ii.
History
The Walt Disney Company began its origins in the mind of Walter Elias Disney, a cartoonist and entreprenuer. Walt envisioned his dream, Mickey Mouse, while on a train trip across country. As Walt Disney was once quoted, �It all started with a mouse!� From vision to screen as it is noted, Walt�s studio was built. Burbank, California, was the original location of the animation sector and is the current location of the Walt Disney Company Headquarters. The organization was strictly a picture company until Walt�s ideas and dreams became reality with the inception and creation of Disneyland. Once the park was complete and Walt saw that he had to expand the company shifted its assets South and East to Florida. Walt Disney World ground was struck and a new face for the company created. With the passing of the President, Walt Disney, Roy Disney and family took over. The company had worked out most bumps and took some losses in the theme parks and motion pictures in the late 70s and early 80s. When there was almost a complete buyout of the company buy outside organizers(other media giants) Canadian investors, the Bass�, bought most of the shares needed to support the company, and told Roy to get the organization on its feet and keep the Disney tradition alive. This was followed with the hiring of CEO Michael Eisner. Michael Eisner took the company forward with great vision to the future. He helped the company grow by leaps and bounds. Creating new theme parks, buying sports teams, creating the Disney Store, enhancing the Disney Channel, and taking on ABC are just a few of the merits the Walt Disney Company owes to Eisner. The 1995 merger plans with ABC formed The Walt Disney Company into the media giant it is today. Once the company obtained a solid market share and maintained their focus, they grew and prospered. The Walt Disney Company thus far is number two in the media conglomerate category. The Walt Disney Company now spans from East to West with new plans and openings for the Orient and assets in amusement parks in France, as well as communication centers in Europe. New plans are in store for home and abroad (some of which are kept secret). We can only wait and see what the future holds for this media giant. Through strategic analysis we can predict alternatives and strategy for some of the core business functions.