Autopoiesis in Disneyland: Reassuring consumers via autopoietic brand management

This paper introduces a new concept of brand management: autopoietic brand management. Autopoiesis is a biological definition of life that stresses the radical autonomy of living systems.

Autopoiesis in Disneyland: reassuring consumers via autopoietic brand management

John F Keane, WA Taylor, Myfawney Trueman and Gillian Wright

This paper introduces a new concept of brand management: autopoietic brand management. Autopoiesis is a biological definition of life that stresses the radical autonomy of living systems. Organisational science has developed the concept, emphasising the capacity of autopoietic organisations to adapt spontaneously to external pressures. These facts support the following arguments. First, that the Disney brand is managed as an autopoietic system. The brand has its own operating code, self-defined boundaries, self-replicating ability and pace...

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