The Walt Disney Company has the difficult problem of having to manage rapid growth and maintain that growth in order to satisfy stockholders and analysts. Although the company has foundered at several times during its long history (during the 1950s and late 1970s, for example), it has always managed to return not only to its previous level of success, but to reach new levels. Currently, the company is grappling with a foray into the European theme park market where it is coming to terms with the vastly different expectations that Europeans have with respect to theme parks and their employment. This research explores the issues at EuroDisney and how the company can overcome them.
Different companies have different corporate cultures, but the corporate culture which has evolved at Disney is one of an autocratic, if benign, leader who is able to engender tremendous loyalty and results from his employees. In the beginning of the company, that leadership was provided by Walt Disney, who fostered a family atmosphere, but who was nonetheless a creative and sometimes stern taskmaster. Disney pioneered the concept of theme parks (as opposed to amusement parks), but used the power of television to promote the concept. Disneyland became world famous not simply because it was the first park of its kind to feature a tie in to movie characters, but also because of the television program which beamed images of the park and its founder into the living rooms of viewers around the world. Such powerful use of marketing strategies are not to be underestimated.
Walt also had a very definite view of what was appropriate for the Disney image and what was not. He maintained control over the Disney name and product to the point that theaters had to be approved before they could show Disney movies in order to make sure that the films were not shown at disreputable theaters, or put on inappropriate double bills (although the second issue is rarely ...