Creative Descriptions of Organizations as Cities

If your company were a town or city what would it be?

I recently posted a survey asking people about their jobs, and this was one of the questions. People responded so creatively from the United States, Algeria, Australia, Canada, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Maldives, Mexico, Panama, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The answers say a lot about organizations. Here are some of my favorites:

"Artificial storefronts showing fabulous architecture on top of rundown buildings. With a mayor exclaiming the modern wonders of the town to an audience of paid actors, while the real townspeople who kept the place going toiled underground."

"It would be Hong Kong. We are an international company that mass creates high quality products for the whole world."

"Consistently sustaining but facing tough resistance in its growth, need to change the governance style to make the growth exponentially happen. The change has begun."  

"A friendly town with a lot of people who are related to each other. Like Mayberry." 

"My company is well known - with many lines of business. Because of where we are located we get overlooked and have the highest visibility because of the caliber of our clients."  

"It would be a very small hidden gem so full of great restaurants and specialty shops as well as beautiful art shops. People who came would so appreciate their findings that they would be very selective in who they told just to maintain the hidden gem they had found."  

"It has many children and a few adults talking to them very emphatically all the time." 

"It would be like Lake Placid."

"A town of many dysfunctional people who pride themselves on innovation and uniqueness for the greater good. However when you get here you realize that's all smoke and mirrors."  

"I'm still too new to compare it to what it would be like. But right now I would say it's like NYC - where there is something for everyone there and everyone is doing all the things at the same time." 

"Beverly Hills."

"Dubai. Looks good to the outside world but has slave labor to prop it up." 

"A mid-gentrification industrial suburb on the outskirts of a growing metropolis." 

"It could be described as a large metropolis but only the polished high rise offices. It lacks the grunge or the passion and complexity of a true city. Dubai maybe." 

"The first years of the ancient Rome." 

"Chaos on the streets with pockets of people creating garden of peace."

"What attracts me is the newness of this organization's approach to things. If it was a town it would be a town of possibilities where there are opportunities to fix things that are broken, to create new and inventive ways of doing things while keeping the enhancing what we have learnt. Zero emissions vehicles and industry, free healthcare to all, education in our schools are interactive and engaging, zero tolerance for violence." 

"It's a bit difficult but it can be compared with a city that is in its growing phase and have a great potential to become one of the great city in terms of both quality of life (work-life balance) and finances (having a decent opportunity to earn)."  

"It would be like a well running city with good governance and high people satisfaction quotient."

"It's an inclusive commune where everyone is there to assist each other, regardless of title or job function. It's like Nashville, a total mixed bag of committed individuals who are as diverse as AMERICA and working together for a common goal!" 

"It gives the appearance of being in large metropolitan city but behind the scenes is very antiquated and dysfunctional."

"Segregated between the rich and the workers. I picture old steel town."

"Dystopian. Multiple fiefdoms under siege." 

"Washington DC, too much politics and security." 

"Casino city (LasVegas) lose money hand over fist..."

"Lots of self autopilot driving but with unclear rule and role endanger the whole city."