Experiencing the Disney Way: A Cultural Assessment of the Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Corporation, modeling

itself as one of the premiere customer service organizations, has established itself by creating a healthy, dynamic corporate culture, adapted to their worldwide audience. Rick Johnson (1991) declares "[t]here are four key business strategies used at Disney; the culture is the key, knowing your audience, empowering the cast, and delivering quality service." The employees at Disney are nurtured, take pride in their work, demonstrate the overall corporate culture, and appropriately have become one of Disney's most prized assets. The discussion that ensues will emphasize Disney's organizational behavior, diversity, and structure. These practices are enforced through such methods as role modeling, training, rewards, and other clearly defined business implementations. This discussion will conclude providing information on how these attributes have influenced the leaders of the organization when making critical decisions, and those that motivate the cast members to provide quality service to the customers and communities. Walt Disney's objective is to be one of the world's leading producers of entertainment and information. By utilizing a portfolio of brands to differentiate content, services and consumer products, Disney seeks to develop creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences for the entire family. At the same time, the company strives to maximize Disney's long-term value to their shareholders. By the end of the twentieth century, the Walt Disney Company had already established footholds in four major business segments: Media Networks, Studio Entertainment, Parks and Resorts and consumer Products. Disney strives to separate itself from gluttonous mega-firms seeking to control major market segments. The company is deeply committed to conducting business in accordance with the highest standards of business ethics, and complying with applicable laws, rules and regulations. They even have a separate Code of Business Conduct and Ethics book for their directors and the Standards of Business Conduct for employees. Disney goes to great lengths to be a responsible neighbor through its environmental programs. The famous Jiminy Cricket is Disney's official symbol for their environmental programs. He reminds employees that each person plays a critical role in protecting the environment. Similarly, staff on Disney Cruise Lines pledge to recognize the value and beauty of the ocean as an environment in which they are the guests. To recognize extraordinary efforts, Disney publishes Environport, a document that awards those around the world who continue to make a difference through actions at work and home. Another value apparent in Disney's culture is their utilitarian approach to business practices (McShane, 2002). Disney seeks the greatest good for the greatest number of people by encouraging employees to contribute their personal time, expertise and effort to make a positive impact in their communities, while furthering the traditions and ideals of the Walt Disney Company. Disney follows a set of principles to effectively manage creativity and innovation. The culture of Disney is to create an open environment where employees feel free to speak and share ideas. Employees enjoying their work within immediate surroundings share creative ideas and develop innovative concepts. To that end, Disney focuses on consistent practices to gather ideas and establish boundaries. This ensures all employees are working to achieve the same goal, and only focus on ideas that fit the organizations identity. As the definitive customer service organization, Disney has learned what it takes to make customers feel special. Families are treated to an extraordinary experience, provided the highest quality customer care, and in turn, return repeatedly. To achieve this high standard of customer satisfaction, Disney theme parks orchestrate a daily show using nearly 50,000 cast members; each trained to make their guests feel happy and welcome (Edgington , 1998). Signs displaying slogans such as "Boogie Down" and "Have a Nice Day" encourage customers to have fun. Employees strive to create a positive environment for their guests. Cast members maintain a strict regimen of activities they cannot do while "on stage" at the Disney parks. These include eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, folding their arms, or even sitting down. This helps create a positive guest experience through cast member interaction. Cast members who are not meeting the standard are coached, and as a last resort, disciplined (Johnson, 1991). To validate their high standards for customer satisfaction, Disney's "Research and Statistics Department conducts over 200 external surveys a year" (Johnson, 1991). Nearly every aspect of the operation is surveyed, studied and evaluated including customer satisfaction, cleanliness, efficiency, and cast member performance. An Industrial Engineering Department continues the guestology process by constantly evaluating the resort's operating systems and ensuring they are kept to established service standards. Daily inspections, show-quality reports, wait time studies, maintenance punch lists, and utilization studies all contribute to a safe and efficient operation between guest and operating systems (Johnson, 1991).

