A Cultural Assessment of the Walt Disney Corporation

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                                                                                                                         A Cultural Assessment    

A Cultural Assessment of the Walt Disney Corporation

Org 502

October 19, 2004


A Cultural Assessment of the Walt Disney Corporation

The Walt Disney Corporation has been a global leader in new innovations and customer service for over half a century.  The leadership and the work of the employees have expanded the corporation from a comic book artist studio in to a multi-billion dollar corporation. The vision that Walt Disney had was to create an empire based on family values, magic, fantasy, innocence, and happiness.  Today, the economic powerhouse of the Disney Corporation is the envy of many other businesses around the world.  The corporation has accomplished and exceeded the expectations of every idea and thought.  In today’s society, one can not escape the ever presence of Walt Disney, be it through media, food, travel, entertainment, or even in the privacy of our own home; Walt Disney’s vision is present. The name Walt Disney congers up images of animated fairy tales, where good triumphs over evil and your favorite characters live happily ever-after. The Disney Corporation has paved the way for economic growth and prosperity through its leadership, corporate culture, vision, values, and employee fulfillment.

Walt Disney established his dream by creating a comic strip of a mouse named Mickey in the early 1920’s.  Today, his dream has turned into one of the richest and most admired corporations in the world.  Through strong leadership and excellent management, the Disney Corporation has expanded from a comic strip into an empire of four distinct business segments: entertainment, parks and resorts, consumer products and media networks (http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/overview.html).  To break this down further, the Disney website describes the empire as encompassing 10 theme parks on 3 continents, 35 resort hotels, a cruise line, and a verity of entertainment studios and outlets.  Disney has established a good, solid reputation for a land of magic and innocence, where anything is possible.  Disney’s corporate culture is one that stresses that everyone should be given the chance to dream, stand firm on ethics and principles, and support, empower and reward their employees.  Disney is world famous for their customer service and innovation, so what is the secret behind the magic?   It all stems from the leadership and the philosophy that Walt Disney had stressed throughout his leadership.  

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The leaders at Disney are up close and personal with the customer and their employees. They encourage employee empowerment, have clearly defined standards, create an organizational culture centered on customer service, and possess a passion to please.  Eisner, the current CEO, stated Disney is run on an emotional engine rather than an economic one (Allerton, 1997). It is here that Disney shows how they capitalize on the intellectual capital within the organization.  Disney stresses their values, vision, and their focused approach to all its members (Allerton, 1997). It is this vision and the memories that are the very essence Walt ...

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