Introduction and Current Trends

The shift in current corporate culture is
providing company leadership the ability to make positive changes in large, mid
and small sized corporations around the world. 
The biggest corporate trends is employee satisfaction making their
experience better is a fundamental piece of recruitment and long term retention.
 According to Taylor (2016), with Millennials
entering the workforce in great numbers, “a generation noted for valuing
benefits and atmosphere over compensation”, it’s vitally important that companies
have policies and resources in place to remain viable when it comes to its own
cultural identity.  Consider what Anthony
Smith, the CEO and Founder of Insightly, a CRM solution for small businesses,
says about improving the overall experience of employees, in an article for
Business News Daily, “Clear and frequent communication on company
happenings, individual and department direction, and big-picture company
direction make all the difference in employee happiness” (Taylor, 2016).  This paper will examine the corporate culture
of The Walt Disney World Corporation and its ability to adapt and change to
modern times.

Globalization in
the Company’s Culture and Change

Globalization in a corporate culture is
difficult to define.  It is roughly categorized
as a melting pot or homogenizing of one culture into another.  Therefore, globalization of one company’s
culture into another a can be thought of as both having positive and negative
impacts.  The negative impacts can be
looked at as a one culture’s a loss of tradition, values and individual
identity.  There are many positives with globalization,
however, growth of civil liberties (freedom) and relevance (Nikitina, 2014), is
important in the development of growing countries.  “If tamed, globalization can increase
efficiency and be a force of positive change socially” (Evans, 2002).  The Walt Disney World Company is a global
company, starting in the Nineties Disney staring its global expansion first in Tokyo
then in Europe.  One example of Disney World’s
cultural hurdles, according to Robbins (2013), was the development of Euro Disney
which generated a lot of controversy from the French press. This controversy was
established because, contrasting to other corporations that expanded internationally,
Walt Disney World Corporation did not adapt to local the culture. “The French
place great value on their language and culture, and due to this the press made
the Disney venture out to be one of American cultural imperialism” (Robbins,
2013).  “American companies that do not
conforming to local customs are labeled as Americanization: that American
companies and culture are starting to take over the globe” (Forman, 1998). 

Although, Walt Disney World had setbacks
along it expansion into the international market, they personify popular
culture.  Furthermore, as the world
shrinks, and the world’s economy becomes interconnected so does a company’s
culture.  As stated earlier, employees’
satisfaction is at the forefront of today’s cultural norms.  Walt Disney World has adapted and is ahead of
the worker satisfaction curve while continuing to rely on workers in countries they
have a presence in (Tracy, 1999).

Leadership in the
Company’s Culture and Change

“A leader is far more than a label –
leadership is about taking actions to create sustained, positive
transformations within an organization” (Disney Institute, 2017).  Exceptional leaders adapt their own personal
goals, values and vision with those of their company while assisting them plan
for the future.  The greatest way to prove
these skills is to enthusiastically express your common goals, values and vision
to exercise what your company viewpoints are.  Leaders also promote devotion in their employees
who endeavor to become leader themselves.  “It is this approach to leadership that is
responsible for The Walt Disney Company legacy known around the world today” (Disney
Institute, 2017).

Public Perception

For many people they see Walt Disney World
as a large company dominating the movie, theme park and entertainment business,
Disney is truly a global player with influences in the global economy.  However, Disney is has been met with challenges
and criticism when they take part in international endeavors, not everyone
likes Disney, yet they are very successful and profitable company.  “Perceptions of the Disney brand are what will
shape impressions of Walt Disney World before a person even enters the park” (Cosson,
2011).  For example, and a look at both
sides of the public perception of Disney, L. Baker-Sperry (2007) conducted research
into the gender roles of Cinderella, a Disney World Princess character, and the
influence she has on children. The main point to her research was that the
story of Cinderella influenced young girls into wanting to grow up and marry a prince,
look pretty and live happy ever after (giving young girls an unrealistic appearance
of real life), however, young boys did not take interest because they believed
it to be a “girl story” (Baker-Sperry, 2007).  Nicholas Sammond also believes like
Baker-Sperry young children are profoundly influenced by Disney stories and
ideals.  Sammond’s research focuses on Walt
Disney World’s movies and how they impact young children, specifically how to raise
them to be “proper Americans that stay out of trouble, work hard for a living,
and have strong family values” (Sammond, 1999).

Disney’s Digital
footprint

What is a “Digital footprints”, it is those
traces left behind online (Osborne & Connelly, 2015).  Walt Disney World in on the leading edge of
mastering its digital footprint.  Normally,
for a company to manage its Internet and online media footprint is challenging.  To prove Disney is at the forefront just type
in “Disney” on any search engine and you will see. 

According to Bhasin (2016), e-business
technologies can and have the ability to collect, monitor, target, profile, and
even sell personal information about consumers to third parties.  Disney is no exception to this practice, vast
amount of data is collected on the Internet and at the theme parks to track,
learn and promote Disney brand to consumers. 
Moreover, several years ago Disney introduced “MyMagic+” system which
links visitors by wrist bands, phone apps and all sorts of social media
connects to enhance their experience at Disney. 
How do they enhance visitor’s experiences? By tracking through the MyMagic+
system to learn habits of the people visiting their parks and web sites. 

Incorporating
Business Culture into My Research

My Ph-D program is Business Administration
specializing in Public Administration with an interest in Disaster Recovery in
the public sector.  Research conducted
seems to be regionally generated with cultural norms based on locality.  However, disasters happen nationally and globally
therefore an understanding and adaption to their cultural norms must be
researched.  Research models need to take
into account and be applied in a multi-cultural context by evaluating connections
between local, national and global cultural practices.  Therefore, focus research using a comparative
model instead of an individual level method are more commensurate with ensure a
best practice model outcome is generated.