My ideas:

• Virtual Disney game world like Roblox/Minecraft - mini games - virtual reality connected
• Crossover with Nintendo for Disney themed mario kart etc. - nintendo switch is popular now - Marvel X Fortnite as an example
  • in line with their current strategy focused on
  • worldwide accessibility - large scale easily
• Disney video game - linked to virtual reality
• Disney escape rooms - can offer virtual escape rooms too
  • can utilise customer service capabilities to train staff
  • utilise strong capability of storytelling skills to design the escape rooms - may need some focus on learning on what consumers enjoy most
  • utilise their acquisitions of brands like Marvel to appeal to many fan groups
  • their brand image and loyalty will drive the sales
  • virtual escape rooms - utilise gaming side of the company - aligned with digital focus
  • could be marketed on the Disney+ platform as a ‘games’ element - Netflix has this games element on their site which has been successful?
  • escape room market is growing in popularity - in person and virtual? - find fact of how many more escape rooms have opened in the last year
  • from research, consumers love themed activities?
  • offering virtual escape rooms will 1. grow the audience available and 2. stop a strategic drift as we go more virtual
  • can input the physical escape rooms into theme parks too
  • it’s an easily applicable idea - can be implemented into cruise ships too etc.

1. Plot my recommendation on the Porter’s generic strategies

2. Then use Safe framework to critique my recommendation

   1. to identify benefits and drawbacks of this recommendation

3. SAFe

   1. Suitability - is it suitable for Disney? does it use what Disney is good at?
   2. Acceptability - will stakeholders support this? is the risk at an acceptable level?
   3. Feasibility - is it possible in real life?
   4. evaluation (not needed in our assignment as meant to be done after)

4. Suitability

   1. Analyse how well it exploits the opportunities and avoid the threats
   2. Analyse how well it uses Disney’s strengths and capabilities
   3. Does it match the current market situation
   4. Does it fit into the customer’s needs and what the competition are doing
   5. Does it align with Disney’s mission and vision

• External environment
  • Market conditions
  • Competition - what competitors are in this space?
  • Customer preferences - does it match what consumers are looking for currently?
• Scenario Analysis - Looking at a range of potential futures - planning for each
  • Identify key variables (PESTLE) - split into certainties and uncertainties
    • come up with 3 possible scenarios
      • Assess the suitability in each scenario - evaluate the suitability of my recommendation in each scenario
      • eg. if its a poor outcome in one scenario, come up with how to resolve it - eg. increase marketing efforts and utilise brand loyalty
• Decision Trees
  • explain why they would take that chosen path eg. chosen high investment because Disney have high profit to invest, diversification because Disney is saturated in its market

1. Acceptability
   1. Risk - level of unpredictable-ness & negative consequences
   2. Returns - financial effectiveness
   3. Reaction/Response (from stakeholders)

• Stakeholder Map
  • Who are the most key stakeholders?
  • Stakeholder reactions
  • Ethical considerations
  • Political considerations
  • Societal norms associated with the industry
• Plot my recommendation on the Ansoff Matrix - explain what the type of strategic choice it is
• Cynefin Theory (just need to apply this model - see example in powerpoint Session 19)
  • Simple, Complicated, Complex - to support what Disney needs to do before going ahead with the recommendation

1. Feasibility

   1. to what extent does Disney have the capabilities and resources to do this recommendation
   • Value Chain Analysis
     • all of the activities add to create a margin that Disney can add onto the product to make profit (make it worth the price consumers pay)

   The value chain can be used in 3 sequential steps:

   1. Breaking down activities within the organization into the heading depicted in the value chain
   2. Assessing the potential for adding value (through cost leadership or differentiation) to assess areas of competitive advantage
   3. Devising strategies around areas where competitive advantage can be sustained
   • customer service is one of their competitive advantages for theme parks but this is created in the HR department

   Key thing for feasibility section: is this idea taking advantage of their capabilities they have? If not all of them, how will they get these - do they need to takeover another company or hire more specialist talent for the project?