Alibaba Group and Organizational culture

Company Overview

Alibaba Group is a family of Internet-based businesses which makes it easy for anyone to buy or sell online anywhere in the world. Since its inception, it has developed leading businesses in consumer e-commerce, online payment, business-to-business marketplaces and cloud computing, reaching Internet users in more than 240 countries and regions. Alibaba Group consists of 25 business units and is focused on fostering the development of an open, collaborative and prosperous e-commerce ecosystem.

Alibaba Group was founded in 1999 by 18 people led by Jack Ma, a former English teacher from Hangzhou, China who has aspired to help make the Internet accessible, trustworthy and beneficial for everyone. The privately held Alibaba Group, including its affiliated entities, employs some 24,000 people around the world and has more than 70 offices in Greater China, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Alibaba Group’s major businesses and affiliated entities include:

Alibaba.com International- Leading global e-commerce platform for small businesses

Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com International (www.alibaba.com) is the leading global e-commerce platform for small businesses around the world. It aims to be the go-to English-language platform for cross-border trade and help small businesses worldwide expand to overseas markets. As of December 31, 2012, the platform had around 36.7 million registered users from more than 240 countries and regions and showcased more than 2.8 million supplier storefronts.

Alibaba.com International is a business within Alibaba Group.

Alibaba.com China - Leading domestic e-commerce platform for Chinese small businesses

Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com China (www.alibaba.cn) is China’s leading e-commerce platform for small businesses engaged in domestic trade. It aims to provide Chinese small businesses with a comprehensive domestic e-commerce solution that comprises more than product listing, sourcing and large-quantity wholesale services. As of December 31, 2012, the platform had around 77.7 million registered users and showcased more than 8.5 million supplier storefronts.

Alibaba.com China is a business within Alibaba Group.

History & Milestones

1999	Alibaba Group is officially established by its 18 founders, led by Jack Ma, working out of a Hangzhou apartment.
1999-2000	Alibaba Group raises US$25 million from Softbank, Goldman Sachs, Fidelity, and other institutions.
2002	Alibaba.com becomes profitable.
2003	Consumer e-commerce website Taobao is founded, again in Jack Ma's apartment. Online payment system Alipay is launched.
2005	Alibaba Group forms a strategic partnership with Yahoo! Inc. and takes over the operation of China Yahoo!.
2006	Alibaba Group makes a strategic investment in Koubei.com.
2007	Internet-based business software company Alisoft is launched. (January) Alibaba.com Limited lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. (November) Alibaba Group launches Alimama, an online advertising exchange company. (November)
2008	Taobao Mall (currently known as Tmall.com), a dedicated B2C platform, is introduced to complement Taobao’s C2C marketplace. (April) Koubei.com merges with China Yahoo! to form Yahoo! Koubei. (June) Alimama is integrated with Taobao. (September) Alibaba Group R&D Institute is established. (September)
2009	Alisoft merges with Alibaba Group R&D Institute. (July) Alisoft's Business Management Software division is injected into Alibaba.com. (August) Koubei.com is injected into Taobao as part of the "Big Taobao" strategy, which positions Taobao as a one-stop e-commerce service provider to promote wider use of e-commerce among consumers. (August) Alibaba Cloud Computing is established in conjunction with Alibaba Group's 10th anniversary celebration. (September)
2010	Alibaba Group creates a cross-business team comprising senior managers from Taobao, Alipay, Alibaba Cloud Computing and China Yahoo! to execute a full-scale roll-out of the "Big Taobao" strategy. (March) Alibaba Group announces that it will begin in 2010 to earmark 0.3 percent of annual revenues to fund efforts designed to spur environmental awareness and conservation in China and around the world. (May) Taobao Mall launches a new independent web domain, Tmall.com. (November)
2011	Alibaba Group announces its plan to build a network of warehouses across China and, together with its partners, drive major investment in logistics development in the country. (January) Alibaba Group reorganizes Taobao into three separate companies, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall.com and eTao, to capture the Chinese consumer e-commerce opportunities. (June)
2012	Tmall.com changes its Chinese name to strengthen its positioning as a source of high-quality, brand-name products. (January) Alibaba.com delists from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. (June) Alibaba Group upgrades its existing subsidiaries’ operations into one of the seven business groups: Alibaba International Business Operations, Alibaba Small Business Operations, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall.com, Juhuasuan, eTao and Alibaba Cloud Computing. (July) Alibaba Group completes the initial repurchase of shares from Yahoo! and restructured its relationship with the latter. (September) Taobao Marketplace and Tmall.com reach a combined GMV of RMB1 trillion for the period January to November 2012. (November)
2013	Alibaba Cloud Computing merges with HiChina. (January) Alibaba Group is reorganized into 25 business units to better adapt to China’s fast-growing e-commerce environment. (January)

source (http://news.alibaba.com/specials/aboutalibaba/aligroup/index.html)

 Organizational culture is the behavior of humans who are part of an organization and the meanings that the people attach to their actions. Culture includes the organization values, visions, norms, working language, systems, symbols, beliefs and habits. It is also the pattern of such collective behaviors and assumptions that are taught to new organizational members as a way of perceiving, and even thinking and feeling. Organizational culture affects the way people and groups interact with each other, with clients, and with stakeholders.

Organizational culture are of several types. The one discussed in class are as follows:

1. Open Culture - 

One where employees are motivated to voice their values-driven concerns regarding problematic business practices. An open culture helps to counteract any occasional lapse into passivity at the board level or on the part of institutional investors.

2. Safety Culture - 

One where safety is  ALWAYS first no matter what the cost. A safety culture is one were all employees are proactive in ensuring safety at work place. People immediately report any perceived short comings in the work place safety and in the safety of products given to customers or clients.

3. Quality Culture -

A culture where utmost importance is given to the quality of the product or service being rendered. Volume takes a back seat. So does cost. Batch recalling of cars/computers when defects are found is a good example of the quality culture. Toyota is a notable example.

4. Performance Culture -

We could also call this OUTCOME ORIENTED CULTURE.  This is one that emphasize achievement, results, and action as important values. A good example of an outcome-oriented culture may be the electronics retailer Best Buy. Having a culture emphasizing sales performance, Best Buy tallies revenues and other relevant figures daily by department. Employees are trained and mentored to sell company products effectively, and they learn how much money their department made every day.