Whole Foods Market: Executive Summary

One could make the argument that all seven of The Magnificent Seven Principles are in force at Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market Cofounder and Co-CEO John Mackey has a firm belief in operating in pursuit of a higher purpose (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Ken Hodgson penned The Magnificent Seven Principles which include dignity of human life, autonomy, honesty, loyalty, fairness, humaneness, and the common good (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Hodgson noted that corporate progress could be made far much easily through social progress, cooperation and goodwill enacted responsibly over bribes and potential misunderstandings (Hodgson, 1992). Mackey is also an advocate of conscious capitalism (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Within Mackey’s description of the topics there are four primary areas discussed that map well to Hodgson’s Magnificent Seven Principles. Mackey’s description begins with the topic of property rights and the rule of law. This correlates well with Hodgson’s fifth moral principle; fairness (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Second on Hodgson’s list is autonomy. Whole Foods Market gives employees space to operate as individuals and be who they truly are while carrying out assigned tasks.

Dissecting this sentiment, one can map “the good” to Hodgson’s sixth principle of humanness (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Humanness is paramount to the offerings that Whole Foods Market provides its customers. “The true” is honest, Hodgson’s third principle. Hodgson’s definition of his third principle includes integrity and telling the truth. Whole Foods Market is transparent about its goods and services, providing true details on sources and contents of its consumables. Loyalty, Hodgson’s fourth principle, couples nicely with honesty which is the driving force for Whole Foods Market’s robust return customer