 |
||
|
|
||
| |||||||||||
Fueling dreams The top athletic shoe-maker in the U.S., Nike has also become the principal myth-maker of our time. Nike's vast advertising campaigns have created a new pantheon of American heroes while fueling the dreams of playground kids and weekend warriors alike. With campaigns like "Just Do It" (borrowed from 1960s icon Jerry Rubin), the company sells more than a mere product - it sells a lifestyle. The early days The man behind the myth is Phil Knight, middle-distance runner from the University of Oregon. Knight, now among the 10 richest men in America, began the company with his track coach Bill Bowerman in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports. Each of them chipped in $300 to have their shoes manufactured in Japan and started selling the finished product out of the trunk of their car at track meets. Knight and Bowerman changed the company's name to Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory, in 1968 and introduced their own shoes at the Olympic trials in Oregon six years later. The fitness revolution of the late 1970s fueled Nike's early growth, and the Air Jordan basketball shoes - first introduced in 1985 - have become nearly as recognizable as Michael Jordan himself. Controversy But even a legend can fall on rough times. Questionable employment practices at Nike plants in Vietnam, Indonesia, and China have attracted unfavorable notice in recent years. Low wages and poor working conditions at the plants garnered widespread negative press. Nike severed ties with four factories in Indonesia in 1997, but documentary maker Michael Moore nonetheless aimed his muckraking camera at the Nike controversy in his anti-corporate film The Big One. To add injury to insult, a high-profile lawsuit was filed against the company for deceiving California consumers about its overseas employment practices. Nike has since quieted criticism by raising the worker's wages in Indonesia and raising the minimum worker age to 18 in footwear plants. Brown shoes and an Asian flu Slumping sales, profits and stock prices caused domestic sorrows for Nike in 1998. The economic turmoil in Asia hit the company particularly hard. In July 1998, the company posted a fourth quarter loss of $67.7 million, its first quarterly loss in 13 years. In response, Nike laid off 15 percent of its Asian workforce and slashed $100 million earmarked for celebrity sports endorsements. In the midst of this turmoil overseas, white Nike sneakers were getting pushed back in the closets of U.S. teens sporting baggy pants and brown hiking shoes. Nike has since introduced a line of hiking shoes. Nike does it Nike rose to industry challenges in 1999, kicking the year off with the intoduction of a new, five-dot logo line called the Alpha Project. Nike has also spurred product demand by offering selected retailers exclusive rights to some Nike lines including an agreement with online retailer fogdog.com for which Nike acquired an equity stake in the company. The Alpha Project line went cyber-retail in February, and although the NBA strike and Michael Jordan's retirement hindered progress, the quarterly reports for 1999 have shown great improvements. Replacing Michael Jordan as a pitch man might have seemed like a next to impossible task, but Nike has found a viable replacement - Tiger Woods. Nike's commitment to Woods is paying huge dividends, as Woods used Nike's brand new golf ball to win the 2000 U.S. Open. Tiger Woods or not, Nike continues to be dogged by questions about its labor practices though. Ready...set...go! Nike stepped up to the challenge presented by the Global Alliance for Workers and Communities in May 1998. By agreeing to involve NGOs in the monitoring process of its factories around the globe, Nike has joined a mission expected to evolve into an industry-wide code of conduct and monitoring system. In November 1998 Nike became a charter member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA). In hopes that all companies will follow in Nike's tracks, the FLA encourages colleges across the country to agree to require their licensees to join the FLA and publicize information on labor practices. Nike has received its fair share of labor-related press in the past - now it's challenging others to step into the spotlight and walk around in Nike's shoes for a day. More importantly, the FLA strives to make each company accountable for its practices. With a little luck and a big endorsement by Nike, the FLA is likely to succeed in its endeavor to improve workers rights around the world. Nike has had recent troubles with many of the colleges it provides with uniforms and equipment. The student led Workers Rights Consortium, involving pro-active students around the country, encourages schools to insist on doing business with companies that promote fair labor practices. After the University of Oregon signed on with the group, Knight withdrew a $30 million gift he had given his alma mater. The WRC has also strained the relationship between Nike and the University of Michigan, which is shopping its wares to other companies after signing a one-year agreement as a transition from its old six-year contract.
