...Organizational Behavior and Communication Paper COM/530 Communications for Accountants Anne Mechail July 21, 2014 Professor Allen Sutton Organizational Behavior and Communication Paper Major organizations have two sets of values: espoused values and enacted values. An organization’s espoused values include their philosophy, mission, vision, and value statements. These are what the organization values. What the company actually does are its enacted values. This paper will briefly describe the culture of Walt Disney Company, identifying where appropriate if the organization’s espoused values align with their enacted values. It will also discuss to what extent communication within the organization is determined by the organization’s culture. Also, it will describe the role communication plays in perceptions and organizational culture by looking at how differences between espoused and enacted values can affect the perceptions within the organization. Finally, this paper will identify the role that conflict has in group communication by looking at how Walt Disney Company may use conflict to improve communication within and among their groups. Walt Disney Company, previously called Walt Disney Productions, began in 1923 with the production of silent cartoons. The company has grown in multiple businesses areas to produce and market moves, television programs, theme parks, character merchandise, as well as other areas all under the well-known Disney name. Along with...
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...Behavior and Communication Paper XBCOM230 University of Phoenix Joyce Williams Behavior and Communication Paper The Walt Disney Company which was founded on October 16, 1923 has a long and distinguished history. It is a history that might never have existed if not for the culture and organization created by one man. That man of course was Walt Disney who together with his brother Roy O. Disney were the founders of The Walt Disney Company. Their goal was “to make people happy,” which Walt Disney has done for 90 years. Originally starting off as an animation company, Walt Disney was determined to create a successful business. After two previous business failures, Walt Disney was confidence that this time around he had to stick to his originality and creativity. The creation of Mickey Mouse was an instant success. Walt Disney’s determination did not allow his to stop and even after the company’s growth began to decline during World War II Walt Disney pushed forward. He focused his energy on creating film and would eventually create a theme park, Disneyland. Disneyland turned out to be another huge success for Walt Disney. He developed an organizational culture “to bring happiness to all” through “magic” and Disney’s team of creative and innovative people has continued to make the Walt Disney Company a success. Disney's organizational culture is built on innovation, creativity, community and optimism. The company is based on the very same culture and...
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...Organizational Commitment and Communication The Walt Disney Company did not get its proclaimed status as one of the most successful organizations on values alone. It took a strong sense of organizational commitment and communication. This paper displays the focus points of Disney’s organizational commitment through several contributing factors. First, this paper displays the different leadership styles used by Disney and how the styles affect group communication. Second, the reader will review an analysis of the different sources of power within the Walt Disney Company and how these sources affect group and organizational communication. Third, this paper displays Disney’s organizational culture and identifies motivational theories affected by its culture, including an evaluation of the role of communication as an element of the theories. Last, this paper displays the commitment of Disney’s workforce and its relationship to communication within the Disney Company. Leadership Styles The Walt Disney Company is an organization committed to creativity and innovation. How they maintain such a commitment is no secret: strong leadership. At Disney, an individual in leadership position should have qualities that display leadership excellence, ultimately creating functional groups with good communication in a successful organization. Each leader has a different style with goals that provide direction, implement plans, and motivate people (Businessholic, 2012)....
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...Organizational Commitment and Communication Paper Kendra Upchurch COM 530 August-08, 2012 Brent Smith Organizational Commitment and Communication Paper Organizational commitment and communication is an important issue in today’s competitive business environment. Organizational commitment can be distinguished with attitudes that are job related, how the employee is performing, and how an employee feels about their job. Listed in this paper you will find how the different leadership styles affect the Walt Disney company as a whole, you will find how the different sources of power may affect group communication. Also you will be able to identify the motivational theories that would be effective within Walt Disney Company, and how commitment in the organization plays an important role when pertaining to the organization’s communications. According to Robbins and Judge (2011), leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. Organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimal effectiveness. Transformational leadership and charismatic leadership style both play an important role when dealing with Walt Disney as an organization. Transformational leadership inspires followers to transcend their self-interest for the good of the organization. For example, at Walt Disney the core purpose is simply to make people happy. Transformational leaders have to frame their vision by providing employees with a...
