The enchanted realm of diversity: how to make Disney more diverse without losing the essence of the brand
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Summary
The case addresses the trajectory of Thiago, a young Brazilian from humble origins, inspired by the magic of Disney since childhood. After overcoming challenges, he applies to Disney's Cultural Exchange program, goes through a rigorous selection process and finally fulfills his dream of working at the company. However, when joining the program, Thiago and his colleagues begin to face challenges related to working conditions, aesthetic standards and lack of representation. Faced with the difficulties, Thiago, along with other members of the team, decides to present his concerns to supervisor Stacy.
Keywords: Disney Cultural Exchange Diversity
Abstract
The case follows Thiago's journey, a young Brazilian from humble origins, inspired by Disney magic since childhood. After overcoming challenges, he applies for Disney's Cultural Exchange program, undergoes a rigorous selection process, and finally fulfills his dream of working for the company. However, upon joining the program, Thiago and his colleagues face challenges related to working conditions, aesthetic standards, and lack of representation. Faced with difficulties, Thiago, along with other team members, decides to voice their concerns to supervisor Stacy.
Key words: Disney, Cultural Exchange, Diversity
Where the dreams come true
Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Marceline (Illinois) and came from a humble and hardworking home. Before creating what would become one of the largest companies in the world, Walt left school in high school to enlist in the military. After the end of the war, he returned to the United States and began working as a draftsman. Gaining experience and improving his skills, he founded, together with his brother, a dream that he never thought would be realized, which was the Disney Brothers Studio , which would later become Walt Disney Productions and which today is the largest entertainment company in the world.
"You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it is necessary to have people to turn your dream into reality." - Walt Disney
Just as Walt Disney came from humble Illinois, Thiago came from Ilhéus, in the interior of Bahia, raised by a humble and hardworking family, having two older brothers who, like him, had no expectation of growth and thought that their dreams were intangible goals. However, both Thiago and his brothers stood out from their colleagues and friends, due to their perseverance, intelligence and empathy.
During his childhood, Thiago watched Disney movies with his grandfather, which made him develop a very large affective memory after his death. In addition to affective memory, the brand has become an escape valve from reality, as well as a source of inspiration to conquer your battles. Over time, Thiago began to see Disney as a professional dream and was eager to participate in the program's selection process Cultural Exchange. This Disney program recruits students from more than ten countries, who are over 18 years old at the time of application, who are also enrolled in a regulated degree and requires everyone to be able to speak fluent English. Although Thiago speaks English well, he is not fluent, but fortunately, he meets all the other prerequisites. The only problem is that in Brazil, the company that carries out this process for Disney is Student Travel Bureau (STB) that carries out the selection process only in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Even though Thiago recently moved to the capital of his state, Salvador, to study administration, he is still far from these cities due to the continental dimensions of Brazil.
The stages of the Exchange Cultural Program offer candidates a unique and enriching experience in several stages. First, interested parties must submit their application, highlighting their skills, experiences, and motivations. After selection, participants go through a rigorous process of interviews and assessments, where they are evaluated on their ability to adapt to a multicultural and customer service environment. Once approved, they are then assigned to one of Disney's properties in the United States, where they undergo intensive training in their respective roles. During the program, candidates immerse themselves in a culture of learning and growth, interacting with peers from around the world, while also contributing to creating magical experiences for Disney guests. At the end of the program, participants return to their home countries with a valuable set of skills, experiences, and memories that will help them excel in their future careers.
Almost there
In May, the Student Travel Bureau published the selection notice for the program Cultural Exchange . Thiago's older brother, José, who had a stable job and was supporting his younger brother in Salvador, saw the ad on the company's social networks and decided to encourage his brother's participation in the program. At first, Thiago felt that he would never make it, but after much insistence from his brother he decided to apply.
At the time of registration, Thiago was afraid of not being able to fulfill the prerequisites described in the registration form, given that one of them was to be able to afford the trip. José demonstrated that he could contribute to the costs; however, at first, Thiago had been afraid to accept his brother's help, as he knew it would not cost little, but he decided to continue the registration.
