Kyle Thomas
Corporate Analysis – Section 239579
Corrie Kelly
Due: 4/18/12
The Walt Disney Company has been an industry leader in the majority of its business segments for many years now; a success which is due largely to its unique history, heritage and corporate culture. Consumers and businesses alike around the world refer to the “Disney Standard” of doing things, demonstrating the high level of regard in which they hold us and the overall effectiveness of TWDC’s business plan.
Through the hundreds of positions within TWDC, the main commonality is that each cast member has been entrusted with the preservation of Walt’s legacy. That guiding principle is truly what makes TWDC unique and has shaped our history, heritage and corporate culture since our founding.
The unprecedented history of TWDC is evident when you consider decisions made by the company and our successes over the years. Ideally the decisions would reflect upon and influence successes on a regular basis, but that hasn’t always been the case. After Walt’s passing, the company was largely afraid to take new, larger risks, choosing instead to stick to strategies that had proven successful in the past. Michael Eisner was able to change that though, establishing a new operating philosophy for TWDC as a whole, and dramatically increasing revenues. This demonstrates that the history of any company is full of both positives and negatives, but both must be taken into consideration and developed in order to let the organization evolve along with its consumer market.
Preserving the heritage of TWDC remains a top priority of all our business segments, but is especially evident with Parks and Resorts. While new characters are continuously being developed, the original favorites are still featured prominently in the parks. Newer markets could be expanded into by placing characters from recent theatrical releases and