Company Background
Amazon is a trailblazing e-commerce company with significant operations in the United States. The company’s headquarters are in Seattle, Washington. It was founded when people needed to envision the development of online selling. It has evolved over the years, with the constant goal of delivering better value for customers at lower prices, enhanced convenience, and improved selection (Amazon, 2023b). The company’s offerings today are highly diverse, and customers can find almost everything online.
The offering ranges from fresh produce, entertainment, electronics, auto and industrial items, apparel, jewelry, beauty and health products, and kids and baby products. Amazon also offers a range of support services, including shipping, home delivery, web hosting, and related services. Amazon’s leading services include Amazon Studios, Walk Out technology, Fire TV, personalized recommendations, Fire tablets, Career Choice, 1-Click shopping, Amazon Prime, AWS, Kindle, Alexa, and Amazon Echo.
Amazon has several competitors in the e-commerce sector, primarily eBay. Competition in web services involves IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The most significant competitors in content streaming include Disney, Netflix, YouTube, and Apple TV Plus (Amazon, 2023a). However, the company remains at the top, supported by millions of active sellers who use its platform to serve the diverse needs of its clients. The company is primarily differentiated by offering an excellent customer service experience through its platform, which is fast, convenient, and easy to use.
Amazon Internal and External customers
Internal customers are individuals within an organization who exchange value as they strive to serve external customers. They include company employees, colleagues, distributors, suppliers, and shareholders (Meredith & Shafer, 2019). External customers are the company’s primary target, as they pay for Amazon’s goods and services. Amazon takes pride in its extensive customer base, which primarily uses its website to meet diverse needs. Some customers have subscribed to Prime membership services, and their contributions have helped the company succeed.
Value Added to the Organization
As a customer of the company, my primary value to it is purchasing its products and services. This is an essential value as it gives credence to the valid reason why the company exists and continues to grow. I have contributed to advancing the company’s vision and mission by providing resources for expansion, product and service development, and ensuring its basic survival.
Role of Christianity at Amazon
Christianity in business is founded on the principles that a company outlines to guide its actions towards society. Amazon is a Christian organization that has established godly principles to guide its critical operations. Vaca (2019) states that these principles influence leadership and performance evaluation, such that individuals who work hard and adhere to the rules are fairly rewarded for their efforts.
The principles encompass the organization’s ownership, commitment to operational excellence, customer obsession, passion for innovation, adherence to the highest standards, hiring and developing top talent, and long-term thinking. Amazon aims to be the best employer and the most customer-centric company, while also providing a safe and secure workplace. The company contributes to a better environment through its pioneering Climate Pledge.
Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos, who has exemplified Christian values in leading the organization. Jeff Bezos prioritized the company’s long-term survival and grew it from a small online bookstore into the multinational conglomerate it is today. He involved important Christian values, such as sacrifice, by giving up on a successful career to start the company.
The success of the company may be interpreted within the meaning of Mathew 25:23, which states that “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Oxford University Press, 2023). It can be said that Bezos acted on behalf of the entire Kingdom of God by prioritizing the long-term interests over immediate ones. He has supported humankind’s causes by demonstrating good personal and corporate citizenship, and God has shown his hand in the company’s continued success.
References
Amazon. (2023). About Amazon. About Amazon.
Amazon. (2023b). Who We Are. About Amazon.
Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S. M. (2019). Operations and supply chain management for MBAs. John Wiley & Sons.
Oxford University Press. (2023). The Holy Bible 2023 coronation edition. Oxford University Press, USA.
Vaca, D. (2019). Evangelicals Incorporated. Harvard University Press.