Disney knows its name and image is on the line; the show is that fragile. Disney knows that guests remember the best and worst experiences; the rest fall into a standard. To raise that standard, Disney works hard to recognize and reward those cast members who are doing it right. Disney has numerous recognition programs and management looks for every opportunity to celebrate. Every year, The Walt Disney Company holds service awards dinners at its theme parks around the world. All the company vice presidents are in attendance, and Disney employees receive plaques, jewelry and other merchandise depending on their years of service (Alonzo, 1994). The company even has a special longevity-of-service recognition program that only three percent of the cast receives. Annual awards include: One year of service earns a pin. A breakfast at five years. A dinner banquet as "nice as anything done for the guests" at 10 years (Edgington, 1998). The culture of quality perfected at Disney's theme parks could not prevail without employee buy-in. To gain employee acceptance, the concept of show business is promoted as an organizational culture. According to Rick Johnson, "[f]rom the beginning, the employee is not hired for a job, but cast for a role in the show. Hired employees are thus called 'cast members' wear costumes, not uniforms, and they play before an audience of guests, not a crowd of customers. When they are in a guest environment; they are 'onstage'; when they are in an employee environment, they are backstage" (Johnson, 1991). Prior to any interview, Disney prescreens applicant by showing a video prior to filling out an application. This provides an opportunity to opt out of the hiring process if they do not agree with Disney's expectations regarding appearance, guidelines, or even having their own transportation (Edgington, 1998). After being selected for a role, cast members spend their first day at Disney University where are taught, amongst Disney traditional values, that their roles are bigger than their jobs. The cast is charged with creating magic moments for its guests (Edgington , 1998). Additionally, cast members are empowered to make the right decision and provide the right behavior for each guest they come into contact with. Empowerment of the Disney cast begins with a service theme of "creating happiness" for people. Disney then provides extensive training, ongoing communication, and dependable support systems to help the cast make the right decisions in each guest encounter (Johnson, 1991). Cast members uphold the standards of courtesy, efficiency, safety and show, as well as aligning personal values, traits and behavior with those of the organization. Disney applies the concept of cross servicing during peak hours. During these periods, supervisors and managers set aside their normal duties and help the cast in all other areas of the operation, including; food service, janitorial service, ticketing and guest assistance at all attractions (Johnson, 1991). The cross-servicing concept lets cast members see management in action and provides a fantastic opportunity to model good behaviors and appropriate job/people skills. The company founder and his visions are legendary. Disney understands their stories, movies, television programs and characters are probably more universally known than any others on earth. When casting for roles in their theme parks, they use this fact to their advantage. Disney tells new cast members that 68 years of Disney history, along with the Disney name and image, are on the line with each of them. As cast members, they can choose to reinforce or tear down that image with each guest they come into contact with (Johnson, 1991). By doing so, Disney seized a very powerful motivation tool in that guests are expecting each cast member to become their character and perform to the highest standard of perfection. The Walt Disney Company leaders have reacted in various ways to critical incidents and crises since 1923, when Walt and Roy Disney started a Hollywood film studio (Albarren & Moellinger, 2002). For instance, after Walt died in 1966 and Roy in 1977, the Disney Company lost its creative energy and sense of direction. Family members were incapable of correcting the situation. Ultimately, the answer was to bring in new top executives, Michael Eisner and Frank Wells (Management Case 3, n.d.). Michael Eisner, Chairman and CEO for The Walt Disney Company, wrote in the 2003 annual report's letter to the shareholder, "Our goal is to generate strong growth and to reach new levels of achievement" (The Walt Disney Company's Annual Report, 2003). A solid long-term goal, but the Walt Disney Company is currently facing several crises that threaten its existence: the resignation of Roy E. Disney and Stanley P. Gold from its board of directors, Comcast Corporation's $54 billion hostile takeover bid, the collapse of Disney's partnership with Pixar, and the request for Michael Eisner's resignation by Roy E. Disney. Research shows that historically The Walt Disney Company leaders have endured the good and bad times by remaining focused on their long-term goals and choosing key people to make sound business decisions. The Disney Company uses a multidivisional organizational structure due to the multifaceted configuration of the company; Studio Entertainment, Media Works, Theme Parks & Resorts and Consumer Products (The Walt Disney Company, 2003). This structure seems to firmly link each of the company's operations. Each of these divisions assigns its own executive officers; there are currently ten executive officers and sixteen directors (Albarren & Moellinger, 2002). These leaders provide the synergy needed for the company to survive year after year The Disney web site states: "The Company has a tradition of innovation and creativity that is the result of hiring and motivating diverse employees with a wide range of talents" (Disney Online, 2004). The Walt Disney Company wants to

empower its cast, to do this they start with committed leaders at the top who are willing to set examples (Johnson, 1991). The Walt Disney Company communicates three things through its organizational systems and procedures; quality, uniqueness and value. Quality is maintained and assessed by monitoring; using the toughest possible standards. The uniqueness of Disney has been achieved by exploring, experimenting and pioneering. Walt Disney felt value came from "giving the public everything you can give them." without "price-gouging" (Savedisney.com, n.d.) . The three aspects of quality, uniqueness, and value are the foundation on which the Walt Disney Company builds its systems and procedures. In summary, this discussion has shown that experiencing the Disney way involves exploring organizational behavior, diversity, and structure. Walt Disney's legendary visions are what started this great company and brilliant leaders have kept the visions alive. Good leadership that motivates employees as cast members are the key to the Walt Disney Company's success. Families are drawn repeatedly to a variety of successful Disney operations; from heart-warming stories on video, to heart-pounding sports on ESPN, and from magical tours on Disney Cruise Lines to adventures in the Magic Kingdom. The Disney corporate culture, although dynamic in practice, is as timeless as the magical experiences they offer. References: Albarren, A. & Moellinger, T. (2002). The Top Six Communication Industry Firms: Structure, Performance and Strategy. Retrieved from http://www.tukkk.fi/mediagroup/5WMEC%20PAPERS/Albarran%20&% Alonzo V. (1994, June). The more the merrier. Incentive, 168(6), 47. Edgington D. (1998, April 13). The magic of management. Des Moines Business Record, 94(15), 10. Burke, G. (n.d.). Glenn's Tribute to Walt Disney World. Retrieved from the http://webhome.idirect.com/~glburke/menu.html Johnson, R., (1991, September/October). A Strategy for Service-Disney Style. Journal of Business Strategy, 12(5), 38. Management Case 3, (n.d.). The Walt Disney Company: Undergoing Change. Retrieved from ProQuest database. McShane-Von Glinow (2002) Workplace Values, Ethics, and Emotions. Organizational Behavior, 2nd Edition. McGrawHill Companies, 104. Mouse Plant, (2001). The Business of Magic. Retrieved from http://www.mouseplant.com Savedisney.com (n.d.). Foundations for the Disney Business. Retrieved from http://www.savedisney.com/vision/foundations_for_business.asp The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company's Annual Report, (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.disney.go.com The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company Book 2003 (n.d.). Retrieved from http://disney.go.com/corporate/investors/financials/factbook/2003/