Our recent discussion of Disney’s actions to open parks in France and Japan details the difficulties and adjustments that must be undertook in order to successfully adapt an already popular amusement park to a new culture. As we learned, Disney had much more success in reaching the Japanese market than in France where attendance numbers were low. In order to enjoy this success in a new market, such as Japan, Disney needed to adjust its park and the way it worked to appeal to, and satisfy, what Japanese consumers wanted. First, the orderly nature of the park was increased beyond that of the American Disneyland which is in fact very orderly to begin with. Everything is clean with all operations running at an even more efficient level than in America. Second, small adjustments such as in the number of restaurants needed to be perfected. The Japanese look down upon walking while eating so the number of sit-down restaurants was doubled in comparison to the original Disneyland. Third, attractions are tweaked slightly to appeal to the principles of Japanese culture. These adjustments to an already successful theme park in the United States have allowed Disneyland Tokyo to be an enormous success. Disney successfully created an “exotic” park that at the same time contains many familiarities that comfort the Japanese (Maanen).
Disney’s Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world. With international Disneyland locations, movies, television shows, and books people all over the world can recognize the character. As we have previously discussed, the global nature of Disney has necessitated adjustments to the cultures around the world it targets. In order to build on globalization’s effects on culture, another highly visible worldwide company will be examined. McDonalds, with its trademark Golden Arches can be found in 119 countries, serving over 47 million customers daily (Veseth). With such obvious global success it becomes evident that McDonalds has been extremely successful in adapting their brand and products to many different cultures throughout the world.
McDonalds regardless of their locations outside of the United States must compete with the local restaurants in the area. In order achieve success they must adapt their menu while keeping the characteristic efficiency you will see at any McDonalds worldwide. In most areas of India, menus are 100% vegetarian featuring items anyone who is familiar with McDonald’s traditional menu would be amazed at. While this menu would certainly fail in most places outside of India it is essential for success in that area. McDonalds did try and sell their trademark beef burgers in India and failed quickly due to the sacred nature of cows in this region. Adaptation to the local culture in which franchises are opened is an absolute must for success. In the mid-2000s McDonalds began introducing a new concept, the drive-thru, in some of their Chinese locations. This was done in response to China’s increasing suburbanization which has increased the prevalence of cars within the general population of China. While this seems like an easy adaptation to their restaurants, the Chinese culture is very unfamiliar with this concept. Employees had to direct cars through the proper entrances and instead of the use of a speaker to take orders, this task would be done by an actual employee face-to-face. McDonalds had to adapt a fast-food staple all around the Western world, the drive-thru to a culture unfamiliar with this concept. Furthermore, food development was designed with the goal of making it easier to eat in cars (Chinadaily).
Regardless of the industry a company operates, if global expansion is planned, it is absolutely necessary to examine the culture in which the business is moving. Had Disney or McDonalds decided their American offerings, design, and planning were sufficient for application in other cultures they would have quickly failed. The companies were able to identify the important values, understandings, and tendencies in foreign cultures and make adjustments to enjoy success in those areas. Next time you see Mickey Mouse or those Golden Arches look how their characteristics of that business are a function of the culture you are in.
Works Cited
"Drive-through Tips for China." Chinadaily US Edition. 20 June 2006. Web. 30 Mar. 2011.
Maanen, John. "Displacing Disney: Some Notes on the Flow of Culture." Qualitative Sociology 15.1 (1992): 5-35. Print.
Veseth, Michael. "5: Globalization As McWorld." Globaloney: Unraveling the Myths of Globalization. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield
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