Creativity at the Walt Disney Compan - Essay Example

Creativity and Business Introduction and definition Creativity is the process of generation new and useful ideas and putting them into use (Mumford 2002:110). It is characterized by an individual’s ability to produce solutions to problems, view the world in a unique way, and merge different ideas and to point out connections between occurrences that are seemingly non-existent. Creation is a result of creativity and dates back since the beginning to time. In my paper, after defining creativity, I will discuss a company’s organizational structure and its products and gauge its creativity according to this. Creativity is a two-step process; the thought process and the production process. The thought process involves coming up with a solution to a problem. Usually, people think the thought process without production is creativity but without putting the ideas into a working system, they will just be ideas (Dyer, Gregersen & Christensen 2009) We can therefore say that a person who engages in the thought process without production is imaginative not creative. Creativity is essential for a business to grow in production and scale. According to Hill, Brandeau & Truelove (2014), many businesses try to set the creative minds apart with the belief that their minds work differently from the rest of the workforce. However according to research study done by Dyer et al. (2009), innovative people all have a five skill-set and that is associating, networking, observing, questioning and experimenting. Anyone can certainly nurture this set of skills. It therefore tramps the notion that creativity is in born or reserved only for ‘special, talented people’. In structuring an organization, it becomes difficult to allow everyone to contribute his or her ideas. There will be a bulk load of ideas as everyone in the right situation can explore their natural creative. Organizational heads should be careful as the numerous ideas can overwhelm them. Essentially, they should structure the organization to allow for sharing of information but as a group for example a department (Burkus 2013). Creativity and business When looking at businesses and the creative process, I will look at both their organizational structure and the product the sell. When it comes to organizational structure, I will compare the company’s structure against other and find out why they are different. My focus will not be on the financial gains of the company mainly, but on the consumer loyalty to its product and the nature of the product itself. When choosing a company for this topic, I went for a well-recognized one that had been operation for a significant amount of time. The Walt Disney Company is recognized throughout the world and was founded decades ago. The length of time it has been in operation also influenced this choice. Most people in the world know the Walt Disney Company as being an animation-oriented film studio. However, in their creativity they did not let just film define them (Gabler 2007). From the time the Disney brothers, Walt and Roy, formed it in 1923 it has undergone gradual changes from just a cartoon studio to a multi-national mass media corporation. Since then it has expanded its operations to include live-action film production with actual people in it, designing theme parks, and radio, music and theatre productions. The company also owns several television networks in the United States of America. According to Forbes Magazine, Walt Disney Company operates in five business sectors: Media Networks, Parks & Resorts, Studio Entertainment, Consumer Products and Interactive Media. In Media Networks, the company owns as well as co-owns several domestic and international cable networks like the ABC family. It has designed and built 14 theme parks in the world including the Disneyland Resorts with resort hotels complexes. The studio entertainment segment produces animated motion pictures and live-action films. It distributes these films through its own distribution and marketing network. The consumer products it sells include comic books, magazines and licenses its characters for other manufacturers to use. Interactive Media includes video games and creating character-themed gifts in their online store. This goes to show how diversified the company really is. When it comes to organizational structure, the Walt Disney Company does not follow the norm of having a hierarchical structure that most businesses would likely follow. Instead, they base their structure on the process rather than the management. The management does not interfere with the production process, as theirs is to provide stability to the Company while the production team support the creative process. It is a heavily product-oriented and innovation-centered company so the organization heads hire so many contractual workers that sometimes outnumber the permanent workforce. This gives large room for the creative process to be furthered without interference from the corporates. Walt Disney Companies together with its subsidiaries is well recognized throughout the world. Its animated characters especially Mickey Mouse is somewhat a phenomenon. Its products are usually family oriented. Because it has reach throughout the world as both parents and children have an incline to using their products. It is for this reason among others that this company serves as a solids example for a company leading in creativity. Another reason why this company works for my essay is that it is highly diversified. Since its inception in 1923, it has grown drastically. From doing animated motion pictures, to doing films that have topped the Box Office for example The Lion King, to owning television networks and building theme parks and resorts. This is clearly a creative way of diversifying revenue and connecting more with the consumer. Also, with the opening of the online stores to purchase Disney products, there is a clear indication that the company does extensive research on technological trends. Conclusion In conclusion, creativity is a thought and production process. It is only by a small percentage genetic while the rest is cultivated through sheer effort and behavioral skills. Creativity is important for business growth, expansion and stability. Most organizations structure their communication channels with this in mind to cultivate an innovative environment. A good example is the Walt Disney Company, which besides its large scale and profitable product, has a good number of affiliates that further its creative process. Bibliography Burkus, D., 2013, The myths of creativity: The truth about how innovative companies and people generate ideas, Jossey-Bass Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., Christensen, C., 2009, The innovator’s DNA, Harvard Business Review Press, Boston, MA. Gabler N., 2007, Walt Disney: The triumph of the American imaginative, Vintage Publishing. Hill L., Brandeau G., Truelove E., 2014 Collective genius: The art and practice of leading innovation, Harvard Business Review Press, Boston, MA. Mendelson, S., 2014, World’s most valuable brands, Forbes Magazine, 15, May, p-12 Read More