The most important elements when working to improve an organization’s competitive advantage is to differentiate its products from the competition.  In the case of Disney, which our CLC focused on, we decided that their Disney+ segment had the most potential and brainstormed ways to increase revenue.  Right now, Disney+ is the second least expensive of all streaming services, but they lack in their original content.  Netflix has lots of original content and it's not uncommon to hear people discussing the latest original Netflix shows on social media and in person.  Disney already stands out with its iconic characters, shows, and movies and acquired 21st Century Fox and the Marvel brand so they have lots of potential as it is.  Couple that with original programming and a slightly lower cost to beat the competition and they'd have a recipe for success.  They could be more popular than Neftlix if they only put their minds to it.  

In order to create value for all stakeholders, Disney, should as I said, focus on its Disney+ division.  But they could also focus on social responsibility.  What I mean is that they could offer programming that really speaks to children and adults in a positive way.  Children are like sponges and pick up a lot from television.  I know that I did as a child.  Social responsibility involves being ethically sound, doing your part to be responsible regarding the environment, and on philanthropy.  Disney can do all of this easily, as they can delivery ethical programming, be environmentally sound, and give back to the communities and the world alike from all the money they make.  This would definitely create value for not only the board, but for the employees, the shareholders, and the customers and world alike.  Disney has the potential to be an even better company than it is now and improve their competitive advantage and create value for all.

The firm I have chosen to examine, is Costco. The wholesale warehouse chain has created a niche for themselves in the market for wholesale food and household items. Costco has demonstrated ethical behavior, social responsibility, and environmental sustainment in many ways. First, Costco goes above and beyond for their employees, by starting off their entry level staff at $13 per hour and allows their cashiers to earn up to $56,000 a year in bonuses (Bart, 2018). Not only does this help the employees and their families, but it allows them to keep their people around longer. Costco also states in their mission statement that they “Obey the Law” (Costco, 2020). While this seems simplistic, it is not, it is a direct statement to all of their employees, and customers, that following the laws are important to them, and that they will not tolerate employees breaking the law in the name of increasing business for Costco. This is a big deal, as there many companies who have shown the world that they are willing to do whatever it takes to be financially successful. Lastly, Costco demonstrates environmental consciousness, committing revenue to many different research institutions that are helping to develop resources for carbon neutrality (Costco, 2020). While there is no date on how much money they donate specifically, the fact that they do and they mention it on their website, is a big deal (Costco, 2020). While Costco is not a perfect company, and they are not internationally diversified across all industries, the way they conduct business in their industry is truly impressive, and other firms should look to them as an example of how business should be done.

References:

Bart, A. (2018, February 22). Why The Costco Code of Ethics Works. Retrieved November 06, 2020, from https://www.rashmiairan.com/costco-code-of-ethics/

Costco. (2020). Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved November 06, 2020, from https://www.costco.com/sustainability-environment.html

Costco. (2020). What is Costco's Mission Statement and Code of Ethics? Retrieved November 06, 2020, from https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/829/~/what-is-costcos-mission-statement-and-code-of-ethics