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...Organizational Behavior and Communication Felicia Duhon Com/530 September 21, 2015 Deborah Elver Organizational Behavior and Communication Most major companies have two sets of values one is called espoused valves which is the corporate valves its mission statement, the vision of the company. The enacted valves is what the company actually does, if it actually live out its mission’s statement, visions, and morals. The role communication plays in perception and organizational culture and also identifying the role of conflict in group communication will be covered as well. Now that the content of what will be covered in this paper has been established let’s get started. The company that will be researching is Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Company is one of the leading companies in diversity and international family entertainment and media. Walt Disney have five different business segments, media network, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. The organizational culture of Walt Disney to having the ability to harness the imagination in a way that inspires others, improves lives across the world and bringing hope laughter and smiles to everyone that needs it. Walt Disney is committed to being more innovated in technology and provide a high quality of standards of excellence in all products (The Walt Disney Company 2012). Walt Disney is committed to creating a positive community for all ages and generations. At Walt Disney the storytelling...
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...Organizational Commitment and Communication Kaitlyn Dixon COM/530 June 25, 2012 Professor Mark Durand Organizational Commitment and Communication Walt Disney‘s new Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger has brought peace to the “Disney Way.” In 2005 Walt Disney named Bob Iger as the new Chief Executive Officer replacing the power reign of Michael Eisner. In comparison to Eisner’s overbearing charismatic leadership Iger has taken the approach of a transformational leader, Different sources of power have changed the level of group communication between employees and managers. The more referent power seen by Iger has opened the flood gates to the channels of communication within the organization. The Walt Disney organizational culture should also implement an effective strategy when motivating employees. Leadership and power can institute a small change in motivation. Implementing the goal setting theory can encourage motivation and a higher level of commitment. Along with goals Walt Disney also has many programs that increase the affective commitment and employee engagement. With Walt Disney’s new CEO leading the way, sources of power, motivation, and commitment are sure impact communication positively. Leadership Eisner used his role as a charismatic leader to enhance his power and allow his personal agenda to take precedence above the Walt Disney goals of the organization (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Charismatic leaders can be insightful however in this case the...
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...Reinforcement Strategies University of Phoenix CJA 510 Organizational Administration and Behavior Dennis Wallace, Yesenia West, Dione Jackson, Antonio Santini, Maria Arroyo, Carolyn Newby-Ruffin Douglas Bryant III, J.D. January 31, 2011 It has been founded since 1923 that, The Walt Disney Company continues proudly to provide quality entertainment for every member of the family, across America, and around the world. Just as the guests and audiences reward the company for its high quality, Disney in turn recognizes and rewards employees and cast members, creating a highly motivating working environment. The company has designed a wide variety of programs and services to assist employees professionally as well as personally. Health, dental, life, and pet insurance, weekly pay, pay incentives, bonuses, free admission passes, and education are some examples of management’s reinforcement strategies that have helped keep happy more than 130,000 people currently employed. (Disney Corporation, 2011) Management at Walt Disney World have focused strategically on their efforts on identifying every employee’s professional needs by creating the Disney Four Core Concept, Dream, Believe, Dare, and Do. Education and training have been exceptional reinforcement strengths that have helped...
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...Workplace Motivation Paper Lisell Hernandez University of Phoenix Workplace Motivation Paper LEADERSHIP STYLE: Transformational leaders such as Walt Disney appeal to the ideals and morals of motivating their followers to accomplish their tasks. These types of leaders inspire and empower their people using their own beliefs and personal strengths. Disney organization fosters a culture of creativity in all of its employees. By creating this type of culture you have exceptional involvement of top management building a customer focused business which is primary focus for a successful organization. Transformational leaders also lead by example which is an important aspect of a company. By Walt Disney leading by example he showed enthusiasm, and loyalty to the organization. When you show this type of leadership the organization is enhanced by the demands of excellence. The Disney organization is enhanced by the demands of excellence. The Disney organization has its own “Disney Culture” which consists of rich traditions, quality standards and values that create a unique environment which is an important factor to the company’s success. Management by walking around is instilled in the company as well as the Open Door Policy which encourages conversation amongst the employees and makes meetings less autocratic. JOB DESIGN: At the Disney University, new hires attend training where one day is dedicated to the Disney traditions where employees learn the company’s beliefs and...
