Historical and Modern Management Practices Applied at Disney World: Out with the Old and in with the New?

Abstract

In today’s expanding and ever-evolving global marketplace, managers are beginning to be required to work with their companies and employees in entirely different ways. Explained in-depth throughout the entirety of the article is the 20th century management techniques pioneered by Taylor, then reformed by Weber and Fayol, contrasted against the ahead-of-its-time behavioural management and the 21st century market-based management styles. Credit will, of course, be given where earned to the first style since it is focused on a centralised and bureaucratic method that worked extremely well in the Industrial Revolution time period. Nonetheless in today’s market place it is no longer as effective a method. At present, managers must learn more from what the second style emphasises, which is a more horizontal and incorporated standpoint. Conveniently,enough the company incorporated into this article is the perfect example to use when illustrating both sets of management techniques. Disney’s longest-standing CEO Michael Eisner followed the conservative administrative approach, while his successor, Robert Iger follows the behavioural method. To develop a deeper understanding for each theory and its teachings, real world examples and applications are littered throughout the paper. Implications and recommendations for managers who want to create immediate and measureable value for their firms are provided.