Disneyland Strong Culture

QUESTION 3

3.1 Disneyland is a “strong culture” organisation. The organisation – and the employees themselves – produce and reproduce the culture. Discuss five examples of how culture forms at Disneyworld and how the organisation maintains it. (10)

According to the Disney Institute (2015) the processes of “employee selection, training, care, and communication are crucial to creating and nurturing a culture of excellence”. These processes therefore form the basis on which Disneyland produce and reproduce their unique organisational culture. Disneyland employees are carefully chosen according to very specific attributes, then trained and further moulded “through a process carefully set up to strip away the job relevance of other sources

Carefully designed waiting lines that resemble “a snakelike pattern”, along with “visual and audio entertainment” and ride schedules elevate long queues (Watts, 1997:389; as cited Van Maanen, 1991: M10-10).
7. Disneyland is synonymous with the feeling of happiness, a place filled laughter and fun (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-14).

b. Make a list of seven values at Disneyland. (7)

1. “Customer is king” (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-18)
2. “Everyone is a child at heart when at Disneyland” (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-18)
3. Disneyland is the soi-disant “Happiest place on Earth” (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-13).
4. Disneyland’s “product is emotion”, constructed on “laughter and well-being” (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-14)
5. Disneyland is a “feeling business and make their profits from emotion” (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-14)
6. The use of language at Disneyland is important, for example customers are called guests, rides are called attractions, policemen are called security hosts, and uniforms are called costumes (Van Maanen, 1991: M10-17)
7. The Disneyland experience of fun, joy and a wonderful feeling have been made universal, as Disney was able to recreate and perfect another efficient and effective amusement park in another completely different environment (Van Maanen, 1992: 17).
c. Discuss four assumptions that define Disney’s organisational culture.