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Cultural At Johnson & Johnson

Organization’s Culture shapes the face and future of the Organization. An

organization’s culture is established by its dominant values, philosophy towards
their customers and employees, and the basic assumptions and belief that are
shared by members of an organization. Primarily, Organizational culture refers to
a system of shared meaning. A strong culture not only increases the
organizational effectiveness but also it decreases the need of formalization.
Johnson & Johnson has sustained a strong culture in it’s over 100 years of tenure.
Johnson & Johnson have maintained this by the exemplary actions of top
management, by selection of right people, by socialization process and by many
others means. To establish my point I would like to give following two examples
as to how by commendable actions of top management Johnson & Johnson has
propagated and infused strong culture in the organization:

 1982 Chicago Tylenol Recall :

In 1982 in Chicago 7 people died after consuming Extra Strength Tylenol

produced by Johnson & Johnson. As a mischievous act someone (no one
was caught) mixed cyanide in Tylenol. Johnson & Johnson immediately
within a week pulled out 31 million Tylenol bottles of capsules from its
retailers and this pull out remains the major recall of drug in American
History. Johnson & Johnson quick response and the recall got worldwide
appreciation.

 2010 Children’s Product Recall:

In 2010 McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson

pulled out 43 over the counter children’s medicines when in the routine
inspection it was found that those products were not meeting
manufacturing specification. Johnson & Johnson not only recalled the
products but also created a dedicated website to inform their customers
about the faulty products.

Above-mentioned examples ascertain the fact that Johnson & Johnson has by
action maintained their strong value system and hence their culture over the
years.

Apart from the examples provided above Johnson and Johnson

also maintains their culture by including the values and beliefs of their
employees in Johnson and Johnson’s value system. That is to say that they
believe in the “shared value” not in the “value shared”. As the Johnson and
Johnson mentions:
“People and values are our greatest assets. We know that every invention, every
product, and every breakthrough we’ve brought to human health and well-being
has been powered by people. Not ordinary people, though, but people whose
personal values drive them to make a difference in the world.”

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Following example establishes above-mentioned point:

 Invention of Band-Aid:

In 1920 Earle Dickson an Employee of Johnson and Johnson made a

medicated band to help her accident-prone wife and soon (In 1924) that
medicated band was manufactured in full scale in the name of Band-Aid at
Johnson & Johnson.

This shows how the free the culture at Johnson & Johnson is. It gives its
employees enough liberty to innovate and it can be noted that it was 1920 when
industries were more mechanized then open to new ideas.

Diversity has always been an integral part of all organization

and Johnson and Johnson is no exception. Johnson and Johnson as a company
believes in the fact that “diverse, inclusive culture is essential to business
success.” For that, they have plethora of programs running in their business:

 Affinity Groups:
It is a voluntary, employ driven groups that focus on a shared interest. It
facilitates mentoring, community outreach, career development and
cultural awareness activities.
 Mentoring Programs:
Johnson and Johnson offers both formal and informal mentoring program
to develop their diverse workforce. This program matches up new
members of to work community with experienced leaders who serve as
mentors.
 Diversity University:
It is an online resource to propagate organizational values to their
employees. In company’s words:
“Diversity University is a dynamic online resource designed to help
employees understand and value differences and the benefits of working
collaboratively to meet our Credo commitments and business goal.”
 Office of Diversity and Inclusion:
It is a separate department to develop strategies to achieve global
diversity vision.
Company says:
“Our Office of Diversity & Inclusion was established to foster recognition of
our unique backgrounds, talents and abilities as an important competitive
advantage within Johnson & Johnson companies…………….. helps our
operating companies share and leverage their best diversity practices,
and reports to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee on
diversity within our companies.”

For their Cultural Practices Johnson and Johnson has received many
reorganizations:
 “A member company of FTSE4Good Index (responsible investment index
calculated by global index provider FTSE Group.)”

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 “Ranked #2 by DiversityInc magazine on its “2010 DiversityInc Top 50

Companies for Diversity®”
 “One of the “Top 100 Companies for Working Mothers” since the list was
initiated 25 years ago.”
 “Barron’s magazine, in 2010, ranked Johnson & Johnson #2 in the World's
Most Respected Companies.”

Moreover, even before the inception of the word Corporate Social Responsibility
Johnson and Johnson has followed the CSR spirit in their Credo, formally called as
“Our Credo” at Johnson and Johnson.

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