On our "most definite business professional" day as my professor put it, our group met with some employees that work for BAE Systems. If you're like me and had no idea what this company was before exploring their website, don't worry, I'll explain. They defines themselves as "a global defense, aerospace and security company employing around 83,100 people worldwide. Our wide-ranging products and services cover air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services.”
Now, what do they do for global defense? Honestly, what don't they do! Their advanced defense technology protects national security and keeps critical information secure while managing new defense mechanisms. On their website, their “What we do” tab has seven different sections: Future Technologies, Air, Land, Cyber security & Intelligence, Electronics, Services, Sea.
Future Technologies – They’re working with other companies to create new technologies that will support the strategies to create future products.
Air – They design and create combat and trainer aircrafts.
Land – They create combat vehicles along with ammunition, artillery systems, and missile launchers.
Cyber security & Intelligence – They supply cyber, intelligence, and security proficiencies.
Electronics – They develop and distribute advanced technology for military markets.
Services – They offer engineering services, information management, commercial, financial, and human resource services.
Sea – They develop and distribute complex surface ships.
Because BAE is such a large company, they offer various types of jobs such as engineering, business development, finance, maintenance, logistics, intelligence, and project management.
Under their “How we work” tab, they state, “Working responsibly matters a great deal to us. We aim to protect the safety of our employees, the environment, and the communities where we operate.” I came to the realization that this company takes business professional to a new level because they have to with their line of work. They have to be by the book, everything put together, control over exactly what’s happening, and zero nonsense. They’re in charge of some of the most important and sensitive information in the world, so everything must be taken seriously, or people can lose privacy and even lose their lives.
As an organization, BAE has very distinct artifacts, values, and assumed values that clearly define their culture. Physical artifacts like their dress code being strict business professional and furniture that is sleek and modern amplifies a serious, straight and narrow atmosphere in the work place. Their values are placed on the significance of people's security in every country, and they represent that by emphasizing how much work goes into protecting the information they are given and what they do to it. Their assumed values are those that don't need to be spoken to know and understand.
If I compare BAE Systems to an organization like Innocent Drinks, they are on opposite sides of the work culture and environment spectrum. Innocent Drinks is laid back, spunky, and colorful while BAE is straight and narrow, suit and tie, no nonsense, and heavy security precautions. I had to have two difference people with difference security clearance let me into the restroom. They don’t mess around. However, you have to note that one company sells juice, the other develops defense mechanisms. Slightly different products at play here. Innocent Drinks has leeway to have a flexible work environment while BAE doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room because their product is drastically sensitive and must be handled carefully and heavily supervised.
Chapter 12 in the Work and Life reading attempts to find connection between meaningful work, meaningful life, and happiness. A worker for BAE systems may believe the purpose of their life is to protect their country by contributing the construction of defense systems. This section asks "Is a meaningful life a happy life?" In reference to a BAE systems’ employee, is someone who helps protect the life they’re living by contributing defense systems living a happy life? We would first have to consider whether someone’s work is the only aspect of their life. People often center their life around work, so if they are happy with their work, they’re most likely going to be happy with their life. However, work is rarely the only component of someone’s satisfaction in life. Social, psychological, physical, and other aspect must be considered to determine happiness. It also infers, "meaningful work will help others in some way but may not help that individual personally." The BAE executives we talked with mentioned how they sell to other countries. This means that their meaningful work helps others but not them individually. If we try to link the three components, it really comes down to that person's outlook on their work, their life, and their happiness.
8/10 experience at BAE Systems. Two point deduction because 1) I was sick and 2) I was terrified to get in trouble if I did or said the wrong thing (and I had to get chauffeured to the bathroom).
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