Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't is at a clear disadvantage.

Lots are written about how 'she shows up at board meetings in the saree.' My God, I have never worn a saree to board meetings; people play it out in different ways. I think I have never shied away from the fact that I am an Indian, and I don't intend to, but you can be at home with both cultures.

Discrimination still exists. Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened. Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures. They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat.

Part of company culture is path-dependent - it's the lessons you learn along the way.

As a company, one of our greatest cultural strengths is accepting the fact that if you're going to invent, you're going to disrupt.

In my view, Amazon's culture is unusually supportive of small businesses with big potential, and I believe that's a source of competitive advantage.