A few days after registration there was an email stating that Thiago had been selected for the stage of scheduling the lecture, at this stage there is no waiting list, so if the candidate makes the appointment, but there are no more vacancies he cannot try even if there is a withdrawal of another participant. Soon Thiago had to carry out this stage quickly. A week later, Thiago received an email stating that he was selected for the lecture that would take place in São Paulo.
A few days later, Thiago travels to go to the lecture, which has as its main objective to explain to the participants how the program works and introduce them to Disney culture. In the next stage, he was interviewed in English by an STB employee with two other participants. Even with all the nervousness, the interview went well and Thiago was hopeful about the results.
After a few more days, Thiago received the news that he had been approved. With the news, he received a form with questions focused on the bureaucratic part of the exchange and the request for a letter of intent to be read by Disney recruiters.
Arriving at the last stage of the process, which consisted of an individual interview conducted on Radio Disney, in São Paulo, by the recruiter of the Walt Disney World Resort , Thiago was very nervous considering that he was so close to being able to fulfill his dream. But unlike last time, he felt like he wasn't doing very well and was feeling like he wasn't going to pass.
Soon after the interview, Thiago returns to Salvador and after 20 days of waiting he receives the news of approval in the selection process and to prepare himself he decided, together with the other approved, to create a group to share the preparations for the trip. In this group Thiago begins to get closer to Joana and with that they share their doubts, concerns, desires and expectations, as they were both very anxious for the first day.
Mulan Leaves Home
On the first day of the program the participants are received in the Disney dormitories, Thiago had been a little disappointed by the fact that in the year he was participating the dormitories were not inside the Disney complex, but this did not leave him discouraged. In the first stage of the reception, the participants perform the Check-in , which consists of taking a photo for the dorm card and receiving the key to the apartment along with a manual with living instructions and important information, such as possible emergency numbers.
At the end of the first day Thiago became even more anxious, considering that on the first day he had not yet seen anything about Disney and was extremely curious about what was to come.
The next day, the participants took the Onboarding , which is the process of integration with the company. They were taken to the place responsible for the selection, where they signed the official contract and took the photo for the credential that allows access to the restricted areas of cast members , in addition to free admission to all parks in the complex. Then, the members of the process were directed to the Traditions, training that takes place at Disney University where they become de facto cast members, earning the badge with their name on it. During the Traditions , Thiago was excited, because he was finally making his dream come true, in addition to feeling more connected to Disney's purpose. This training made him more eager to start the last training before starting his first day of work, in addition to making him feel more connected to the company's purpose.
The last stage of general training is called " Welcome to Operations ", at this stage taught how to behave like a cast member. At this point, the Five Keys (five keys), considered as the main values of the company, are taught through hypothetical practical situations, so that participants understand how they should act in each situation. The Five Keys are: inclusion, safety, courtesy, efficiency and show. In addition to the Five Keys, the Disney Look is talked about, which consists of the standard code of appearance and attitude of the Cast members, both for the Costumed Cast (Cast members who will be dressed as a character), as well as for the Non-costumed Cast (Cast members who will not be dressed as characters). Some of the main rules are:
- The use of sunglasses should be avoided whenever possible. Only glasses that allow the cast member's eyes to be visible to visitors are allowed. When interacting for a prolonged period, the use of glasses should be withdrawn.
- Intentional body modifications include, but are not limited to, visible tattoos, markings, body piercings (except traditional ear piercings for women), tongue piercings or splitting, tooth filing, earlobe expansion, and disfiguring skin implants. Tattoos should be discreet and completely covered. During the work, jewelry, spacers, retainers, or plugs are not allowed in any piercing.
- Regarding personal hygiene, due to close contact with guests and castmates, it is necessary to take regular baths, wash your hands frequently and keep your hair clean and tidy. In addition, the use of antiperspirant or deodorant is mandatory. The use of strong and heavy scents and fragrances is not allowed.
- Personal Electronic Devices, personal mobile phones, and other digital assistants may not be used during working hours. These items should be hidden from view. Cell phones provided by the company will be allowed if they are needed for a specific business need.
