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CONTACT: communications@mail.cox.smu.edu

DALLAS, Texas (SMU) - Walt Disney World Resort offers visitors an atmosphere of magic, not a flower out of place, not a character without perfect costume. It's not without years of planning and practice that this quality of customer service exists. Cox MBA students will learn first hand the fundamentals of creating a successful service culture when they participate in a custom-designed Disney Institute business program. The result will be a case analysis of the service culture Disney offers globally, from the operation of its theme parks to the branding of the Disney name.

The Cox School of Business is the only MBA program to incorporate a custom-made Disney business program. Cox MBAs participating in the program will complete a case analysis, examining the operational practices and successes of Disney. They will spend three intensive days studying Disney leadership theories and their actual application within Epcot, the Magic Kingdom Park, and the Disney-MGM Studios. Cox MBAs will learn how Disney leadership skills apply to every discipline and function, turning management philosophy into operational reality. Several Cox students will keep daily diaries analyzing the park's unique practices. These students will then use their diaries to produce a more detailed report following the visit.

"With the service sector being such an important aspect of today's business environment, I think it is an extraordinary opportunity for us as MBA students to learn hands on about service and service culture from the leading service organization of our time," said Susan Nugent, Cox MBA '02.

Thousands of professionals from more than 35 countries and over 40 industries have attended business programs at Disney Institute and learned how to adapt the Disney approach for their own organizations. This is the third year Cox MBAs have participated in the Disney Institute's custom-designed program. The program allows MBAs to transfer the knowledge gained from their Disney Institute experience directly into the classroom or into any organization.

The customized Disney Institute experience is made possible by the Cox School of Business' Business Leadership Center (BLC). The BLC, unique to MBA Programs, has offered innovative leadership training programs to MBAs over the center's decade-long existence. The BLC was created to offer MBA students practical training in critical management and leadership skills. Developed via a partnership with several major Dallas corporations, the center offers over 40 non-credit elective seminars yearly in four primary skill areas. These include communication and interpersonal skills; teamwork and team building; coaching, developing, motivation, and influencing; and preparing for academic and career success.

"In a competitive job market, we all need that little edge over the competition," said Chris Romano, Cox MBA '02. "The willingness of Ed Cox and others to help fund the BLC and the business school's commitment to its many programs is just what we need to establish and maintain this competitive advantage over other business schools."

The BLC has a physical center but is also a conceptual force permeating the entire MBA experience. It is a critical component of the Cox MBA experience. It is neither "window-dressing" nor a piecemeal program but a comprehensive approach to leadership development.

By design, all BLC programs are delivered by industry professionals, not university faculty. These "outsiders" bring real-world experiences and cases to the classroom. BLC instructors have included professionals from American Airlines, Accenture, AT&T, Capital Alliance, EDS, FedEx, Franklin Covey Co., Hencie Consulting, Greyhound Lines, Inc., IBM, JC Penney, Pearle Vision, Inc., Southwestern Bell, The SABRE Group, and Zale Corporation.

SMU's Cox School of Business offers a full range of business education programs, from BBA and full-time MBA to Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), and Executive Education. Cox is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by major news publications. In addition, the school's Business Leadership Center (BLC), Caruth Institute of Owner-Managed Business, American Airlines Global Leadership Program (GLP), and Associate Board executive mentoring program are nationally and internationally recognized.