Value Alignment
Team Names
University of Phoenix
Integrated Business Topics
BUS/475
Instructor
Due Date

Value Alignment Analyzing team values in comparison with another organization’s values can assist in understanding alignment between values. In evaluating such an alignment, Team D chooses to analyze Starbucks’ values. Team D will first evaluate personal values specific to the team. Furthermore, a review of how the team’s values drive actions and behaviors will illustrate the alignment between such. Thereafter, Team D will analyze the alignment between values and actions. Finally, as the team analyzes the differences between the values of the team and Starbucks’, the team hopes to understand more about the alignment of values, and more about the team’s values in general.
Personal and Workplace Values During childhood, values originate from interaction and observations of parents, family, teachers, and friends. Guiding decisions and beliefs, values play an integral role in actions and behaviors of individuals and society. As individuals grow, values are assimilated and influence decisions on personal choices: friends, lifestyles, and employment. Honesty, integrity, doing what is right, respect, and family are examples of values but vary from one individual to another. As individuals enter the workforce, they bring their values with them into the organization. Organizations and companies also adopt and possess values. In 1987, Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ chairperson, president, and chief executive officer, instilled a core set of values into the company; a desire to be more than just another coffee store, he wanted to establish a feeling of connection (Starbucks, 2010). Starbucks has published many of its values within the six elements of the organization’s mission statement. Within the statement the values of respect, honesty, accountability, community, and diversity are published with the guiding purpose to support Schultz’s aspiration to establish a connection with customers, employees, stakeholders, and communities the company serves (Starbucks, 2010).
Team Values and Behavior When working with a team one deals with many personalities; differences of opinions are bound to happen. The ability to work with each team member comes out of respect, something Team D values greatly. Working from behind a computer screen makes it easy to say anything, but because one should respect another and his or her feelings, each team member makes a conscious effort to think before he or she speaks. Within a team environment, if one person decides not to do his or her homework, it affects not only his or her grade, but also the grade for the entire group. Team D places a high importance on each member being responsible for his or her actions, and therefore, holds him or her accountable. Each member has a life outside of class but the team always makes it a point to keep in contact and put in the best effort when completing assignments because each member is responsible for the success of the entire group. Integrity is also an important value to possess, particularly in the online learning environment. Dishonest and lazy students can easily copy and paste someone else’s work and call it their own. Team D, on the other hand, genuinely wants to succeed knowing the team did so honestly. Therefore, the team spends the time reading the text and formulating unique ideas.
Alignment of Values and Actions For a business strategy to be effective, the organization’s stated values and the actions taken in the implementation of the plan must be in alignment. Among the standard values stated by organizations such as responsibility to shareholders, customers, and employees as well as ethical business practices and product quality, Starbucks has made the primary focus of its values to those associated with social responsibility. In a recent annual report (Starbucks, 2003), Starbucks CEO Orin Smith discusses in detail how the organization intends to “live its values” and how Starbucks will conduct itself to be in alignment with them. Smith was candid in his assessment of how well the business had performed up to that point in terms of value alignment and believed that in some areas the organization hit the mark, but in other areas fell short of expectations. In its effort to focus on values related to social responsibility, Starbucks has identified five key areas: community, environment, ethical sourcing, wellness, and diversity (Starbucks, 2010). In its community effort, Starbucks strongly encourages its employees to volunteer in local programs that support communities and that help build young leaders in its International Youth Foundation program in 70 countries. Starbucks’ Product RED program helps to fight AIDS in Africa, while its ETHOS Water fund project helps to provide clean drinking water to developing countries. Environmental stewardship initiatives include providing recyclable consumer packaging, reduced water and energy consumption in its stores, using “green” material in building its stores, and other efforts to reduce its contribution to climate change. Starbucks is committed to sourcing from ethical suppliers and strives to ensure that all of its coffee, tea, cocoa, and materials are from reputable growers, distributors, and vendors. In the category of wellness, Starbucks is devoted to providing organically grown and nutritious food and beverages, and informs its customers with labeling on the packaging of its nutritional content and its origin. Starbucks’ commitment to diversity is evident in its dealings with suppliers and its hiring and advancement initiatives within the company. The company also strives to place stores in ethnically diverse areas to serve all people in the community.
Differences in Team Values and Organization Values Values important to a team in a classroom can be somewhat different from values important to Starbucks. As mentioned before, Starbucks has a large focus on diversity, community, wellness, ethics, etc. Some of these values like diversity and wellness are not addressed on a small scale. Other values similar to the team experience are community and ethics. Starbucks focuses their community efforts in improving the areas around them by providing a positive business atmosphere as well as through humanitarian efforts. Team D can foster a sense of community on a smaller scale through inclusive team members, working well together, and trying to improve the atmosphere of the entire class. Both Starbucks and Team D work in similar ways concerning ethics. Starbucks strives to treat their employees and stakeholders respectfully just as Team D strives to treat each other with dignity and respect.
Conclusion
Team D concludes that personal values carry into the workplace. As individual values become infused with other values, superior team values should come forth. Practicing such values within the team can provide for ideal actions, which can lead to optimal outcomes. As the team evaluated the degree of alignment between values and actions, the team understands that values typically drive actions and behavior. Although Starbucks’ values, actions, and behavior can differ slightly from the team’s, Team D can learn much from such an evaluation. Thus, the team can use each member’s values to its advantage, producing quality assignments, and ultimately, enjoying an ideal team experience.

References
Starbucks. (2004). Living our values. Retrieved July 29, 2010 from http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/csr-fy03-ar.pdf.
Starbucks. (2010). Being a responsible company. Retrieved July 29, 2010 from http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility.
Starbucks. (2010). Our mission. Retrieved July 29, 2010 from http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement.