The organizational culture of a firm may present a strategic opportunity for the firm. The organizational culture includes the shared values about what is important and how things are done in the firm. It is the basic way that a firm interacts with its operating environment. The cost accountant and cost accounting may have a significant impact on the firm's culture.
The firm's culture will be reflected in many places. One way the firm's culture is communicated to potential customers, investors, creditors, and other external stakeholders is through their website and their annual report. Visit the website of Southwest Airlines. Review the homepage and choose several other pages and look for ways the organizational culture is reflected on the pages. Then click on the About Southwest'slink at the bottom of the homepage. From the menu on the left, choose Investor Relations and then choose â??Annual Reportsâ? from the menu of the left. Download a copy of the most recent annual report it. Read the annual report and look for clues about the organizational culture.
Prepare a page paper about Southwest Airlines organizational culture, the role that cost accounting plays as par to of that culture and the cost accountants potential impact on that culture. Provide specific examples from and references to the materials you read in paper to illustrate the culture, and the role cost accounting plays.