After this stage, the cast members are initially differentiated by the place of work. Thiago and his friend Joana were assigned to the training " The show must go on " (The show must go on), the name assigned to the park's training Disney's Hollywood Studios . At this stage they got to know the park as cast members and not as visitors. Thiago and his friend were very impressed with the way the park works and were excited to know what their duties would be within the park.
As the days of the last stage passed, the functions had been distributed and Thiago had taken over that of "Custodial", whose duties were to organize and clean the parks. At first, even though it was not the position he wanted, he was not sad, considering that during training, the phrase " We are all custodials "(We're all cleaning crew members) is repeated many times by the trainers, so he felt important.
During their time off, Thiago and Joana were talking about training and their perspectives. Joana, who was designated as Character Performer Commented:
- Friend, I went to question the coach about an action by the Stitch . Do you remember that in the movie he licks Lilo?
Thiago replied:
- Yes, more than once, even!
Joana adds:
- I knew I wasn't going crazy. I questioned the fact that only Pluto and the Bolt make a licking sound, and they only answered me that it can't and has to be a kiss. I felt a little overwhelmed, you know? We cannot give any suggestions.
Thiago kept thinking about Joana's comment, but decided not to worry too much, because he didn't want it to disrupt his experience.
We don't talk about Bruno
After all the training, it was time to start the work and the days go by, but Thiago didn't feel as fulfilled as he thought he would be. In a happy hour With his Latino friends, whom he had become closer to during the show, they began to talk about their feelings about the show.
Joana, who was one of only two people in the group who had a different attribution of Custodial, began by saying:
- Wow, what a pain in my back, I can't stand carrying that heavy costume anymore. I went to my supervisor and he told me to take an ibuprofen that passed. I was extremely indignant and, besides, I can't stand the Disney Look (Appearance and attitude standard code of the cast members ), I no longer feel like myself. It even seems that we are mischaracterized so that everyone can identify, the pressure with this is so great! Even with the change they made, it still doesn't meet the diversity of people we have here. But, at the same time, the phrases " We create happiness " and " Where dreams Eat True ", kept coming to my mind and I always remembered that we who make the magic happen, I felt guilty for complaining, because being here is the dream of many people.
Marcos, the Argentine, who played the role of Quick Service Food & Beverage , who works with the sale of food and beverages, commented:
- Wow, friend, I totally understand you! In my assignment, something that makes me furious is the amount of food wasted at the end of the day. You could donate to some institutions or give it to us. Regarding the " we create happiness ", I think we end up not caring so much about the things that happen here, because we are choosing to look at the experience with the magical look we have from the company and we end up not saying 'no' to anything, but also because we don't even have the opening to say no.
Alberto, another custodian, presented a fact that had been bothering him for some time:
- During the selection process I checked the option that I am allergic to the vast majority of cleaning products and even so they assigned me the position of custodial, without the slightest care for me. And every time I try to complain they think I'm lazy. In addition, they told me that Maria, the Mexican, had to pay extra for the room with accessibility for her mobility difficulty that had been mentioned on the form.
Thiago, after the comments of his friends that night, recalled several small situations he had gone through in recent weeks and decided to talk to his supervisor, Stacy, who had arrived at the company 6 months ago and showed that she was open to listening. Stacy, even knowing that bringing these problems to a meeting might not be well received by the other supervisors and her own, decides to take the complaints to the weekly team meeting.
At the meeting, Stacy presents the facts and talks about the wear and tear caused on the team. However, the reactions of superiors when they received criticism and points of improvement were not the best. People Manager Tom said, "We've always done it this way, we've never had a problem. Our processes were well designed and structured to always create the best experience, both for our visitors and for our cast". Luckily, the other supervisors had also filed other complaints that were in line with the facts described by Stacy. She recalls this fact during the meeting, making Tom, even if he didn't care much about the problems presented, give her and her team a chance to bring a solution to the problems presented.
