Mariangela Annunziata Silvia Chiesa Federica Falso Iacopo Luzi Ilaria Maccotta

C ultural

A dministrative

G eographic

E conomic

DISTANCES

CULTURAL DISTANCE

Language

Every communication materials ( guides, flyers, menus, notices, etc…) must be translated from English into, not only French (the national idiom), but also into the other main European languages.

Social rules:

- Park Restaurants did not account for Europeans’ eating habits.

(E.g. different breakfast)

-  Alcohol problems (not allowed in park restaurants)

-  Meal portions

-  Neat personal aspects ( tattoos, beard, make-up, rings and earrings)

ADMINISTRATIVE DISTANCE

Public policies

The French labor legislation was inflexibled about the hiring and firing policies and the working hours.

The company struggled to find the right balance of the employees related to the visitors in the different seasons of year (high/low season).

A l t h o u g h t h e F r e n c h G o v e r n m e n t p r o v i d e d incentives and loans for the construction of the park.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE

•  The restricted dimension of the park due to the differences on dimension between France and the USA.

•  Climate: strategies in order to facilitate visitors.

•  Environmental impact: the huge park area against local land owners.

ECONOMIC DISTANCE

•  F rench Government requ i red the construction of a series of transport connections.

•  Ticket price higher than in the USA.

•  Entrance fees, hotel rates and food prices were reduced in order to make the park more attractive.

•  Human Resources differences: the innovative concept of the amusement park required a deeper training of the staff.

KEY LEARNINGS

All the international companies, with their own global strategies, have to adapt them to:

Ø  Needs of people with different culture and habits;

Ø  Local environment.