Reading 1: Traditions, Due before February 15
“Traditions” is the foundation and starting point for all new WDW employees. Discuss the personal benefits that you received from this training and how you have implemented what you have learned into your work experience.
Be specific, “Traditions” is an important part of setting and defining the culture of the Walt Disney Company. A lot of time and effort is dedicated to this aspect of training, therefore it is expected that Cast Members utilize the tools mentioned by your leaders during this period of training and beyond.
Read “Create Company Loyalty with New-Hire Practices” by T. Freidlein
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Reading 2: Preparing for Emergency Situations, Due before March 2
Disasters, both natural and man made, are always a concern for the hospitality industry. As a manager it is important to plan properly so that your guests can feel safe, are properly entertained and fed. This is not a simple task as in certain situations food supplies and space may become limited. With the possibility that a blackout, security threat, and/or severe weather can impact operations, it is important to know how to plan for emergency situations.
Inquire how your work location prepares for emergencies and review the article mentioned below.
As compared to the statements in the article “The Storms of Summer” by Barbara Higgins, what steps are in place in your work location to 1) ensure that cast members can provide proper guest comfort? 2) How have you been trained in regard to emergency situations, may they be natural or man made? 3)What lessons will this article have on you as it relates to your future in management?
Reading: “The Storms of Summer”
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Reading 3: Networking, Due before March 15
Have you had an opportunity to network?
… to trail a manager?
… to complete management tasks?
… to understand what is needed to enter a management position with WDW?
Please comment on the above and provide examples of how you were able to better understand the role played my managers and leaders in your locations and else ware. Also consider yourself as a manager and a leader. This article from www.HCarrers.commay help guide you toward successful career advancement. “Transitioning into a Leadership Role: On-the-Job Success Strategies for Newly Promoted Managers“.
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Reading 4: Employee Moral, Due before April 10
OK…you are now more than half way through your semester with the WDW Company. How do you personally keep the magic alive? This topic is a major concern for Disney Management. After answering the same question over and over a cast member may get frustrated and bored. How does the company keep the magic alive for their full-time permanent employees?
Use the journal article “Why Do Employees Stay? A Qualitative Exploration of Employee Tenure Give examples” written by JOHN T. SELF and BEN DEWALD to support your personal observations.
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Reading 5: Due before May 2
This is an open Read and React. Think about the semester of study you have engaged in… Many students find it difficult to manage the changes in the workplace and many find it rewarding. In your courses you have been exposed to many concepts that may have been new to you as well. Select one of these concepts and explore it more broadly.
1) Identify a concept you explored in either of your Disney classes.
2) Research the topic using an academic search (i.e. the library data bases or a google scholar search, not a regular google search).
3) Select an article from an academic journal and summarize the article as a post in the “Read and React 5” section of the course site.
4) NOTE: do not select a concept that another student has selected, your MUST react (comment) on another students work.
Good Morning Professor Goodlad ,
When you press on the link to open the article what user name and password do we use? I am not sure what I am suppose to be using to enter the Ebsco database.
I am working on fixing the link. I may have to be on campus to do it.
I fixed the link. Everyone with a current City Tech Library ID should be able to access the article. If not you now also have the title “Create Company Loyalty with New-Hire Practices” to seach by.
I am looking into why the link of Read and React 4 is not working. For now, just go to the library website and search the data base for the title and the authors. This will bring you directly to the article, I just found it that way so you should be able as well.
To all the students who have been having trouble connecting to the article for “read and react 4”, please try the search again using the authors name instead of the title of the article. I just went onto the City Tech library from home and it took about two minutes in total to find the article using the author’s names (it is the first to pop-up on the screen). Using the title was not as easy.
I will extend the due date by one week.
When writing your post, remember that this should be a lengthy review of what you have learned while at Disney and by reading the assigned article. Make sure to make thoughtful comparisons to the article, using citations would be appropriate and encouraged. Finally, remember to sign your work location and your casting position at the end of every post.
To those students that is having a problems navigating through the City Tech library database to get to the article, here is what I did and hopefully it will help you locate the article. Google “City Tech library” and click on database A-Z under the first link that shows. A new page will show up with a search bar, DO NOT search the article with it. Scroll pass the search bar and click on the link right below it labeled “search all databases”. Type in your school ID bar code and a new page will pop up, check off the box that says “select all” then click continue and a new search bar under EBSCO will show up. Put the authors in and a list of article will appear, it should be the 3rd or 4th article on the list.
Thank you so much for this Mei Lin! It definitely helped me find the article.
Good Evening Prof. Goodlad,
I am having a hard time getting the link to story for the Read and React #2.
Good Evening Professor Goodlad,
Today was my check-in date so I have not yet attended the traditions class ( My class will be this Thursday). I would like to know if I will be penalized for completing the first Read and React past the due date. Thank You.