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...Organizational Commitment and Communication Paper Shayonda Williams COM530 September 15, 2014 Aileen M. Smith, MBA Starting back in the early 1920, Disney made it their mission to seek leaders who are competent in making daily decisions. Leaders have to have “the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals (Ch. 12 pg. 376). The leaders of Walt Disney are the board of directors and the management team. The board of directors consist of ten members with Robert A. Iger being the chairman and chief executive officer. Management consists of fifth teen members with Andy Bird as the corporate chairman and Bob Chapek as the president of the business unit. Each member has their style of leadership that work for the committee. Some styles of leadership that can be found within the committee are charismatic leaders, transactional leaders, and authentic leaders. Charismatic leaders are those who have “a certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he or she is set apart from ordinary people and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities” (Ch. 12 pg.387). CEOs of a company are normally the ones who are classified as a charismatic leader. There are two sides of a charismatic leader, a good side and the dark side. The dark side of the leader may “use their powers to remake companies in their image and allow their interest and personal goals to override the goals...
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...SHANGHAI DISNEY: MILESTONE JOINT VENTURE Rita Lemoine Southern New Hampshire University Abstract This paper examines the significant collaborative efforts of both a U.S. multi-national corporation, The Walt Disney Company and its foreign socialistic counterpart, the Shanghai Shendi Group, Ltd. negotiation of an Equity International Joint Venture agreement. The paper will disclose the joint venture agreement, the financial structure, and funding arrangements for the construction of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Then a SWOT analysis will demonstrate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that could affect The Disney Company’s operations in China according to current economic, political, and legal policies regarding foreign joint ventures. Finally, an assessment of the cultural differences between the two companies in the form of managerial and leadership styles that could hinder the success of this joint venture. Keywords: Equity International Joint Venture, SWOT analysis, Cultural Dimensions SUMMARY OF THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY The Walt Disney Company, the leading producer of family entertainment for the past nine decades, beginning in October 16, 1923 when Walter Elias Disney “signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce” a series of cartoons, the early stages of The Disney Brothers Studios, founded by Walter Elias and Roy O. Disney. (Retrieved from “http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-history/1920-01-01--1929-12-31”). The...
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...Introduction Leadership has many meanings, depending who you talk to. This paper will concentrate on leadership as the ability for one to influence others in reaching common goals (Northouse, 2013). The focus of this report is on Walt Disney, a man who demonstrated, both positive and negative leadership throughout his life. The leadership theories which will be focused on for this report include concept of power, trait approach, skills approach, style approach, and transformational leadership will be explored and applied to Disney’s experiences. Biography Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of four, his family moved to Missouri, where his love for drawing and arts developed. When he was 18 he moved to Kansas and was employed at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio (Mosley, 2002). He soon after opened his first animation studio, Laugh O’ Grams with his brother, Roy Disney (World Biography, 2014). The studio grew in popularity, but eventually went bankrupt due to poor financial managing and high employee costs (Mosley, 2002). This prompted the brother’s move to California. Here they opened the Disney Brothers’ Studio in Hollywood (Disney, 2014). Walt met his wife, Lillian Bounds, who was hired at the studio in 1925. The pair got married and had two daughters, Diane and Sharon (Mosley, 2002). In 1926, Mickey Mouse was created and featured in the first animated short with sound, Steamboat Willie (World Biography, 2014). Nine years later...
