Starbucks

The Third Place Of Our Lives

Starbucks Corporation is one of the most influential companies in the world that has been specialized in retail coffee shop industry. The company was founded in 1971 in Seattle by three scholar friends Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl. The original name was Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice. Though their business was profitable, Starbucks started to prosper rapidly since 1982, after Howard Schultz joined the company and became its chairman, president and CEO. Now, we can see Starbucks’ logo on over 15000 stores in around 50 countries. Since its opening, the company has adopted very strong organizational culture with its unique communication methods, work environment, traditions, requirements, and etc. According to Howard Schultz, “We are not in the coffee business serving people; we are in the people business serving coffee.”
Starbucks Corporation’s mission states that everyone in the company works, “To inspire and nurture the human spirit-one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.” After a close observation of that document, we can identify the ways that Starbucks proceeds to fulfill its mission. The company’s people follow to the principles that became company’s priorities in its daily activities. They are concerned about high quality of the coffee they serve, not forgetting about improving the lives of those people who grow them. Everyone in the company respects others and values diversity in the workplace. They are highly dedicated to their customers and the neighborhoods they are located by building strong connections with them. Starbucks stores have become an ideal place for socialization among diverse customers. In addition all of that, the people of Starbucks are also concerned about the environmental issues (Starbucks Coffee Company, n.d.). As a Starbucks customer, I have not noticed any differences between its espoused and enacted values. For example, whenever I am in Starbucks, I always see friendly...