corporate culture

Insights into the Unique BMW Group Culture

The definition of corporate culture is the values, beliefs and attitudes that define a company. The attitude of the employees towards work reflects the strength of the company’s culture.

A great example is the BMW Group culture. Founded in 1916, Bavarian Motor Works, also known as BMW, is a German luxury automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company. They are also the makers of fine vehicles such as the Mini Coopers and Rolls-Royce.

Their commitment to the BMW Group culture has been made an essential part of their company structure for over 30 years. An abstract from their website;

“Their innovations and unique products can only be created in an exceptional corporate culture. We actively foster and cultivate this unique culture, because one can only build sustainable success on strong cultural foundations.”

Let’s take a closer look at the BMW Group culture.

unique corporate culture

Photo: Flickr, RoadOver

Passion and Enjoyment

The BMW Group culture is having the passion in order to build new paths, thinking ahead and breaking new ground. They look for employees who have the team spirit, initiative and the desire in wanting to learn new things every day; hiring those who want to do and experience something extraordinary.

“For with joy and dedication, a job becomes a personal passion.”

Teamwork and Personal Development

Like with most company cultures where teamwork is essential, the BMW Group culture believes in creating great things as a team. They are constantly motivating peers to attain even greater heights, in order to make their products even more outstanding.

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The BMW Group value and treat each other with respect; thus employees are connected by a strong sense of unity.

“Where you can develop both personally and together with your team to constantly redefine the future of mobility.”

Equal Opportunities and Diversity

Working as a team where people will be treated equally and showing no prejudices or bias should be one of the company cultures. The employees of the BMW Group work in different countries on different continents, so they are working with a pool of peers regardless of their nationality, religion and gender.

This means that the best person for a job or a promotion is the person who earns that position based on qualifications, experience and knowledge. However, diversity includes not only race but gender, ethnicity, personality, age, education and background. Workplace diversity values everyone’s differences.

“For us, it goes without saying that each employee is treated equally, regardless of their background, age or gender, and is given the same opportunities.”

You can read more about the BMW Group’s corporate diversity here.

The BMW Group culture and beliefs

The BMW Group culture also has their own stated company beliefs. Taken from their website, these beliefs are:

  • Employees
    People are what make companies. Employees are their most powerful success factor. This is why personnel decisions are among the most important ones.
  • Dissent
    Employees need to express their dissent openly.
  • Effectiveness
    As the BMW Group is only interested in results that have a long-term impact, the effectiveness of the performance on the results is what counts.
corporate culture

Photo: Flickr, La Citta Vita

  • Customer orientation
    The BMW Group understands that their customers hold the key to their success.
  • Responsibility
    Every employee in the BMW Group bears personal responsibility for the company’s success.
  • Adaptability
    The BMW Group adapts quickly and flexibly to new challenges and look at any changes as an opportunity, and grasping the ability to change as essential for being able to use this opportunity.
  • Respect, trust, fairness
    It goes without saying that the BMW Group treats each other with respect.
  • Acting as role model
    Every manager must act as a role model.
  • Sustainability
    Sustainability means making a permanently positive contribution to the company’s economic success.
  • Society
    The BMW Group takes on societal responsibility as it is inseparable from their understanding of themselves as a company.
  • Independence
    The BMW Group’s entrepreneurial independence is ensured through long-term, profitable growth.

In Summary

The BMW Group culture actively fosters and cultivates these unique company beliefs because they believed that one can only build sustainable success on strong cultural foundations.

Regardless of what the mission statement or company values may be, the company’s corporate cultures define and manage the way its directors and employees think, feel and behave towards their work.