In search of Neverland
Stacy comes back from the meeting presenting the good news to the team, now there is very important work to be done indicating, How to create a cultural program Exchange more inclusive without losing the Disney essence
Questions for the discussion
- What are the benefits of promoting diversity in cultural exchange programs? How Disney can ensure that a cultural program Exchange even more inclusive preserves the values and distinctive identity of the Disney brand?
- How can company culture be authentically incorporated into a more diverse environment?
- How can Disney implement training programs to ensure a change in culture in all spheres of the company, making everyone aware of the importance of inclusion and diversity? And what are the key elements that should be included in this training to create effective awareness?
- How Disney can adapt its attractions, activities and programs to accommodate a wider variety of backgrounds without losing universal appeal? And what are the main challenges of adapting Disney experiences to meet different cultural sensitivities?
- How can Disney establish effective feedback mechanisms to evaluate program effectiveness and make continuous improvements?
Gallery
References
Cep Franco (n.d.) Disney Look Book. https: https://cepfranco.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/disney-look-book.pdf
Farage de Barros Gomes, I. (202). Disney's Cultural Exchange Program and organizational culture: what do Brazilian graduates of the years 2019 and 2020 think? [Monograph]. University of Brasilia. https://www.bdm.unb.br/handle/10483/33255
G4 Education. (n.d.). Biographies: Walt Disney. G4 Education. https://g4educacao.com/biografias/walt-disney
Institute for the Formation of Leaders. (n.d.). Walter Elias Disney: The Fantastic Success Story That Also Involves Many Failures. InfoMoney. https://www.infomoney.com.br/colunistas/ifl-instituto-de-formacao-de-lideres/walter-elias-disney-a-fantastica-historia-de-sucesso-que-tambem-envolve-muitos-fracassos/
About The Authors
Ana Carolina Vieira Pessoa is a graduate student of the Department of Administration (ADM/FACE) at the University of Brasília (UnB). She is a volunteer member of the ADM Casoteca. Postgraduate student in Neuroscience, Consumption and Marketing in the MBA program at PUCRS. E-mail: anacarolinavieirapessoa@gmail.com
Isabella Farage de Barros Gomes is a graduate student of the Department of Administration (ADM/FACE) at the University of Brasília (UnB). She is a volunteer member of the ADM Casoteca. She is a law student at the Brazilian Institute of Teaching, Development and Research - IDP. Cast Member - Attractions Hostess (Nov. 2019 - Jan. 2020) and Cast Member - Merchandise Hostess (Dec. 2022 - Mar. 2023) at Cultural Exchange Program . E-mail: bellawerneck@gmail.com
Natasha Fogaça is a professor in the Department of Administration at the University of Brasilia. PhD, Master and Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Brasília (UnB), with a concentration area in Organizational Studies and People Management. Author of more than 20 scientific articles published in several journals on people management practices, well-being at work, performance and relationship marketing. Co-author of the books Relationship Marketing & Consumer Behavior, and People Management Policies in Organizations. She is one of the voices of the podcast People and Organizations (https://anchor.fm/pessoaseorganizacoes). Experience in the commercial and administrative areas at Brasil Telecom/Oi and as a consultant in people management in public and private sector organizations. Her areas of expertise, research and publication involve topics related to the management of worker and customer satisfaction. Email: natasha.adm@gmail.com
Editor/Co-author: Luiz Henrique Lima Rodrigues is a Business Administration student at the University of Brasília and Co-coordinator of the ADM Casoteca. Relationship Advisor at Concentro (Federation of Junior Enterprises of the Federal District). Email: luizhenriquelima305@gmail.com
Publisher: Nicole Alonso Santos de Sousa is a graduate student of the Department of Administration (ADM/FACE) at the University of Brasília (UnB). She is co-coordinator of the Casoteca ADM. She has a postgraduate degree in Finance and Controllership (MBA USP/ESALQ) and a bachelor's degree in Administration (UnB). Email: nicolealonso2000@gmail.com
This case was written from secondary information and based on other references cited. It is not the authors' intention to evaluate or judge the company in question. This text is intended exclusively for academic study and discussion, and its use or reproduction in any other form is prohibited. Copyright infringement will subject the offender to the penalties of Law No. 9,610/1998.