The Walt Disney Company Case

Disney

The Walt Disney Company or commonly known as Disney, is the 66th largest Fortune 500 company in the world. This American company headquartered in California, is a multinational expanded media corporation well established by its Walt Disney Studios and its studios in Hollywood. Disney owns many media television networks such as ESPN and ABC while maintaining 14 theme parks in different countries. Disney is a piece of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and currently has a footprint in mass popular music today. Although Mickey Mouse leaves an enjoyable image in the minds of young children; the history, company structure, and the globalization is why the corporation is as successful as it is today.

The history of Walt Disney is why the corporation is a dominant giant in the world of business. Whoever is on top of major corporations did not get there with victory after victory. Repeatedly throughout history, these people were faced with several problems which made them work harder like Walt Disney. As a young adult, Disney had a passion for acting and drawing. When his time was done at Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio, he decided to join Kansas City Film Ad Company where he learned that cel animation was the next big thing in cartoons. Realizing the potential, Disney went away and started his own animation business in Kansas City. As Disney became one of the best "showman" in Kansas, his studio was filling up with debt and eventually went bankrupt. With Disney's fiery passion, he made a bold move to set up a new studio in the movie capital of California. As Disney pooled his money together with his brother Roy to set up a cartoon studio, they both secured a deal with a New York distributor. As the Alice Comedies grew, Disney wanted to increase production budgets under contract with Universal, but talks and compromises failed. Disney once again found himself back to square one with no animation staff. With Disney's perseverance, he created the cartoon character name Mickey Mouse and teamed up with Pat Powers in making one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of the 1930's. Realizing the entertainment industry, Disney expanded into music with Silly Symphonies with little success. After Disney's first Academy Award, the success boosted popularity in the Silly Symphonies and the Three Little Pigs was born, creating a classic. Without Disney's passion in never giving up, this corporation would not be a giant that it is today. It helped set a standard of seriousness which Disney brought to the table which is implemented through the corporation. Also, with Disney's young entrepreneur mind, entering into different areas of entertainment might be worthwhile and rewarding. The most important concept is Disney realizing that if you do not learn from your past mistakes and act upon it, there is no room for growth in business.

The company structure is another reason why the Disney Company is as successful as it is today. With strong corporations comes advanced structuring. Like the United States government, the Disney Company is just as complex if not more. In the company structure, there is the president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board, vice chairman, and the chief operating officer. These men are the top leaders of the corporation and decide what happens next in the future for the Disney Company. Not only do these men make decisions, but also have their own individual work based on their job title. Sure these men are important, but Disney trickles down in many other areas of media and production. With over 22 different sections from; children's TV series, Disney products, and even a Disney University, there is the theme again of the president, vice president and soon on. With Disney's advanced organized company structure, comes the success they have been recognized for and allows no other company in the field able to complete with. Another important notion about the company is that this organized structure allows itself to work like a co-op. As stated by Nina Makofsky from a business article, "A co-op, or cooperative, is typically a business or other enterprise jointly owned by its workers or members. It is an autonomous entity beholden to the missions that are determined by its members. People also form co-ops in the interest of certain economic, cultural, educational or social goals"(Ehow). Sure the Disney Company is not the perfect picture image of a co-up, but is a type of co-op and acts like one. Disney gives the members democratic control to the people who are in charge of the 22 different fields of business Disney has which is the defining quality of a cooperative. Also, all these people in charge share social responsibility, solidarity, and nondiscrimination which then again are qualities of a co-op. Most importantly, the way Disney is designed like a co-op is because it makes the company more successful as a whole. For example, Disney Channel is failing due to decrease in viewers and profits. What Disney is capable of doing is pool other money from other sections like The American Broadcasting which Disney owns and maybe a successful Disney children's television series. Together, Disney will pool the money