Performing a business case study of Harpo Productions, which is owned by the talk-show host turned internationally-acclaimed guru on all things women, a number of important issues emerge, particularly as they relate to matters of management, motivation, and incentives. There have been reports over the years that Oprah is rather difficult to work for and that tension is often very high at Harpo Productions. While a more in-depth case study of Harpo Productions can reveal these topics in more detail, it is worth noting that there are a number of important ways Harpo Productions manages people that can help you think about your own organization’s structure and how (and what) motivational tactics are employed.
While it is limiting for this case study, Oprah Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions is a private organization and does not reveal details about profits, but nonetheless the company is known as an industry powerhouse. As one might imagine, other than being fronted by one of the most famous and powerful women in the United States (outside of politics) the management at Harpo Productions must be driven by management teams who seek to foster long-term goals such as retention and motivation. As this business case study of Harpo Productions points out, his is not a company that just recently soared to the top; as a matter of fact, Harpo Productions, even without the private company’s hard financial data, is a proven leader and this has been the case for a number of years.
One of the problems Harpo Productions as a company has faced in the past with these issues revolves around the idea that it is a highly secretive company that requires employees to sign extensive privacy and confidentiality agreements. Although management works with very diverse teams (well over half of the employees at the company are women and/or minorities) this can create problems internally and thus it is up to management to work together within the confidentiality agreements to solve these issues.
Pay rates are one of the best tools for management to use as it is one of the most admirable aspects of Harpo as a company. Great benefits and pay serve as incentives to offset some of the negative aspects of working for this secret company and through such incentives, employees are far more likely to stay on board and stay motivated as look to higher earning potential. In other words, although Harpo Productions has received a great deal of criticism from former employees who spoke publicly and might have some organizational culture issues, the best way for management to respond to these problems is by offer financial incentives and rewards to employees.
