EMBA J22 Corporate Turnaround and Business Transformation Assignment

Individual Assignment

 The purpose of the formal coursework is to give students the opportunity to apply their learning from the course to a new example, and to think in a critical and comparative way about the case material presented in the course. For this course you are required to submit one individual assignment. The maximum length of this assignment is 3,000 words. The word count covers the main body of text, including in-text citations, tables, figures, and diagrams, and excluding appendices, footnotes, and references.

 Detailed Assignment

 This assignment asks you to consider the challenges and opportunities faced by Bob Iger, who returned as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company (‘Disney’) in November 2022.

 The firm – an extraordinary pioneer in entertainment – was founded in 1923, and over the last century has become an iconic US company. It has a wide range of businesses, and is particularly active in film, television and theme parks. Under Bob Iger’s leadership between 2005 and 2020, the firm expanded significantly through acquisitions. When he retired, he was succeeded by Bob Chapek – who was ousted in 2022 after the stock price plummeted by over 40%.

 In this assignment you are asked to use ideas from the course to examine three elements: 

1. Examine the issues (both external and internal) that have led Disney to itssituation, considering the period up to Iger’s reappointment. Your answer may refer to as much of the firm’s history as you think is necessary to develop your argument. However, you are advised to focus on the period from approximately 2005 onwards, and not to spend too much effort on the firm’s earlier history unless you judge it is vital to develop your analysis. It is important that your discussion draws on ideas and concepts from the course. [30 marks]
2. Writing as if you were a consultant advising Iger on December 20^th2022, present a series of recommendations about changes that the firm should make to secure its immediate (i.e. next two years) and longer term (i.e. next ten years) future. Your answer should take into account both internal challenges faced by Disney and also the broader external context (for example, considering developments in technology, consumer preferences and competition). Use ideas and literature from the course to illuminate your answer. Your recommendations should connect with the diagnosis you have presented in part a). [70 marks]

 There is extensive public domain material available about this organization. You should ensure that you cite all your sources correctly, making it clear when you are citing and using the work of others. Pay attention to the issued guidelines regarding plagiarism.

 The assessors will use the general marking criteria for qualitative assessments, listed under Appendix 1 of the EMBA J22 Exam Conventions.