Walt Disney Human Resource Practices
The Walt Disney Corporation Human Resource Practices
Shannon Breedlove
MGMT 4242
December 8, 2011
Abstract
Human resource management of an organization is an essential element of a company’s overall accomplishment of goals and business strategy. The Walt Disney Corporations has proven itself a leader in HR management over its eighty-eight years in the business. It has grown into a global company within the consumer services sector and the industry of media conglomerates. The paper will demonstrate the challenges Disney has had to face and continues to face in its HR department, as well as HR practices that are need to be implemented for continuous success for Disney. In the case of the Euro Disney Park human resource managements was significantly lacking which caused the park to fail in its early years. In the case of the amusement park in China Disney does not repeat the same mistakes as with Euro Disney, yet employee transfers to China could cause union and more pay roll problems.
Description
Background
Walt Disney has been a leader in the field of family entertainment senses its humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today’s global corporation. Walt and his brother Roy Disney came to California in 1923 determined to sell their series of stories called Alice’s Wonderland to a distributor (The Walt Disney Company). On October 16, 1923 the distributor M.J. Winkler contracted to release the Alice Comedies and became the official beginning of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which eventually became today’s Walt Disney Company. After an unpleasant set back by the distributor, Walt Disney and his chief animator, Ub Iwerks, created Mickey Mouse. On November 18, 1928 the third Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Willie, opened to rave reviews and became an immediate sensation. Then a year later in 1929, a persistent man with $300 and an idea to put Mickey Mouse on paper tablets for school children began Disney’s consumer products business. The first
Shannon Breedlove
MGMT 4242
December 8, 2011
Abstract
Human resource management of an organization is an essential element of a company’s overall accomplishment of goals and business strategy. The Walt Disney Corporations has proven itself a leader in HR management over its eighty-eight years in the business. It has grown into a global company within the consumer services sector and the industry of media conglomerates. The paper will demonstrate the challenges Disney has had to face and continues to face in its HR department, as well as HR practices that are need to be implemented for continuous success for Disney. In the case of the Euro Disney Park human resource managements was significantly lacking which caused the park to fail in its early years. In the case of the amusement park in China Disney does not repeat the same mistakes as with Euro Disney, yet employee transfers to China could cause union and more pay roll problems.
Description
Background
Walt Disney has been a leader in the field of family entertainment senses its humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today’s global corporation. Walt and his brother Roy Disney came to California in 1923 determined to sell their series of stories called Alice’s Wonderland to a distributor (The Walt Disney Company). On October 16, 1923 the distributor M.J. Winkler contracted to release the Alice Comedies and became the official beginning of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which eventually became today’s Walt Disney Company. After an unpleasant set back by the distributor, Walt Disney and his chief animator, Ub Iwerks, created Mickey Mouse. On November 18, 1928 the third Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Willie, opened to rave reviews and became an immediate sensation. Then a year later in 1929, a persistent man with $300 and an idea to put Mickey Mouse on paper tablets for school children began Disney’s consumer products business. The first