The Dayton Company opened a single branch called Target in 1962. The flagship store's mission was "to take the best-quality merchandise of a high-end department store's 'bargain basement' and sell it in a standalone shop," (Schlosser, 2004). Right from the start, Target branded itself as a cut above other discount retailers and set their prices accordingly. Within eight years, the company was able to open 17 stores totaling $200 in sales (Scholsser, 2004). Target could not have been so successful even in its early years without establishing a strong company culture. That company culture continued to define Target's identity as being essentially distinct from that of Wal*Mart or K-Mart. The story of Target's beginning and evolution as a retailer is one of the key ways the organizational culture is perpetuated and new employees socialized. Rituals are another way that organizational culture is sustained. At Target, there are rituals that introduce new members to the organization, via training programs. There are also rituals when employees are recognized for exceptional performance or offered a promotion. Rituals related to customer relations might not be as famous as the "Wal*Mart greeter" phenomenon, but Target also has a similar ritual that defines its treatment of customers.

In fact, Target management calls its customers "guests," not customers. This reveals the use of language as a key part of creating and sustaining organizational culture ("What's the Company Culture at Target?" n.d.). The symbols of Target go beyond its iconic logo and branding; even the color red connotes the high-paced environment in which Target employees are expected to work. Use of language and symbols is a strong point in Target's organizational culture, and it does not need to change its culture on these measures.

Organizational culture is usually described in terms of social justice and ethics. Target does well on this level, too, and does not need to improve its organizational culture with regards to this concept. Target affirms a commitment to social justice,...

A company that is visibly diverse, Target states plainly a commitment to a community of employees. Differences related to " race, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political convictions, socio-economic status and education" are less important than a collective belonging in the Target culture (Target, 2013). As a customer, it is easy to notice that the company is doing well in creating a diverse workplace. There are whites with piercings and tattoos, blacks, Asians, and seniors. The ratio of male to female managers is about equal in the stores that I frequent as a consumer. Whereas Wal*Mart has a terrible reputation vis-a-vis its employees, Target has a good reputation even at the lowest rungs of the corporate ladder. Granted, Target does emphasize conformity more than individuality in its organizational culture. This might prevent some individuals from remaining with the company beyond an introductory stage. However, the organizational culture at Target is strong so that the company can sustain its positive growth over the course of the next several years. It will be interesting to see if, now that Target has opened stores in Canada and India, if the organizational culture will remain constant or if it will change in accordance with local business customs.
References

"A Peek into Target's Corporate Culture," (2008). Retrieved online: http://groupynetwork.blogspot.com/2008/04/peek-into-targets-corporate-culture.html

Jensen, M. & Nichols, J. (n.d). Target Corporation. Retrieved online: http://www.pacret.com/upload/press/59.pdf

Schlosser, J. (2004). How Target does it. CNN/Fortune. Retrieved online: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/10/18/8188073/index.htm

Target (2013). Culture. Retrieved online: https://corporate.target.com/careers/culture

"What's the Company Culture at Target?" (n.d.). Retrieved online: http://www.indeed.com/forum/cmp/Target/s-company-culture-at-Target/t9456