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Amazon's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, has written to staff defending his company's human resources policy, following a New York Times article claiming a cruel and back-stabbing environment at the online retailer.

The article, based on interviews with current and former Amazon staffers, claims employees were pushed to extremes and managers showed little sympathy or empathy to workers even when they were faced with illnesses or bereavements.

In a memo to staff, obtained by CNBC, Bezos encouraged staff to read the article, but added: