First, read the following articles/watch the videos: ‘Centered on Quality, Disney delivers Magic’ Links to an external site.via Strat Matters About Imagineering? Links to an external site

First, read the following articles/watch the videos:

• "Centered on Quality, Disney delivers Magic" Links to an external site.via Strat Matters
• “About Imagineering” Links to an external site.via Disney Imaginations

Then, please respond to the questions below. Respond to two or more additional comments from your classmates. You can refer back to the discussion links of Module 1:

1. What role does quality play in Disney’s Business Strategy?
2. How does Disney manage its quality? 
3. What statistical tools does Disney use to manage quality? 

Classmate replies:

Classmate 1:

1. According to the articles, all of the features that embody quality can be found in the Disney parks, products and services. In order for Disney to employ a product differentiation strategy, they need to set themselves apart and offer a distinctive product and quality plays a significant role in this strategy. Disney continuously strives for the highest quality in every aspect of their company. The article mentions eight dimensions of quality which include, performance, features, reliability, durability. serviceablility, conformity, brand, and aesthetics. These are factors that all companies strive to realize for their customers, and ones that Disney is consistently able to achieve. Offering a unique experience enables Disney to utilize a differentiation strategy, and they must take steps to maintain that high quality they have become well-known for.

In order to manage its quality, Disney maintains high quality standards across the board at all Disney operations. They make sure to adhere to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards which include but are not limited to leadership, employee engagement, and customer focus. Additionally, Disney makes sure that their PPT framework is held to high standards. The people they employ, the processes in their development, and their technology are all superior. Disney Imagineering makes sure that everything Disney produces meets the highest levels of creativity and technology. Their entertainment department utilizes a multi-step approach to make sure all of their films are of the highest quality. Additionally, their theme parks and cruise lines are among the highest ranked attractions worldwide. Every stage of their operation follows strict guidelines to ensure the highest quality end product.

From a statistical standpoint, Disney needs to evaluate all of these standards. It is likely the Disney Institute utilizes many of the statistical process control procedures mentioned in chapter 6 as a way of monitoring the company. The article mentions the use of CI or Continual Improvement as a way to both identify and improve problems within an organization. One way the company manages quality is through their “listening posts” which enable them to assess customer feedback. They also use face to face research to measure customer satisfaction. Other methos for statistical information come from direct guest communications, websites, social media, and communications with their employees.

classmate 2.

 1. What role does quality play in Disney’s Business Strategy?

Quality plays a huge role in Disney's Business Strategy and the success of any business, for that matter. But for Disney specifically, they really focus on the quality of each character. Disney's first character that they made was Mickey Mouse, the mouse that everyone in the world is familiar with. The time and dedication that went into this character is amazing and is exactly why Mickey is so known today. They really focus on quality over quantity. In the first article of this week, it says that quality standards by a business are achieved when it is perceived by the business’s customers to be delivered and received. Businesses therefore strive for quality by paying attention to the key factors that deliver and exceed the expectation of its customer’s (mindbenders2019. “Centered on Quality, Disney Delivers Magic.” Strat Matters, 25 Nov. 2019, https://stratmatters.wordpress.com/2019/11/25/centered-on-quality-disney-delivers-magic/ Links to an external site.). This is exactly what Disney has done. When a business prioritizes quality, they usually end up being fairly successful. 

2. How does Disney manage its quality? 

Disney manages its quality by paying close attention and mastering key factors. These key factors include performance, features, reliability, durability, serviceability, conformity, brand, and aesthetics. By perfecting these factors, they were able to create internationally recognized standards (mindbenders2019. “Centered on Quality, Disney Delivers Magic.” Strat Matters, 25 Nov. 2019, https://stratmatters.wordpress.com/2019/11/25/centered-on-quality-disney-delivers-magic/ Links to an external site.). Another important part of managing quality is a strong organizational system. Without this, everything will fall apart. Without organization, they wouldn't be able to manage and track revenue, visions, improvements, websites and social media, attraction details, and so much more. 

3. What statistical tools does Disney use to manage quality? 

Disney uses advanced, modern techniques and tools to manage their quality. One of those is something called imagineering. Disney's imagineering is a virtual engine that designs all their theme parks and resorts (“About Imagineering.” Disney Imaginations " About Imagineering, https://disneyimaginations.com/about-imaginations/about-imagineering/ Links to an external site.). This engine manages merchandise and also publishes businesses. Imagineering hasn't always been around and is always improving, so Disney is taking this to their full advantage as would every company if they had access to a tool like this. Just another example, there's a ride in the park that is a virtual experience. With that same ride is now a feature that people at home can use to ride at the exact same time as the people in the park are, all from the comfort of their houses. I have never heard of this until watching the video above. Technology is really so fascinating.