Your business growth is linked with your Organizational culture

Culture is defined by a set of beliefs, values, attitudes and lifestyle that is specific to a group of people, originating and living in a specific region. Needless to say, culture is powerful enough to mold the habits, thinking patterns and objectives of these people. People coming from two different cultures are likely to conceive a problem in a different manner; they’ll go after solving this problem in their own way and the level of dedication will also be different. Bottom line, culture can cast positive or negative effects on the overall personalities and consequently the fate of the nations.

If the culture can make or break a nation (along with many other factors), there’s every chance that the organizational culture is going to play an equally important role in the overall success or failure of a company.

What is organizational culture?
Similar to the national culture, organizational culture is a set of values, objectives and attitudes that exists and prevails within an organization. If you have been a part of different organizations in any capacity, you’ll most probably be aware of the variance in organizational cultures. Whenever you move to a new organization, you have to make changes in your personality and attitudes according to their culture or you can try to change the culture itself if you are sitting at some managerial positions (it’s going to be tough though). However, once the culture incorporates the positive values, vision and directions, you can be sure that the company is heading into the right direction.

How does it affect the business?
In many ways, for example culture will form the character of your company (and the character of your employees), it develops an ownership among the staff, and it ties them in a bond and improves collaboration. A positive and strong culture sends out strong messages to your clients, as well as your competitors. Similarly strong organizational culture helps in shaping up the workforce, especially if it is coming from diverse backgrounds.

Laying foundation of a strong Organizational culture:
Once established, Organizational culture is very hard to change, this is something you need to work on right from the start. Characteristics of Organizational culture travel from the top management to lower staff, the dedication and the attitude you want to see in your workers should be noticeable in you, as a manager. Also, you should endorse the culture in company meetings, workshops or any other event that take place.

Source:
Wholesale Manufacturers
Wholesale Products

Alternative trading systems and organization

Fair trade is a relatively old phenomenon that presents an alternate trading system, which facilitates small scale producers and workers (mainly from undeveloped countries), so that they can sell their products in the developed markets without being duped by the middleman or the capitalist who pay these workers the smallest amount but sells the product to consumers at a hefty price. At the end of the day, it is the middlemen or industrialist, who takes home the larger profits while the real worker is left with little or no opportunities to grow, which is quite unfair. For that reason a fair trading system has been introduced that tends to be directed more by socialist viewpoint than the capitalist.

Alternative Trade Organizations:

Fair trade (also known as alternative trade) calls for market access for low level producers, so that they’ll be able to sell their products at reasonable price. This is what these alternative trade organizations (or fair trade organizations) works for. Fair trade movement, which was started back in 1940’s, was initially based on religious or ethical commandments. With the passage of time, as more and more people including NGO’s and students joined in the cause, it is now becoming more and more popular especially in Europe and North America. For the reason that it’s not only the worker who benefits, but the whole society, especially the consumers who will be paying fair price.

To achieve their ultimate goal (which is to empower destitute workers towards economic prosperity), fair trade organizations works toward promoting this trade system, and spreading awareness among consumers. Such products are not easily available in all markets, so these organizations have to endorse the locations and stores where such merchandise is available. There is a type of certification known as Fair trade Certification, granted to businesses who meet the standards (works pretty much the same like ISO certification). Some of these standards are no gender discrimination, decent wages for workers, no child labor and safe working conditions. Though there’s no restraint but till now the fair-trade is normally limited to simple household stuff like tea and coffee, fruits, chocolate or handicrafts. 

Alternate trading systems:

Some people confuse alternative trade with alternate trading system, because of the similarity in the names. Alternate trading systems are actually unconventional trading system set up for the convenience of stocks buyers and sellers. These are not necessarily stock exchange, though a set of regulations made by SEC applies on them. Online trading system is an example of alternate trading.