This past week, Jeff Bezos announced that he will be stepping down from his position as CEO of Amazon and that Andy Jassy will be replacing him. According to the articles, this shift in power has been in the works for quite some time and isn’t a surprise to insiders of the company. Forbes states that the timing of Jeff Bezos’ decision is “impeccable” as Amazon has reached new heights in the past year. The reason that Jeff Bezos gives for departing from his position as chief executive officer is a desire to dedicate more time to growing his other projects including the Bezos Earth, Blue Origin, etc.
While Amazon has reached new heights financially, it is evident that Andy Jassy will face struggles and tough decisions coming into the position. To give an overview of prominent issues that the company faces: Amazon will have to deal with the anti-trust investigations which include both hindering competition from third-party sellers and allegedly feeding its users’ private data to an algorithm to decide which products to launch. Amazon is also faced with criticism for its treatment of warehouse workers. While Amazon has faced criticism in the past about its work conditions (workers are discouraged from using the washroom during their shifts), this really came into the spotlight in the early days of the pandemic. Amazon has also been frequenting headlines for its position against its workers joining unions. This could all change with a vote that started in the state of Alabama. Finally, Amazon faces ongoing criticism by environmentalists for its carbon emission which is causing irreparable harm to our earth.
Leaders of Amazon have continued to dodge the above-mentioned problems. As people have discovered the convenience of online shopping like never before, Amazon may continue to spring to new heights even after COVID. That said, its incoming CEO, Andy Jassy, should stop avoiding the problems that the company has created. I am of the opinion that working conditions should be improved: bathroom breaks should not be limited. Amazon workers should have the freedom to join a union to have their voices heard and rights protected. Amazon will also have to face Congress, which has come down on its improper use of data for marketing and product-launching purposes.
The future of Amazon remains unknown. While Jeff Bezos embarks on a new adventure with Blue Origin, I look forward to seeing how Andy Jassy responds to the problems when he takes over in July.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/amazon-bezos-stepping-down-1.5898176
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/04/amazon-jassy-antitrust-union/