-to-job and job-to-home spillover: The impact of company policies and workplace culture. The Sociological Quarterly, 46(1), pp.107-135.
Sunrise company (2014). Employee handbook – Available at: https://www.sunriseco.com/Sunrise_Employee_Handbook_Jan2015.
Valve corporation (2012).Valve employee handbook – Retrieved at:https://archive.org/details/ValveEmployeeHandbook/page/n27/mode/2up
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