Strategic Plan for Disney
Running head: DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 1
Strategic Plan for Disney
Name
Institution
DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 2
Table of Contents
Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Disney’s Current Published Mission Statement ………………………………………………………………3
Proposed Mission & Vision ………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Disney’s External Threats and Opportunities ………………………………………………………………….5
Competitive Profile Matrix …………………………………………………………………………………………..5
External Factor Evaluation …………………………………………………………………………………………..6
Disney’s Internal Strengths and Weaknesses ………………………………………………………………….8
Internal Factor Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………………….9
SWOT Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9
Strengths: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9
Weaknesses: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10
Opportunities: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Threats: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
Recommended Strategies and Objectives ……………………………………………………………………..10
Strategy Implementation …………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Annual Objectives and Policies …………………………………………………………………………………..14
Timeline for Integration of Project Coordination Office …………………………………………………14
Strategy Review and Evaluation ………………………………………………………………………………….15
DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 3
Introduction
The Walt Disney Company represents a truly immense organization composed of
four strategic business units (SBUs) which, with the consideration of the consolidated
revenue, represented roughly a whopping 35.5 billion dollars in 2007. The four SBUs are
Disney Consumer Products, Studio Entertainment, Parks and Resorts, and Media Networks
Broadcasting , and these can be further subdivided into 28 categories and are composed of a
plethora of brands. The only two fundamental commonalities that can be deduced upon
inspection of the entirety of the Walt Disney Company’s holdings are entertainment and
information. Every business activity the organization is engaged in is related in some manner
to providing its consumer base entertainment and/or information.
Despite the two commonalities of the Walt Disney Company’s activities, there exists
a tremendous spectrum of variety in its operations. One of the growth strategies that have
helped the conglomeration reach its current level of success is the fact that the organization
has expanded, both vertically and horizontally, into new markets by targeted segmentation.
In most cases, it reaches these market segments with an acquired brand, such as ESPN, ABC,
and Miramax Films. Furthermore, it is only through the diversification in branding that
Disney has grown simply because the children’s brand is comparatively limited in terms of
the target demographic. It is also the same diversity that minimizes the systemic risk
involved with operating in too narrow of a portfolio.
Disney’s Current Published Mission Statement
Walt Disney’s does not have a published vision statement. However, their
current mission statement can be found on their website (The Walt Disney Company,
n.d.). The current mission statement reads as follows:
DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 4
The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world’s leading
producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of
brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to
develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences
and related products in the world.
The mission statement is subject to criticism and seems almost as if it is outdated. For
example, Walt Disney is already one of the world’s leading producers of the goods and
services it markets. Therefore, there is no direction or purpose inherent in this statement other
than the maintenance of its current position. Furthermore, Disney’s Media Networks accounts
for the largest revenue generator (43%) among different SBUs. However, it almost seems as
if the role of information provider is somewhat downplayed by the restating of their
dedication to entertainment in the second part of the mission statement. With these criticisms
in mind, an updated version of the mission statement will be proposed.
Proposed Mission and Vision
The proposed mission statement for the company is slightly lengthier but retains
the overall composition of the current statement with slight alterations to incorporate the
points mentioned. The proposed statement reads as follows:
The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be the largest and most trusted
producer and provider of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of
brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we will
become the most responsive and adaptable to serve the needs of the consumers’ in
our target markets. We will maintain our integrity and adhere to the core values
upon which our company was founded as we create the most innovative and
profitable entertainment experiences, most reliable and relevant informational
services, and related products in the world.
DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 5
It is also important to consider the fact that Disney’s diversity prohibits the possibility
of creating an encompassing mission statement for all of its various activities. This
undoubtedly reduces the possibility that a vision statement could successfully align all of the
different divisions. Consequently, this may be the primary reason why the company does not
have a published vision statement. Disney’s main competitor, Time Warner, has an even less
substantial published statement. As opposed to a conventional mission statement, Time
Warner publishes a list of core values (Time Warner Corporate, n.d.). The diversity of these
companies would only make such statements relevant at the divisional level.
Disney’s External Threats and Opportunities
The individual external threats to Walt Disney are equally as diversified as the
company itself. However, one of the greatest potential risks to the overall aspirations of the
company is rooted in the protection of its brand(s) image and credibility. The incredible
history of the Walt Disney Company and its positive reputation are deeply engrained within
the United States’ cultural heritage and as well as around the world. This is also evident in
the fact that Walt Disney’s balance sheet boasts exorbitant amounts of intangible assets and
goodwill. According to the company’s balance sheet in 2007, Disney accounted for over 24
billion dollars in intangible assets. Intangible assets are inherently more subject to risks than
more traditional assets. Therefore, a balance must be achieved that embraces diversity in
branding but also maintains a healthy risk adversity to any potential threats to its brand(s)
integrity.
