CASA: Management Problem Statement

Formulating a problem (or potential problem) statement is an important academic (and practical) skill for managers. The management concepts presented in this unit are important because they can equip you to identify and solve problems in order to reach managerial and organisational goals. The first step is to identify the problem/s or potential problem in a particular situation by narrowing in, stating and supporting a clear bold statement. CASA1 will provide you with key feedback to constructively improve your potential management problem statement. Your CASA1 problem statement is based on the Disney case study (See below)

Keypoints to consider when writing your management problem statement:

Link to the Functions of Management (planning, leading, organising and controlling)

Clearly indicate a management problem or potential problem

Balance of facts from the case study and the management problem

Well written (grammar, spelling, one paragraph etc)

Remember this is not about finding or implying a solution

Walt Disney Company Headquarters, Burbank, California Over two decades, your predecessor and boss, CEO Michael Eisner, accomplished much, starting the Disney Channel, the Disney Stores and Disneyland Paris, and acquiring ABC television, Starwave Web services (from Microsoft cofounder Paul Allan) and Infoseek (an early Web search engine). But his strong personality and critical management style created conflict with shareholders, creative partners and board members, including Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney. One of your first moves as Disney’s new CEO was to repair relationships with Pixar Studios and its then CEO Steve Jobs. Pixar produced computer-animated movies for Disney to distribute and market. Disney also had the right to produce sequels to Pixar Films, such as Toy Story, without Pixar’s involvement. Jobs argued, however, that Pixar should have total financial and creative control over its films. When Disney CEO Michael Eisner disagreed, relations broke down, with Pixar seeking other partners. On becoming CEO, you approached Jobs about Disney buying Pixar for $7 billion. More important than the price, however, was promising Jobs and Pixar’s leadership, President Ed Catmull and creative guru John Lasseter, total creative control of Pixar’s films and Disney’s storied but struggling animation unit. Said Jobs, ‘I wasn’t sure I could get Ed and John to come to Disney unless they had that control.’ Although Pixar and Disney animation thrived under the new arrangement, Disney still had a number of critical strategic problems to address. Disney was ‘too old’ and suffering from brand fatigue as its classic but ageing characters, Mickey Mouse (created in 1928) and Winnie-the-Pooh (licensed by Disney in 1961), accounted for 80 per cent of consumer sales. On the other hand, Disney was also ‘too young’ and suffering from ‘age compression’, meaning it appealed only to young children and not preteens, who gravitated to Nickelodeon, and certainly not to teens at all. Finally, despite its legendary animated films, over time Disney products had developed a reputation for low-quality production, poor acting and weak scripts. Movies High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Bolt, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Race to Witch Mountain and Bedtime Stories disappointed audiences and failed to meet financial goals. As you told your board of directors, ‘It’s not the marketplace: it’s our slate [of TV shows and movies].’ With many of Disney’s brands and products clearly suffering, you face a basic decision: Should Disney grow, stabilise or retrench? Disney is an entertainment conglomerate with Walt Disney Studios (films), parks and resorts (including Disney Cruise lines and vacations), consumer products (i.e. toys, clothing, books, magazines and merchandise) and media networks such as TV (ABC, ESPN, Disney Channels and ABC Family), radio and the Disney Interactive Media Group (online, mobile, and video games and products). Further, in 2009 Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment (including the Avengers franchises) and in 2012 it acquired Lucasfilm (Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises).