STRATEGIC INTEGRATION

Strategic Integration

Strategic Integration

Introduction

Euro Disney, nowadays Disneyland Paris, is a holiday and recreation resort located in Mane-la-Valle, a new town close to Paris (Euro Disney). Euro Disney started to have problems early, on 1980?s problems with negotiation and construction, on the 1990?s with French figures started to voice against the park, with phrases like “cultural Chernobyl” (Euro Disney). Euro Disney also had problems in the beginning of its operations, since the first day, problems related to cultural issues and operational issues occurred massively, affecting Euro Disney's performance and attendance (Ahluwalia, 2001, p23).

Identification & Analysis of Issues

United States and France, these two countries have more differences than common things. Both countries issues with each other, due to big cultural difference. The of them have stereotypes about the other that are almost hostile, French people see Americans as naives, aggressive, unprincipled and workaholic, while Americans see French as arrogant, flamboyant, hierarchical, and emotional. Despite the stereotypes, they both have issues to be worked out with each other. In a business context, its vital for a company (in any side) to learn how to deal with the cultural differences between those two countries, and how to approach the potential customers (Ahluwalia, 2001, p23).

French and Americans have a very different personality, distinct values and different lifestyle. French people are more relaxed, while Americans are more anxious. There are many different lifestyle examples that can show that difference, French people drink wine at lunch, Americans drink beer in happy-hours, Americans drink their coffees in the way to work or at work, French city and drink, and many other examples that show how different their personalities are. Their internal dimensions are pretty much the same, even because it does not change much from country to country, there might be differences in religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity but the base is the same. Their external dimensions also may differ, income, personal habits, appearance, work experience, recreational habits, those are probably different in both countries, for example Disney's problem with the dress code (appearance) and Disney's problem with the schedule flexibility (work experience) (Wallace, 2005, pp33).

The organizational dimensions also may change but not much, even because any jog, or study area may have in all countries. Duration of employment, type of employment, work content, and duration of study may vary from one to other but the bases are pretty much the same? United States are almost all universalism in Trompenaar's (see appendices for reference), while France is more particularism than universalism, it means that for Americans rules are rules and should apply for everyone with the same force, while in France relationship may be more important than rules, and rules may not apply to someone due a relationship, it should be taken in consideration when doing business with each other, both should understand and adapt to the other one's way, in Disney case, Disney should adapt to the French way (Ahluwalia, 2001, p23).

Both France and United States have a high level of individualism, but Americans have more, ...