Competitive Profile Matrix
The Competitive Profile Matrix has been applied to Walt Disney and how they rate
with regards to their closest competitor, Time Warner. Although this method of analysis
provides some insights to the competitive landscape, it must be noted that the two
competitors do not operate along the same lines. Disney has carved out its own niche position
DISNEY CASE ANALYSIS 6
over the years and it operates through a unique portfolio that only directly competes with
Time Warner on one front, the Media Network. Therefore, this analysis should only be
considered on a superficial level as it may not accurately represent the state of
competition between the said companies.
Critical Success Factors Weight Walt Disney Weighted Time Warner Weighted
Advertising 0.2 4 0.8 3 0.6
Product Quality 0.1 2 0.2 3 0.3
Price Competiveness 0.1 2 0.2 2 0.2
Management 0.1 4 0.4 3 0.3
Financial Position 0.15 4 0.6 4 0.6
Customer Loyalty 0.1 4 0.4 3 0.3
Global Expansion 0.2 3 0.6 3 0.6
Market Share 0.05 3 0.15 4 0.2
Total 1 3.35 3.1
Table 1. External Factor Evaluation
Key External Factors
Opportunities Weight Rating Weighted Score
New Market Segments 0.08 4 0.32
New Global Markets 0.1 2 0.2
New Attractions for Theme Parks 0.05 3 0.15
Movie Opportunities 0.1 3 0.3
New Media Channels 0.1 4 0.4
Web Opportunities 0.04 2 0.08
Inventory Management 0.03 3 0.09
Product/Service Versioning 0.04 3 0.12
0
Threats 0
Fierce Competition for all SBUs 0.1 3 0.3
Maintaining Product Differentation 0.05 3 0.15
Recession 0.06 2 0.12
Controlling Intellectual Properties 0.08 3 0.24
Maintaining Brand Image 0.1 3 0.3
Embedded within US Culture 0.04 2 0.08
Activists – Religious, Animal, Sexual Content 0.03 1 0.03
1 2.88
Table 2.
Disney’s External Factor Evaluation reveals that the organization operates within an
incredibly complex environment, yet, it has a plethora of opportunities. These opportunities
can be generally reduced into one of two activities; they vertically expand into new market
segments or horizontally expand into new markets all together. The opportunities also
generally require an innovative approach to manifest their success, in which Disney has
rich supply of historical examples.
The major threats that Disney faces include protecting their intellectual properties,
especially in the Studio Entertainment division, as well as threats generated by an economic
downturn. Most of Disney’s products and services are priced at a premium and therefore
subject to risk in a recessionary period. Another major threat is the fierce level of competition
that each SBU faces independently. There are several competitors in the Theme Park industry
but when it comes to movies and television, the number of rivals are too numerous to even
mention.
Disney’s Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
Disney’s internal strengths are composed mainly of the company’s innovative
leveraging of its financial prowess and tremendous brand recognition to move vertically and
horizontally into new markets. Innovation has been at the core of Disney’s organizational
culture virtually from day one. The fact that their portfolio is so diversified also offers the
company substantial advantages in terms of risk mitigation. Consequently, this offers a layer
of protection against any macroeconomic turbulence.
One major weakness that Disney is currently facing is the return on investments
allocated to the Studio Productions. This is undoubtedly a consequence of piracy in the movie
industry. The case mentions the loss of income generated in terms of the required investment
as a major concern for the company. Disney’s diversity offers a competitive advantage in the
movie industry when compared to other production firms that only operate in that one
particular industry. However, the loss of the profit margins that movies once generated is a
troubling predicament for management.
Internal Factor Evaluation
Key Internal Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score
Strengths
Targeted (SBU) Approach 0.14 4 0.56
Diversified Portfolio 0.1 4 0.4
Inventory Reduction 0.07 3 0.21
Cable/Satillite Growth 0.11 3 0.33
Innovative On-Demand Products 0.09 3 0.27
Successful Version Efforts 0.08 2 0.16
Weaknesses 0
Studio Entertainment ROI 0.1 2 0.2
Control Over SBUs 0.12 3 0.36
Complicated Theme Park Growth Strategy 0.06 2 0.12
Product Differentation 0.13 2 0.26
1 2.87
Table 3.
SWOT Analysis
As previously mentioned, the diversity of the Walt Disney Company holdings makes
many traditional forms of analyses irrelevant at the corporate level. One of the primary
advantages of the SBU structure is that it allows the individual divisions to tailor their
strategies to fit the needs of their specific market. For example, a Porter’s Five Forces
analysis would include a barrier to entry force which could only be accurately constructed
for each individual market where the corporation operates in. Trying to encompass the
vastness of operations into a single organizational strategy requires a very broad and
generalized vantage point. To achieve this, a simple SWOT analysis is conducted to
maintain the perspective required in compiling the effects of diversity into a single analysis.
