Disney in Paris

January 18, 2012

The cultural environment

Closing case: Disney in Paris

Q. Was France the best place for the location of Euro-Disney?

First of all, if we analyzed the demography and the economy of Europe in order to invest, we have to take into consideration the European megalopolis. Let’s describe what is the European megalopolis. It is the third biggest one of the world, she start from London in UK and is extended to Milan in Italia, she include Belgium and largely French and German border. But Paris is not actually included in this megalopolis. However, Paris is extremely well interconnected with Europe and is also the macrocephala center of France which was the in 1992 the most powerful country in Europe. Moreover, the deciding factor is that France has developed the most important and fastest train network of Europe of the world thanks to “TGV” technology. Disney company buildt its resorts in a particularly strategic place called Marne la Vallée in Seine Saint Denis province. Indeed, this place is beneficiate of a spacious area that the province choose to focus on specialized and enormous infrastructure. To encourage that, the Seine Saint Denis county introduced a lot of taxes advantage, social free taxes zone. In addition, it was excellent long term investment opportunity in the real estate due to the increase of real estate value and price. A second option that could be interesting is Germany but the French government is more flexible and allowed more taxes advantages compared to this last one. Nowadays, it is confirmed by an actual massive German investment on French territory.
In this case, Paris appears as the best location for a new Disney park because of its prestige and reputation all around the world. It is also the first touristic place where 27 million people spend their holidays including 18 million foreigners. Foreigners spend 37 billion euros, that means 48.4 billion $ pear year in France to compare with Canada, a western country, where foreigners tourists spend 16.2 billions $. To this, we have to add that France guaranty incredible safety standards through its very protective consumer code.
However, there are some cultural differences that affect this new implantation of Disney in Paris. Indeed, French citizens have different values and standard of living and this causes management problems. France has its proper culture which leads to its own rhythm of life and consummation. Notre façon de manger a une importance que tout étranger à notre pays ne saurait suspecter. Cette dernière reflète notre culture et notre façon de penser jusqu'à certain point commun dans la personnalité des individus.
First of all, it is so important when we plan to make a business in France to take into consideration the French socialism. The working law tend to protect the employee. That explains the issue encountered with US working management. Each citizen and human being is strictly considered with decense. That is why France keeps its reputation about strikes popularity. The group workers does not hesitate to show solidarity even it concerned only one employee. The high conservative spirit in France is sometimes extended to the mobilization of government executive to defend minorities affected by a certain problem. In the Disney case, farmers showed their disagreement regarding the arrival of investments coming from an over capitalist country. This leads to the increase of the real estate price (terre agricole) with no consideration for everyday hard workers. Farmers has been support by the cultural minister to fight again the over consumption which definitively doesn’t match with the French state of mind.