The Five Functions of Management at Amazon 
 The Five Functions of Management at Amazon
Introduction
A company does not become a global success overnight. However, with innovative
leadership and forward-thinking, Amazon skyrocketed from humble beginnings in 1995 to a
global powerhouse in 2020. Amazon metamorphosed from an online bookstore that Jeff Bezos
wanted to name Cadabra, to an online everything superstore with a global reach. Not always the
success it is today, Amazon saw significant growing pains in the late '90s due to the fast pace at
its distribution centers. A lack of structure, organization, processes, and forward-thinking led to
system outages, piles of products ignored by workers, and no organization or preparation for new
products (Hartmans, 2020). It was clear that Amazon needed to change and clarify its
organizational structure, mission, and processes to become a successful business. Today,
Amazon's success can be credited to its four guiding principles: customer obsession rather than
competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term
thinking (Amazon, 2020). Led by its mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company,
Amazon has grown into the company it is today due to strategic planning, effective
organizational structure, intelligent staffing, capable leadership, and customer-focused standards
and controls. 
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