Strengths
Stable Revenue and Profit
Growth Diversified Portfolio
Tremendous Brand Recognition
Responsiveness to Markets
Substantial Asset Holdings
Weaknesses
Top Tier Management Turnover
Redundancy in Business Functions Due to SBU Structure
Inclusion of High-Risk Investments in Holdings
Lack of Corporate Control over Divisions
Growth Barriers in Theme Parks
Opportunities
Continued Growth through Further Diversification
New Markets Available for Expansion (Foreign Opportunities)
Potential for Enhanced Web Presence
Further Penetration of Target Markets through Versioning
Knowledge Management-Information Transfer
Threats
Loss of Control over SBUs
Recession
Negative Publicity
Fierce Competition
Poorly Integrated Acquisitions
Recommended Strategies and Objectives
The recommended strategies for the Walt Disney Company are composed of
initiatives on two separate fronts. First SBUs must continue to strengthen operations by
identifying new opportunities in the current target markets. This recommendation lies
squarely in the skill set of management and there are several examples of innovation that
have already been implemented. Such examples include the investment in video on demand
technology with Cox Communications and the new attractions that are being planned for the
theme parks. However, the most striking example of innovative ideas is Disney’s real estate
venture that takes their “magic” to a whole new level. In this case, Disney successfully
leveraged its incredible brand recognition in the real estate market by creating communities
with their image marketing theme coupled with their branding, and consequentially adding
value to the consumer. The initial phase of this project was a success, selling over 6,000 homes
at a premium, and further communities are now in the works (Reso, 2010).
This type of innovative leveraging of the Disney brand represents the second strategy
recommendation. Their endeavors into new markets, both in and out of the SBU structure,
must maintain Disney’s values and be fully compatible with either their entertainment niche
or also possibly along the informational divisions. Another example that falls within the
traditional SBU structure with regards to growth through acquisition that has proven
successful is Disney’s acquisition of Pixar Entertainment (La Monica, 2006). This move was
completely in line with Disney’s strong roots in animation and not only acted to benefit that
individual SBU, but also strengthened the brand as a whole. Also, they now have veteran
innovator in the form of Steve Jobs on the board since Jobs was the CEO of Pixar.
Strategy Implementation
For 2008, to continue its growth ambitions, Disney must continue its innovative
developments from within the traditional SBU structure. Moreover, it must scan for
opportunities, such as the real estate venture, which lie outside the traditional hierarchy. To
achieve this growth, Disney Corporate must not only foster the culture of innovation that
builds from a bottom up approach through the SBU hierarchy. In fact, it must also be
innovative itself in identifying new opportunities. This requires a corporate project
coordination team that will engage in projects management until the point when the project
has been integrated into the SBUs or when it becomes a standalone SBU in the future.
To maintain the level of innovation already exhibited in the SBUs, Disney must
constantly revitalize the organization so that the culture does not become stagnant at any point.
This will translate into giving them the room needed for creativity, and providing
incentives and rewarding the most successful cases. Walt Disney himself had a pretty unique
system to generate creativity (Mycoted, n.d.). It is important that the acquired
conglomeration of separate activities not lose sight of such a foundation in the face of the
pressures produced from the modern business environment.
With the goal of innovation implemented through acquisitions and new projects and a
new division to house a project management team and acquisition team, acquisitions
generally lie within the realm of specialized project management so the group can simply be
referred to as the project management coordination office. The project management team
will work to inject the field’s best practices into both the SBUs’ projects as well as into the
corporate projects. The role of the team is to coordinate and monitor projects without stifling
any creativity from the project team. Research shows that projects, when utilizing project
management best practices, are vastly more successful. It is difficult to forecast how much
revenue this will generate but it can be compared to the current growth in net profits.
Net Income in Millions
2004 2345 % Growth
2005 2533 8.02%
2006 3374 33.20%
2007 4687 38.92%
Target
2008 6561.8 40%
2009 9186.52 40%
2010 12861.13 40%
Table 4.
Between 2004 and 2007, Disney has experienced a tremendous growth in net income.
To maintain such exponential growth rate is unconceivable so the target growth rate is set
slightly higher than the increase since the rate of increased profitability is already almost
unfathomable.
The project coordination team should budget no less than 20 million in 2008 and
allow a 10 percent growth in salaries per year. Since the target rate of return is now set at
40 percent, the net present value of this expenditure can now be calculated.
Project Coordination Division Costs
Cost in Millions
2008 20 NPV Cost $34.33
2009 22
2010 24.2
Table 5.
Therefore, the expenditure would be justified if the project coordination team
succeeds in maintaining the current growth. Another advantage to centralizing the project
process would be that the net present values could compare among all the divisions. For
example, the project return threshold point should obviously be 40 percent. However, if a
certain project in a SBU is 80 percent while another is 50 percent, then both would be
worthwhile, but a centralized team could prioritize the funding based on the projected
returns.
Simplified Consolated Income Statement w/ Centralized Project Coordination (In Milions)
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Revenues 30752 31944 34285 35510 37681.8 40908.52 45135.33
Costs & Expenses 26704 27837 28807 28729 29000 29500 30000
Other Expenses & Taxes 1703 1574 2104 2094 2100 2200 2250
Project Coordination 0 0 0 0 20 22 24.2
Net Income 2345 2533 3374 4687 6561.8 9186.52 12861.13