Introduction
Corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly important in the modern society where companies are under pressure to give back to the society. According to Soule (2010), companies get all they need from the society in terms of customers, employees, security, and research services among others. It is only fair if they engage in activities that are focused on appreciating the benefits given by the society. In this proposal, the researcher has identified Disney World as the company interest that will be used in the research. The researcher will analyze stakeholder’s role in the company when it comes to promoting corporate social responsibility.
Synopsis of the Company
Disney world, officially known as Walt Disney Company, is the world’s largest entertainment complex. Walt Disney World traces its history to Disneyland, the parent company, which was founded in 1955. The construction of Walt Disney Land, which started in 1965, was meant to expand the services offered at Disney World. The complex was finally completed in 1971. It is important to note that Walt Disney, the founder of this company, died before this project was completed. The figure below is the current official logo for Disney World
According to Bouzarth, Harris, and Hutson (2014), Disney World is one of the most visited theme parks in the world. In 2013 alone, it received more than 16 million visitors from all over the world. It is estimated that since its inception, the park has received over 650 million local and international visitors. Contrary to the popular belief that the Park is popular among children, the truth is that Walt Disney World is designed to entertain both adults and children. Although most of the visitors who visit the park come with their entire families, a good number of people visit this park as individuals without being accompanied by children.
The company employs over 65,000 people directly within the park, with many more working as contractors or independent business persons benefiting from the large population that always visit the park on a regular basis. The location of the park is very strategic. It is connected to other parts of the world with airports, roads and railways. The park sits on a 27,258 acres land which houses over 37 resort hotels. Currently, George Kalogridis is the president and chief executive officer of the firm.
Rationale and Reason for Selecting the Company
Walt Disney World is one of the biggest brands in the world in the entertainment sector. A number of factors influenced the decision to select this company for the study. The first reason was the fact that a study by Amita (2009) found out that many entertainment parks across the world were avoiding corporate social responsibility claiming that their activities were not as harmful to the environment as manufacturing and transportation firms. This is one big fallacy that should be avoided by any corporate body that seeks to achieve success in the modern business environment. Every single firm has the moral authority to engage in corporate social responsibility as long as it is a for-profit organization.
As mentioned above, Disney World receives an average of 16 million visitors every year. These visitors use various products wrapped in plastic papers which do not easily decompose. That is a threat to the environment that this company should be responsible. The 16 million visitors and tens of thousands of employees working for this firm come from the society. The benefit they give to this firm is worth appreciating by engaging in corporate social responsibility.
Disney World is a community within a community. Although the directors abandoned the original idea of the founder of creating a future city within the park, some aspects of this idea can be seen in this park. This was another reason why this park was chosen. The management of this firm can easily claim that its responsibility is to the community within the park. However, it is worth noting that the internal community within the park heavily relies on the external community in Florida and the entire United States of America. According to Foglesong (2002), the management has been doing a lot to ensure that the internal community is operating optimally. This is done by keeping the compound clean, planting trees, and developing unique appearance to please all the visitors. However, it is important for the firm to go beyond its own community to the society that supports it in its operations.
Stakeholder Role in the Company
For the last ten years, I have been one of the most loyal customers’ this firm has ever had. I spend most of my holidays in this park alongside my family members. Sometimes I would visit its resorts over the weekends without other members of my family. I may not be in the managerial position at the firm, but I have been making regular feedbacks about the services offered at the firm and the improvements I would prefer to see in the future. I have received ten mails from the management appreciating my regular feedbacks about the services offered by the firm. This means that my opinion counts and that the firm is willing to take them into consideration. As a loyal customer, I intend to use my influence to encourage this firm to engage in corporate social responsibilities.
As customers of this firm, we are part of the internal stakeholders who directly contribute to the success of this firm. We must find a way of making this firm responsible to the society. Other important internal stakeholders are the top managers. They must appreciate that it is their role to come up with plans on how the firm should engage on corporate social responsibilities based on the advice from employees and customers. Junior employees at the firm should collectively encourage the management to engage in social responsibilities within Florida and many other states in the country. They should also be willing and ready to participate in these activities when they come up. The government should also collaborate with this firm in such activities.
Conclusion
Walt Disney World remains one of the most popular destinations for people looking for entertainment parks in the global society. The firm has recorded impressive growth over the last few decades and it is only fair if it increases the rate at which it is engaged in corporate social responsibility. The management of the firm should not view this as a financial burden but rather as a perfect opportunity to advertise its brand and products to the regional and global market in a very unique way.
References
Amita, J. (2009). Successful Examples of Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Industrial Relations 44(3), 402-409. Web.
Bouzarth,L., Harris, J., & Hutson, K. (2014). Math and the Mouse. Math Horizons 22(2), 12-14. Web.
Foglesong, R. (2002). Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando. The Business History Review 76(1), 137-139. Web.
Serra, I. (2004). Disney World: A Plastic Monument to Death: From Rabelais to Disney. Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 14(4), 459-470. Web.
Soule, S. (2010). Contention and Corporate Social Responsibility. American Journal of Sociology 116(3), 1022-1024. Web.