{"id":4434,"date":"2015-12-09T01:28:46","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T06:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/to-infinity-and-beyond-disneys-alignment-with-magic\/"},"modified":"2015-12-09T15:45:31","modified_gmt":"2015-12-09T20:45:31","slug":"to-infinity-and-beyond-disneys-alignment-with-magic","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/to-infinity-and-beyond-disneys-alignment-with-magic\/","title":{"rendered":"To Infinity and Beyond: Disney\u2019s Alignment with Magic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u2665\u2665 The Walt Disney World &quot;Wishes&quot; Fireworks Show! (in HD)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WMxgILR8n6Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><i><b>Note: <\/b>Video of Disney&#8217;s<b> Wishes &#8211; A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams <\/b><\/i>Fireworks display.\u00a0Play video while reading.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><u>Business Model<\/u><\/p>\n<p>Founded in 1923, Disney was built on one man\u2019s dream to forge imagination into a \u201cphysical existence that directly influences the experience of others in a positive way.\u201d Delivering <strong><em>MAGIC<\/em><\/strong> to its consumers, whether in the form of an experience, or customer service, has been central to Disney\u2019s Business model from the start. As Disney grew in scope, however, Walt Disney identified the need to infuse this magic across all of his business segments.<\/p>\n<p>Published in 1957, the drawing below captures Walt Disney\u2019s early vision to permeate the value of one central film asset, supported by an array of related entertainment assets. As new subsidiaries and lines of business developed through the years, this synergy map has grown significantly but the commitment to delivering special experiences has remained at the crux. From the iconic park operations, to the production of blockbuster hits, to charitable initiatives, and the management of subsidiaries, this commitment has manifested itself into every inch of Disney corporate DNA, and is perhaps the reason behind Disney\u2019s well aligned Operating Model.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4407\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4407\" style=\"width: 607px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4407\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney.png\" alt=\"1957: Disney Synergy Map\" width=\"607\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney.png 1088w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney-300x262.png 300w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney-1024x894.png 1024w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disney-600x524.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4407\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">1957: Disney Synergy Map<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><u>Operating Model <\/u><\/p>\n<p><strong>Labor: <\/strong>Disney\u2019s human capital has played a huge role in delivering the value of magic to its guests and audiences, and its success has largely been attributed to the aligned processes it has in place for training and hiring. At the top of the pyramid, senior leaders are guided by 10 management principles, including:<\/p>\n<p>1) Make everyone\u2019s dreams come true.<\/p>\n<p>2) Never a customer, always a guest.<\/p>\n<p>3) Capture the magic with storyboard.<\/p>\n<p>Under such guidance, deliberate actions have been taken to ensure full alignment among all employees. On the client facing side, as a corporate mandate, Theme Park employees are required, quite literally to end every sentence with, \u201chave a magical day.\u201d On the R&amp;D side, an entire department of Imagineers are tasked with the sole job of dreaming up and designing creative ideas of\u00a0turning fantasy into reality, directed by no other guidance than to Dream, to Believe, to Dare and to Do.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4411\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4411\" style=\"width: 334px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4411\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disneycastle-300x187.png\" alt=\"Cinderella's Castle\" width=\"334\" height=\"208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disneycastle-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/disneycastle.png 592w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4411\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cinderella&#8217;s Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Intellectual Property: <\/strong>Disney today has amassed a humongous portfolio of intellectual property. In large part, many of Disney\u2019s acquisition decisions have been guided by the search for franchise magic\u00a0that can sit in the center of the aforementioned synergy map. Lucasfilm, and Marvel are just some of the recent examples that come to mind. In other instances, these new lines of business have infused distribution or cultural capabilities into Disney\u2019s organization, creating significant synergies. For example, cable channels such as ABC and ESPN, have expanded Disney\u2019s scope of offering beyond just the delivery of franchises, yet, they act as powerful mediums to distribute and advertise existing brands. In another example, when acquiring Pixar back in 2004, Disney\u2019s Corporate Development team was guided by a deliberate choice to send a signal of creative originality, both inside and outside Disney. In each of these instances, Disney\u2019s decision to amass new intellectual property linked back in some way or form to their original Synergy Map, and commitment to delivering a magical experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Charities:<\/strong> Even Disney\u2019s Charitable initiatives are aligned with its overall mission. In choosing which causes to sponsor, Management is guided by a commitment to youth and community. Disney\u2019s Dreamer and Doer foundation is just one example of Disney\u2019s emphasis on celebrating the <em>power of possibility<\/em> and the youth who take action to improve their community, home or school.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><u>Performance<\/u><\/p>\n<p>Walt Disney\u2019s recipe for value creation was a winner from the start. Disney\u2019s Blockbuster hits are still in large part, central to the synergy map, acting as the distribution channel for imagination. Frozen, Inside Out, Tangled, what do these films have in common? The MAGIC itself, whether that be a heroine to believe in, a perpetuated feeling of eternal innocence, the gift of hope, or the fantasy of a fairytale ending.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, even without a strong franchise center, Disney has figured out a way to capitalize by leveraging the existence of its current synergy map of entertainment platforms. For example, Pixar\u2019s Cars was a relative box office disappointment, yet, Disney was able to turn a huge profit by selling 100mm model vehicles on the back of the film\u2019s release, and by leveraging its theme parks where it brought imagination, in literal sense, into reality through its Cars Land attraction.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4423\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4423\" style=\"width: 336px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/carsland.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4423\" src=\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/carsland.jpeg\" alt=\"Disney's Cars Land\" width=\"336\" height=\"212\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4423\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Disney&#8217;s Cars Land<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The results have been fruitful. Disney\u2019s stock price has experienced gains of more than 25% in the last 12 months, and has almost tripled in share price since January of 2011. A central vision to deliver magic\u00a0through a myriad of entertainment channels, supplemented by core management principles, and the ability to transform films and characters into global franchises combine for a winning business, and clients and investors alike have recognized.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sources <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/cdn.thewaltdisneycompany.com\/sites\/default\/files\/reports\/10k-wrap-2014_1.pdf<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/marketrealist.com\/2015\/07\/disney-stock-performance-magical-investors\/<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/maaw.info\/ArticleSummaries\/ArtSumCapodagliJackson99.htm<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/suitcasesopendoors.blogspot.com\/2010\/04\/disney-companys-10-management.html<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/hbr.org\/2013\/05\/what-makes-a-good-corporate-st<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/disneyimaginations.com<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/www.economist.com\/node\/11058438<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/www.nasdaq.com\/article\/is-now-the-right-time-to-buy-disney-stock-cm549543<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No other corporation in America has more effectively monetized the key thing we all hold dearest to our hearts, MAGIC. To adults and adolescents alike, Disney caters to the inner child in all of us. Making us feel that much closer to the fantasy of eternal innocence, Disney has the ability to makes us believe, just for a moment, that \u201cwhen you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":598,"featured_media":4738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[144],"class_list":["post-4434","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/the-tom-challenge-tom-winners-and-losers-assignment\/","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>To Infinity and Beyond: Disney\u2019s Alignment with Magic - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/to-infinity-and-beyond-disneys-alignment-with-magic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"To Infinity and Beyond: Disney\u2019s Alignment with Magic - Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"No other corporation in America has more effectively monetized the key thing we all hold dearest to our hearts, MAGIC. 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