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Patagonia is a rare organization that celebrates positivity and joy of life, every day. On an ideal day, one can see employees walking in with surf boards, playing with their children during work hours, caring for rescued owls and also fulfilling their professional obligations. Its annual revenues are close to $1 Billion. Surprised?

Behind this warm and fuzzy office atmosphere is a highly "Appreciative Culture" at work; also the subject of this issue. The Video and Research Note will precisely answer the questions that you may have on how such a seemingly casual group of people can run a serious business.

Warmly,
The Editorial Team

The word Patagonia carries a quaint and charmed mystique of a faraway land. That's true. What is also true is that Patagonia is a solid business with 2200 employees and almost $1 Billion in revenues from the manufacture and sale of its environmentally responsible outdoor sports gear.

But yet, Patagonia is not a business in the conventional sense. Yvon Chouinard, the founder leads by example and has moulded a work culture that draws out the unique strengths of each employee and gives him/her complete freedom to deliver. As Dr. Sunil Maheshwari - Dean, Samatvam Academy - says, it is a culture that has few parallels in the world of business. More

Appreciative Culture: The strengths-based approach

The remarkable thing about the 21st century management paradigm is the emphasis on the affirmation of the strengths of an employee, while managing their weaknesses.

The Appreciative paradigm is a constructive methodology that draws upon humanistic psychology and contemporary scientific research. The salient points of an Appreciative Culture include:

* Preservation of human dignity
* Empowerment (the freedom to make informed choices at work)

This research note analyses the entire methodology of an Appreciative Culture and reflects on the tremendous impact it has on organizational morale, institutional effectiveness and revenue quality.

Read the full note.