Managerial Self Development For Cultural Aspects

Elements of Culture as Discussed in the Case Study

Discuss about the Managerial Self Development for Cultural Aspects.

Cultural aspects are dominant in the study that calibrates the effects of culture on the prevalence of business more so those that encroach foreign countries.  The first element is symbols. Symbols are evident in the journey of Disney. When Disney was establishing its theme park in Hong Kong, it was influenced to be keen on the exterior and the interior architecture of the buildings (Du, 2016).The exterior and the interior designs were to symbolize the relatedness of humanity and the earth. Moreover, the buildings were also supposed to express the geographical landscape. Similarly, Disney had to embrace the red color in all of its color schemes in the theme park (Ku, 2016). The red color depicted prosperity and thus for the business to be sustain of its unforeseeable future, it had to be part of this culture that treasured and adored the red color.  Symbols guided the strategic operations of the company. Symbolism was embraced in the bid to be part of this great culture that determined the acceptability of the hospitality company.

Simultaneously, language as also an element of culture in the prospects of Disney, the language of the host country was significant in the determination of the language policy that could form the official communication in the theme park (Campton, T., Hansen, C., Moed, S., Raffanello, J., & Winkler, R. , 2014).  In the case of the Paris Disney, the company was said to have unheeded the French as their national language. Disney had done this through the implementation of the strict English-only policy (Newell, 2013). In the contest of the Hong Kong Disney, the languages, three languages were paramount that is English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. It is thus of essence that the workers of the Hong Kong Disney were supposed to be conversant with the three languages.   The use of the host’s country languages in the theme parks in the various countries was in the move to establish a connection between the culture of the parent company and the host company (Denzin, N. K. , 2015). The use of English was used as the blend between the languages of the two countries.  The neglecting of the national language of the host country was an automatic instigation of a conflict.

Norms refer to the common way of performing activities by a particular group. In the case of the Disney, the company had to change its management style from its fundamental hierarchical management structure (Robbins, F., & G Polite, M. , 2014).  Also, Disney was pushed to reduce the number of employees so as to be able to ensure the effectiveness of the organization. The empowerment of the workers is crucial, and that is why Disney in Paris had to engage in a lot of training of its employees. Disney initially in Paris had placed a ban on the use of alcohol in the park.   The norms of the company promoted the use of alcohol. The company thus had to uplift the embargo (Smither, R., Houston, J., & McIntire, S. , 2016). The other norm that was in Paris was the low prices in the merchandise. It was thus essential for the company to lower the premiums that it had placed on its merchandise.

Symbols

The norms that were cultivated in Hong Kong were primarily based on the Feng Shui superstitions. The Feng Shui is important in the culture that an organization.  The Feng Shui norms demanded the use of specific numerals that were characterized to be associated with good luck and wealth (Matusitz, J., & Palermo, L. , 2014). Disney had to use some specific digits such as 2238 that was used in the decoration of lotuses.  Also, the company had to exclude the use of green color in its theme park because depicted a negative attitude to the people who bought items of this color.

Values for the Disney were imperative. It was crucial for Disney in Paris to change its way of operation due to the values that the French country had.  Paris valued morality and freedom. When Disney was establishing it received a lot of opposition by Paris due to the America culture that they were displaying (Bohas, A. , 2015).The Paris people were pissed off by way of dressing of the  Americans, and they believed that they had come to disrupts the cultural beliefs that they held so high.   To add on, the French people also that the Americans were aiming at bringing imperialism into their country.

Rituals were an integral part of the Chinese culture, and it was supposed to be inculcated in every aspect of life.    It was relevant for Disney to ensure that it performed rituals after finishing the construction of each building. Other ceremonies included that of energy and the tapping of luck by incorporating corners in the building process.

