Build a Bear and Quik Trip

MGT 322 Organizational Behavior

Understanding the People Who Work at and Patronize Build-A-Bear Workshop

1. How would you describe Maxine's Clark's personality? What implications do her personality characteristics have for her behavior as the CEO of Build-A-Bear?

According to the Big Five Personality Traits, her personality seems like to be described as "Openness to experience." She is creative, curious, open-minded, and risk-taker. She is a great leader since she looks forward to the future and overcomes risks from a new challenge. As a result, she founded Build-A-Bear Workshop, which is "the only global company that offers an interactive 'make your own stuffed animal' retail-entertainment experience." and she "charmed consumers and wowed Wall Street with a concept that set a new template for interactive experiential retailing." No one has doubt that her personality has made her business success.

2. What are the desired personality characteristics of Build-A-Bear Associates? How might these personality characteristics influence the associates' work behaviors?

Build-A-Bear Associates needs to have the personality characteristic of extraversion and agreeableness. Clark asserts that Build-a-Bear workshop isn't just selling a physical product; it is selling an emotional experience as well. Therefore, associates should understand this type of business. She also says that "Clark and her team work hard to find associates that are not only capable, but who also care about providing a great Build-A-Bear experience—whether it's a happy one or a sad one. 'A Build-A-Bear associate has to be able to handle the smiles and the tears,' Clark explained. We're a business that stands for memories, and those memories can be both happy and sad. As a result, to understand someone's memories, they would have an emotional effect on their work.

3. Describe the perceptions that Maxine Clark has of Build-A-Bear customers. How have these perceptions influenced Clark's...