Discussion: Uber: A Broken Culture

Week 1: Uber: A Broken Culture

The upbeat tag line at the transportation company Uber’s website (“Get there, your day belongs to you”) stands in stark contrast with the company that has experienced multiple scandals: the company’s culture of sexism, a legal battle with the company’s investor (Google), and hefty fines ($20M) levied by the Federal Trade Commission, among other things, led to the departure of Uber’s co-founder and CEO. In response, the company hired Bozoma Saint John to repair the company’s image. A native of Ghana, Ms. Saint John is an inspiring and accomplished leader.

Watch the following video and review the articles below and respond to the following questions.

CBS News. (2017). Meet Bozoma Saint John: The woman tasked with fixing Uber’s image. CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/meet-bozoma-saint-john-the-woman-tasked-with-fixing-ubers-image/

Solon, O. (2017). Can Bozoma Saint John repair Uber’s troubled image? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/28/bozoma-saint-john-troubled-image

Clay, B. (2010). Six Characteristics of Highly Effective Change Leaders. Retrieved from
http://www.amchp.org/Calendar/Webinars/ArchivedWebinars/Documents/6%20Characteristics%20of%20Highly%20Effective%20Change%20Leaders.pdf

In Module 3, we discussed four antecedents for successful organizational transformation, as you recall, one of these was the Organizational Culture. Ms. Saint John has specifically been tasked with changing Uber’s culture. In your original post of at least 200 words, to include at least one of the three sources listed above, discuss the following:

1. Is there an “organizational transformation” needed by Uber that extends beyond the reparations of the company culture that are so clearly needed?
2. What should be the expected outcome (value/ benefits) of Uber’s organizational transformation?
3. What challenges confront Ms. Saint John in her role as the organization’s change leader? (Hint: Be sure that you consider both organizational and individual resistance to change).