Disney was in the best position of learning that the culture of the host country played a significant role in the performance of an institution. The company correctly learned that the culture of the people determined the expectation of the workers. For instance, the workers of Paris expected that the company was supposed to initiate training and development of their skills in hospitality (Jones, P., Jones, P., Hillier, D., Hillier, D., Comfort, D., & Comfort, D., 2016). Similarly, the company learned that the attitudes of the people in the host country towards the company molded the image that it could be portrayed with.  For instance, in this case, the company had a bad image due to the culture that it had brought and specifically the dressing code and the under grading of their national language (Karadjova-Stoev, G., & Mujtaba, B. G. , 2016). The company also identified that the prices of the commodities determined the marketability of the merchandise. The high prices are unacceptable, and thus it had to reduce the premium. Disney learned that it could not attain performance by merely implementing the culture of their parent country in a foreign country that had its way of doing things (Kwantes, C. T., & Glazer, S. , 2017).The culture of a host country affected all the major factors of the company from human resource, pricing, policies to the management of the company.

Language

Disney should look into its operations through the use of the most appropriate analytical tools. The analytical tools include the BCG matrix, SWOT analysis, bench making and the gap analysis. The BCG matrix will help in the identification of which areas need to be allocated more resources than others.  For instance, the   Disney’s cash cows quadrant would be the attractive theme park that is rich with culture and magnificence. It can thus depend on this in acquiring of the stable income from the services provided to the locals and the visitors (Bock, A., Frank, U., Bergmann, A., & Strecker, S. (, November). , 2016). The stars, in this case, would be the competent staff that makes the company have the competitive advantage in the hospitality industry. In the event of the stars, the company should emphasize in the training of its staff from time to time so that they are always conversant with the emerging contingency skills.  Disney can also look into its dog's quadrant that can be the American culture inculcated in the organization. The incorporation of the American culture into the operations of the company has limited benefits. Scarce resources should be allocated to the sector. The company should consider retrenching the unwanted American culture in the theme parks. 

The gap analysis technique would be useful in the comparison of the actual results of the company about the expected results of the enterprise (Kuratko, D. F., Hornsby, J. S., & Covin, J. G. , 2014). In the case of Paris, the company should compare the performance that was anticipated and the actual results.  The variance needs to be corrected in the light of the objectives of the enterprise. The problems thus will be solved to close the gap that is between the performances.

 The bench making tool will aid in the comparison of the performance or the operation techniques of the company and that of the other businesses in the industry.   The company can finance the interaction of the staff of the enterprise with staff from another hospitality company so as to necessitate the exchange of ideas (Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. , 2014).The ideas can be used in the prompting of performance to entice new customers and in developing new markets.  The bench making will also aid in the company identifying how the other companies are dealing with problems such as dealing with the diverse cultures at the workplace or the integration of the activities of the company with the culture of the locals.

Norms and Beliefs

The SWOT analysis will instigate the company to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats that are associated everyday activities of Disney. The identification of the company’s strengths will help the company strategize on how to utilize them to capacity given the required (Fletcher, 2016).Working on its strengths will give the company a competitive edge in the market. For instance, if the appreciating the local culture and integrating it into the business will lead to a good reputation, then the company can direct more funds in the research and development department so as to get the best out of business. 

The company wills possible ways of dealing with the weaknesses that it has in the host country so as to create an efficient environment for its activities.  The shortcomings in this scenario will be the incorporation of the diverse cultures into the firm. The company will thus employ more specialist experts that will guide the company in the embracing the various cultures at the workplace.

 The opportunities for the enterprise can be invested in the bid to reduce the problem that the firm is facing. For instance,   the company has the opportunity of developing a broad market in Hong Kong (Mazalová, I., & Richter, J., 2016).  The market has the potential to grow, and thus the company can demand a significant market share so that it can earn profits in the long run and the short run. The other opportunity would be to develop other products and services in   Paris and Hong Kong.

The threats of the company majorly include incompatible cultures and the political stability of the company.  The company to reduce the impact of the threats, it can engage in CSR activities that can promote peace in the host countries (Gray, 2013). The incompatible cultures can be captured through the embracing of training.  Threats can only be reduced for most of the time they are stirred by the uncontrollable factors.

