Communication and Change Concept at Disney Land Company

Communication and Change Concept at Disney Land Company

Communication and Change Concept at Disney Land Company

Many companies are now putting more weight on teaching the element of change in their organizational structure. Organizational change yields numerous benefits to organizations, for instance, the companies can be responsive to the dynamism that is exhibited in their working environments. However, despite the benefits that are reaped by embracing organizational change, research shows that most organizations are unable to incorporate this concept successfully. Many of the changes introduced in firms fail to perform their intended purposes (Gilley, 2009). The study also indicates that slightly more than half of these failure incidences are attributed to poorly managed communication mechanisms (Aiken et al. 2010). Effective communication gives all the stakeholders the required persuasions in need of implementing any change. Therefore, communication has been fronted as a vital tool that can be used in implementing organizational change. The Walt Disney Company is a globe-leading institution that is specialized in the provision of entertainment and information services. The company operates on a vast empire of providing entertainment services in all over the world. It has several distinct business segments in areas of theme parks, film studios, television networks among others. Given the diverse needs of the audience in different parts of the world, the company has been in the forefront of ensuring that the necessary changes are integrated whenever the need arises (Pelermo, 2014). Having an extensive insight into the company’s organization structure, leadership, communication framework, and operations the paper will detail on the concept of change as manifested in the business.

Type of Change

Firstly, with the view of enhancing the effectiveness of the company’s management and operations, The Walt Disney Company introduced some changes in its organizational framework. The significant change experienced was an increase in the market coverage or the internationalization of the company’s entertainment services. The company faced an array of challenges in introducing this change in its operations and the scope of work. Initially, the firm only specialized in servicing its Films which are dominated by the American culture within the United States local markets. But the later, the administrative change which was dubbed ‘Disneyfication’ come to play. It was aimed at ensuring that the company was able to reach the international market. However, to oversee the success of this move, the company developed a modest system of ensuring that every stakeholder got a stake in implementing ‘Disneyfication.’ The success of any change can be visible when the workforce of a company embraces that choice or change (Pelermo, 2014).

How the Change was Communicated

Since the organization’s workforce plays a vital role in implementing any change introduced in the firm, an appropriate communication system should be used to start the switch itself and also how the change will be applied. Disney Company also has a modest mode of communicating with its employees and other stakeholders concerning the proposed changes. The company used the concept of organizational culture communication principle structure and written communication. The corporate culture entails the common belief held by individuals with stakes in those respective organizations. In the model, the company ensures that all its employees are conversant with the purpose and the goal of the Firm. The company explains their values, for instance; optimism, innovations, quality among others, to formulate a unified vision in the workforce. Also, in the recruitment of new employees in the organization, centralized teams of individuals with the knowledge of the companies’ needs and also the changes inform the new entrants of the company’s changes. These groups use the face-to-face communication medium to pass their information on the vision and the mission of the company (Pelermo, 2014). Secondly, written communication is mostly applied to the current existing employees of the company. Although, face-to-face and written are communications approaches are used in communicating changes, Gilley (2015), argues that enhancing an organizational culture has lasting effects on the employees or the stakeholders.

Leaders Involved in the Communication

Several leaders were involved in communicating the change to the company’s stakeholders. Since the discussion was made from improving the organization’s operations, the message emanated from the top leadership of the management to the juniors who were to implement the change. The then CEO namely Steve Jobs and the entire Board of Directors were involved in the communication process (Pelermo, 2014). However, the regional heads of various business units were involved in ensuring that employees in those groups also received the information as the communication was meant to be all-inclusive. Most of the views of the employees and the general stakeholders considered before implementing the change. Also, the concept of listening and speaking is evidenced by the trainees and trainers when new employees are being inducted into the workforce.

Change Model

Disney Company conceptualized the concept of change based on the globalization model. Models guide the managers on how they will implement a change. The model entails the goals and desires of a multinational entity in reaching out the entire diverse market. Globalization is also concerned with the growth aspect of the company and the global capital reign as well. Disney Company changed from serving only the American market to serving the global international entertainment market needs (Gilley, 2009). The company established some of its branches at Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong. As the globalization change continues to thrive in the company structure, the firm is currently working on Hawaii and Shanghai branches. When organizations are formulating this model, they face various challenges due to the difference in cultures among different nations (Gilley, 2009). For instance, in the filming industry, Disney Company encountered multiple problems in implementing the change as some countries prohibit viewing of some movies. The banned films supposedly undermine the culture and the norm of those countries.

In conclusion, change element in an organization is essential. It affects the overall behavior of the key players in the team. The success or failure of such change is mainly determined by how the change is communicated to the concerned individuals. Therefore, the company’s willing to apply the change in their structural framework should select the appropriate means of communicating such changes. Face-to-face and other modes of communication are essential tools. But to ensure that there is a lasting effect of the change in the mindset of the involved parties, sustainable means of communication should be used. Disney Company has a modest means of communicating and sustaining the change as well. Enforcing organizational culture in the communication framework complements the other methods of communications such as face-to-face and the writing communications.

References

Gilley, J. W. (2009). Organizational Change: Motivation, Communication, and Leadership Effectiveness. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 21, 75-87. doi: 10.1002/piq

Keller, S., & Aiken, C. (2000). The inconvenient truth about change management. McKinsey Quarterly. Retrieved November 26, 2017, from http://www.mckinsey.com/app_media/reports/financial_services/the_inconvenient_truth_about_change_management.pdf

Pelermo, L. (2014, July 16). The Disneyfication of the World: A Grobalisation Perspective. Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 91-107.