Abstract

The case explains the unique culture at Semco, a Brazilian company. It explains how Semco survived and performed well in the turbulent Brazilian economy by making changes in the structure and culture of the company. The case also highlights the values and beliefs that the company holds, the relationship between mangers and emplo-yees, and the unconventional paths the organization followed in order to develop new business segments - all these being factors responsible for making Semco one of the most successful companies in Brazil.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Change Management
• How culture evolves in an organization.

Keywords

Semco SA, Ricardo Semler, Organization Culture, Participatory Style of Management, Organizational Structure,Autonomous Business Units, Matrix Structure, Factory Committees, Nucleus of Technological Innovation, Core Values, Employee Participation, Profit Sharing, Reward System, Change Management, Decentralized Organization