This document compares the organizational cultures and innovation approaches of McDonald's, IBM, and Costco. McDonald's culture is distinctive and people-centric, and their innovation approach is to "think big, begin small, scale quick." IBM's culture focuses on respect, excellence, and customer service. Their innovations include predictions about how technology will impact healthcare, education, and cities. Costco's culture emphasizes common goals, a positive attitude, teamwork, and service. Strong organizational cultures can provide financial, morale, and innovation benefits by motivating employees and enabling responsiveness to change. Cultures both shape environments and adapt to new circumstances.