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Walt Disney Case

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Case Preparation For Discussion (Walt Disney)

1. Central problem/issue in case:

Disney’s performance began to deteriorate after the acquisition of ABC. Prior to acquisition, ABC was the top performer among networks. After the acquisition by Disney, it fell to third place. Aspects that were detrimental to the acquisition/partnership included: Disney failed to seek advice from investment bankers; the sheer size of the two companies—the two were a good match, but companies that large were highly complicated; culture clashes between ABC executives and Disney, as Disney tended to micromanage operations.

2. Why has Disney been successful for so long?

Disney, over the course of its existence, branched out into many different venues—feature films, a TV station, merchandising, and theme parks. Some were hugely successful, while others were not as successful; however, those that were, usually saw massive profits. The company has constantly branched out into new fields. It also usually takes control of whatever field it is in; it may outsource something in order to get setup, but it then takes over. An example of this was its distributor. At first Disney used an outside distributor for its films, but it then created its own distributor in order to save on distribution costs.

3. What did Michael Eisner do to rejuvenate Disney? Specifically, how did he increase net income in his first four years?

1) Rebuild Disney’s TV and Movie Operations – Eisner launched several shows and movies on ABC. Shows were also launched on other networks, not just the Disney Channel and ABC. Katzenberg was also brought in to help revitalize the films division in order to launch more movies, as Disney’s share of the box office had fallen to 4% in 1984. 2) Maximize Theme Park Profitability – The theme parks had remained profitable; however, more attractions were brought in in order to

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