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...Executive Summary The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. This executive summary summarizes the issues surrounding The Walt Disney Company based on its globalization efforts into a multinational corporation, its business power related to the exportation of “American imperialism”, its business ethics related to its theme parks and resorts, and its corporate governance problems under former CEO Michael Eisner. Many blame these kinds of changes in company values and mission to Michael Eisner. Globalization efforts made by The Walt Disney Company would prove costly when it made bad decisions based on naïve assumptions of the cultural acceptance of Mickey Mouse into Japan and France. Tokyo Disneyland emerged as the most profitable theme park, but with TWDC having no stake in the company; and Disneyland Paris, backed heavily by TWDC, had to be restructured only after two years of opening. Domestically, theme park safety had been compromised, all in the name of profit. An embittered declaration for Eisner’s resignation came in 2003 by ousted board member Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt and last remaining active family member at TWDC, and his trusted friend, Stanley Gold, who resigned the board. Ultimately, Roy Disney helped lead a Disney shareholder revolt...
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...Accountability and Rhetoric during a Crisis: Walt Disney’s 1940 Letter to Stockholders Joel H. Amcrnic UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO and Russell J. Craig AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTABILITY AND RHETORIC DURING A CRISIS: WALT DISNEY’S 1940 LETTER TO STOCKHOLDERS Abstract: In 1940, Walt Disney was faced with crafting a message of corporate accountability under duress. His company, the product of his creative genius, had been forced to submit to public accountability. It had a pressing need to raise preferred equity finance for a major expansion during a period of market uncertainty, war, and reported losses. This paper conducts a “close reading” of the “Letter to Stockholders” in Walt Disney Productions’ 1940 annual report, the first such letter signed by Walt Disney. The letter’s rhetorical features, including metaphor and ideology, are examined in the context of the times. What is revealed is an accountability document skillfully crafted with the exigencies faced by Disney’s company firmly in mind. The letter offers suggestive insight to the world as Disney made sense of it. The paper contributes to understanding the use of rhetoric by top management in activities related to aspects of financial accountability and reporting. It also helps to understand better a significant public persona of the 20th century, Walt Disnev. Acknowledgment The authors wish to acknowledge the helpful comments of the reviewers. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES Analysis of annual reports, including letters...
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...differences, dimensions and attitudes have began to take place and different scientists and observers started coming out with their own set of discoveries and observations (McGregor, 2004). The main reason behind cultural difference and dimensions started when workers of different countries started working together on unified projects and conflicts started arising between the people of different races and culture (Kotler, 2008). Keeping in view of such situations, Dutch Sociologist Gerard Hofstede came up with a study named as Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions in which he laid stress upon five aspects naming Power Distance Index, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty avoidance index and Long term Orientation. The case study in this paper focuses more towards the cultural difference between employees of Disneyland that are located in different countries. Using Hofstede’s 4 culture dimension, highlighting main cultural differences between United States and France: Disneyland is an American Idea of a theme park which serves as a recreational place for children and families. This theme park originally started from Anaheim, California (United States) and later on after receiving massive response from visitors all around the globe, the directors of the company started off with opening similar type of theme parks with the same name of Disneyland in Orlando (US), Tokyo (Japan) and at Marne-la-Vallee (France). Although Disneyland did not find much difficulties in starting off their...
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...Mike Harris Research Paper #2 COM101-002 Professor: Bush Walker November 8, 2013 Media Conglomerate Ownership in the U.S. The United States is being greatly affected by conglomerate ownership of media properties in today's industry. A conglomerate is formed when a large company merges with separate and diverse small firms. By definition a media conglomerate is a large company or corporation that has merged with a number of different media outlets such as TV, radio, newspapers and Internet. Big companies have the tendency to expand by diversifying their holdings among different media products, never fully dominating a particular media industry. A decreasing number of organizations gaining control over an increasing amount of mass media, which defines media consolidation, leads to an oligopoly in the marketplace. Large companies create an oligopoly when only a handful of them dominate the industry and face little economic competition from small independent firms.[1] In 1983, a total of fifty corporations dominated most of the media industry. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, that number shrunk to twenty-nine by 1987. Twenty-three companies had control of the industry by 1990 and in 1997 that number was ten. Presently, media ownership has been concentrated in the hands of only six extremely powerful media conglomerates.[2] The six corporations that control media collectively in the United States today are Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, CBS Corporation...
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