Dr Claire Hookham – An ethnographic study into the reality of being a Cast Member at the ‘Mouse House’

An ethnographic study into the reality of being a Cast Member at the ‘Mouse House’

Wednesday 25 January 2023, 1-2:30pm

Event Summary

In this session, former Walt Disney World Cast Member, Disney Studies Scholar and Senior Lecturer, Dr Claire Hookham will introduce the key findings of her PhD - an ethnographic study into the reality of being a Cast Member at the ‘Mouse House’. She will describe the key elements to employee AND customer satisfaction success by the Walt Disney Company throughout their multinational businesses, alongside the role of corporate culture, the essential ingredients of recruiting and training the correct staff and the importance of retaining staff through the creation of a strong corporate culture. Claire will discuss the challenges and benefits of using an ethnographic methodology…with a sprinkling of pixie dust as Claire weaves in corporate history stories of the Walt Disney Company and how they are re-told throughout the world by Disney employees.

Speaker Bio

Dr Claire Hookham is a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management at Leeds Trinity University Business School. She has a wealth of experience in academic leadership, management consultancy and leading creative learning, teaching and assessment strategies within Business Schools.

Claire is a former Walt Disney World Cast Member and often uses her experience at Disney within her lectures and academic research. Her PhD in Management Studies focused on the creation and standardisation of the Disney Corporate Culture and the management of employees through emotional labour methods.

Alongside her teaching and research, Claire is a special advisor to the Management Knowledge and Education sub-committee for the British Academy of Management (where she co-chairs the annual international Teaching Practice conference), a member of the Chartered Association of Business School’s Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee and an advisory board member for Enterprise Educators UK.

Claire’s academic qualifications include PhD (Management Studies), MBA (Human Resource Management) and BA Hons (English and Drama). She is also professionally qualified as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Certified Management and Business Educator with the Chartered Association of Business School.