The HP Way was difficult to define in some areas since it was not completely standardized but more of a general atmosphere of the company. The HP way did however stem from the fact that the company cared about how things were done as opposed to only what was achieved in the end. The primary values of the HP Way were trust and respect for individuals; high level of achievement and contribution; conducting business with integrity; common objectives and teamwork; and flexibility and innovation. These objectives were first envisioned by David Packard in order to bring everyone in the company on the same level of thinking. According to the people interviewed in the case, the concept worked quite well. For example, workers said that working there “felt different” and that the lack of complaining about management stood out. This stood out so much that one worker thought it was too good to be true and became somewhat suspicious at first.
The company had many structures and policies which supported the HP Way. It was said in the case that when HP hired someone, they were hired forever. They went for the best talent they could find with the expectation of keeping them onboard. The hiring process reflected the HP Way focus on “how” something was done by asking applicants about how they would go about doing something in their interviews. In addition, the company avoided layoffs by increasing work hours and instituting a transfer system within the company. HP also instituted a policy of “management by objectives” or MBO. The greatest advantage to this policy was that while it did set goals for employees and groups, it was not a specific task set handed out by management. It was a set of goals which coul ...