Insiders report that "enthusiasm, a can-do spirit, and a specific desire to work for Nike" are all pluses. Though you probably shouldn't wear running shorts to the interview, one insider reports, "being athletic is good. People who are athletic seem to advance faster." Speaking another language is also a plus since, as one contact maintains, "many developers put in a stint in one of the Asian offices (Japan, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam), so one of these languages would be very helpful." One marketing insider notes that "the people who work for international are usually people who can function within the culture and language of that region." Nike offers a variety of positions at the "campus" in Oregon, as well as around the world. The company accepts resumes by mail or fax, but does not post entry-level openings nationally. Expect the competition for openings to be like the NBA playoffs: tough. Check out ww.nikebiz.com for more information about hiring. The company posts job openings. One tip: "Nike has automated resume processing software, so I would recommend putting a resume in, even though we aren't currently hiring." If you are lucky enough to get an interview, expect at least three rounds. One designer with Nike reports, "I first had a formal question and answer session; then I showed my work to my boss and his boss; then I met with Human Resources ,who described pay and benefits." That contact notes, "They are looking for attitude, drive and somebody that will complement the other workers that are there." Another notes, "I actually heard a boss say once, 'I'll hire someone that is fun. Who wants to work with someone boring?'" A Nike veteran agrees that fun is key at interviews, and says that interviews are "pretty laid back, with little formality."
Life on campus Nike calls its headquarters in Beaverton, OR a "campus" ? and with good reason. Employees say that on any given day, one is likely to "see soccer games, runners, volleyball, and other competitive sports going on all over the place." Nike "encourages people to work out during their shift and provides sports activities for everyone throughout the day." One insider asks, "What other company lets me mix my career interests with my personal lifestyle of sports and fitness?" The "top-shelf" corporate campus includes a "world-class exercise center, an excellent cafeteria, a sports bar, a convenience store, and a hairdresser." A new northern expansion of the campus will open in 1999. However, the footwear giant hasn't dodged all of the pitfalls that come with being a major player. "Nike's a small company that grew big very fast, with all that implies," one insider reports, "It's becoming more conventionally corporate all the time." Trade-offs Some employees note that "the incredible atmosphere and great people are a trade off for the lower-than-average pay." One reports, "The downside of the great facilities and reputation is that we get 50,000 unsolicited resumes a year, which means Nike isn't motivated to pay high salaries to most employees. The general consensus is that we're paid somewhat below the industry average for any given position.?" Bonuses are based on a combination of corporate, divisional, and individual performance. Though hours vary by department, 8:30 to 5:30 days are typical. Dress code tends to be casual, one notes, "Since we get a discount on Nike shoes and apparel, you see lots of swooshes." "Jeans, sneakers, and a polo shirt," are typical office wear. The casual attitude carries over to employee relations as well, with a "culture as loose as a large corporate environment gets." "Personal issues can be dealt with without feeling guilty. For example, if you have to run an errand at lunch, there's no one who checks how long you took," one insider notes, "The unwritten rule is to not take advantage of managing yourself, which is really how the managers treat those under them." Dedicated to diversity When it comes to treatment of women and minorities, one Nike employee reports, "Don't let any bad press about Nike discourage you. Nike's taken many unfair hits from fringe groups, but if any company can be considered cutting-edge and progressive, it's Nike." "Nike was pretty much a white boy's club when I started 13 years ago," one insider notes, "but they've made a lot of progress. There are now women at nearly every level." Another reports, "As for diversity, you won't find a company more open and open-minded than Nike. You will find many women and minorities working here at all levels." The company also encourages employees from various ethnicities to attend "informal meetings" on company time. One Latino employee reports, "Our group was formerly called the Hispanic Caucus, and we're in the process of realigning the caucuses. It's a fun place to meet other Latinos and network." Family matters According to one insider, Nike has been cited by numerous groups for its progressiveness in childcare and job sharing, and is often ranked by Oregon Business magazine as one of the top businesses to work for in the state of Oregon. One insider reports, "There is a fantastic childcare center on campus that will care for newborns and actually includes a kindergarten (though space is limited)." Ultimately, perks such as the company gym, employee store, and the chance to rub elbows with sports and movie stars cultivate fierce employee loyalty. Nike's employees want to take care of the company because, as they put it, "the company takes care of them."
Nike, Inc. Human Resource Service Center Human Resources One Bowerman Drive1 Beaverton OR 97005-6453 1-888-767-9855
Adidas-Salomon;Converse;Fila;Nautica Enterprises;New Balance;Puma;Timberland;Tommy Hilfiger More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