Evaluation of the impact of the Disney’s interpersonal and the cultural awareness skills on their performance and how the Chinese culture with its Hong Kong ventures.

It was paramount for the company to have identified that it needed to incorporate the culture of the locals so as to prosper Hong Kong. It was helpful for the company also given the capable and rapidly developing economies. The interpersonal and the cultural awareness skills led to its competitive advantage. The company has the potential in the market through the creation of a positive image for its brand.  Through the identification of the key aspects of the  Chinese culture, the company was able to comply with the requirements of the locals and this the business increased its market share  and has prospects for a bright future ahead.

Values

The organization constructed its building according to the beliefs of the Fend Shui.  It utilized the culture of forming the interior and the exterior walls that depicted the landscape. The theme park was decorated in numerals that according to the Chinese culture instigated luck; for instance, the use of 2238. The company also did not avail green merchandise in its premises for it was associated with adultery of the wife of the person that wore it.

The company theme color was red an indication of prosperity. It was clear that every theme that the theme park symbolized the rich culture of the Chinese. The building had to associate harmony and the earth.  It can be certain that the beliefs of the Chinese about the use of their culture in the business breed success.  The company identified this, and thus it did not want to take chances. It is also of essence that the company had learned its lessons from the hostility that it had to keep up with the previous countries that it had availed their hospitality services.

 The company cultivated the best skills in its policy making more so in its human resource department. The company was knowledgeable that the use of the native languages could reduce the chances of discrimination allegations from the employees. The company had learned from the Paris market that most of the employees perceived the English-only policy as a tool for discriminating the French workers in their country. Also, the company employed employees who could speak various languages.  This was a technique to welcome all the visitors and the locals to the theme park.  Most if not all the cultures were appreciated by Disney.

The inculcation of the rich Chinese culture and the knowledge of grabbing the hospitality in Hong Kong through the practicing of the lessons learned and the seeking of information from experts from individuals that were knowledgeable about the Feng Shui. This has been a  stepping stone to this market that will give the company nothing less than profits and popularity. Disney was aware of the values, beliefs, attitudes, rituals, norms, language that gave the hospitality company the face of an entirely Chinese customized hospitality industry.

Dubai as a country is significantly different from China.  Thus it is essential to identify that the strategies that were employed in Hong Kong definitely will not be viable in this country that not only hosts the Emirates but over other citizens from over 150 countries.  It is thus imperative to identify, unlike Hong Kong that majorly had the Chinese people. Embracing one culture will at not extent create a competitive advantage for Disney.

Rituals

The country majorly is dominated by Muslims, and thus there is need to incorporate them into the strategic planning of the theme park. For instance, there should be an excluded section  in the food court that would be used by the non-Muslims during alcohol and  pork consumption (Goby, V. P., Goby, V. P., Ali, H. M. A., Ali, H. M. A., Lanjawi, M. A. A., Lanjawi, M. A. A., ... & Al Haddad, K. I. M. A., 2017).  Muslims are barred from taking the two by their religion.  Islam also calls for prayer sessions from time to time.  It is thus paramount for Disney to include praying rooms that will allow the Muslims to pray comfortably while at they are at the theme park Again. It is the nature of the  Arabs to shop, thus to take advantage of this; the company will have to   consider having a one-stop shop that will contain a comprehensive product line for Arabs that treasure shopping in luxurious malls.

Also, the presence of tourists in the population of Dubai creates the impression that the theme park should be an area that is attractive and enjoyable to visit. If the company  takes this up then it  is promised  of a high flow of  tourists in its premise (Alawadi, K., & Dooling, S. , 2016).The opening time of the theme park should also be strategized, in this country, the temperatures during the day are scorching, and thus the company can open during the late hours when the temperatures are low. Alternatively, the company can install air conditioners or cooling water sprayers to regulate the temperatures.

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