1 / 18

Movie Analysis Project By Andrea Hansen

BS311. Movie Analysis Project By Andrea Hansen. Introduction . I will be discussing The Firm motion picture’s portrayal and impact of… Organizational structure Organizational goals S ystems theory H idden agendas I will then summarize and analyze the areas mentioned.

dorjan
Download Presentation

Movie Analysis Project By Andrea Hansen

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. BS311 Movie Analysis ProjectBy Andrea Hansen

  2. Introduction • I will be discussing The Firm motion picture’s portrayal and impact of… • Organizational structure • Organizational goals • Systems theory • Hidden agendas • I will then summarize and analyze the areas mentioned.

  3. Organizational Structure • The Organizational Structure of Bendini, Lambert, and Locke… • Small, Memphis law firm • 41 Lawyers • Divides its labor into distinct tasks • Differentiation exists, but integration is lacking. • (Anthony, Gales, & Hodge, 2003).

  4. Organizational Structure (cont’d) • Formal structure • Oliver Lambert & Executives are top authority • The rest of the firm employees are pawns that the Executives use as they see fit to maintain their shady existence. • Avery is a mentor to Mitch • Evolved into a more informal relationship • Different dynamic than the rest of the characters

  5. Organizational Goals • Stability and maintaining an upstanding appearance • “Mitch, I hope you don't think us intrusive, but stability in the family has a special importance for us.” • Oliver Lambert (Pollack, 1993) • Control of clients and employees • “I won my life back. You don't run me. And they don't run me!” • Mitch Alderman (Pollack, 1993)

  6. Organizational Goals (cont’d) • Do what is necessary, whatever it takes. • “I get paid to be suspicious when I've got nothing to be suspicious about.” • William Devasher (Pollack, 1993). • Satisfy clients (especially the Mob) • They flew to Cayman Islands to secure a client • Make M-O-N-E-Y

  7. Systems Theory • It conveys the idea that organizations are made up of parts and that the parts interact with each other to accomplish the organization’s goals (Anthony, Gales, & Hodge, 2003). • The firm represented is a closed, self-perpetuating system that receives no outside energy or resources (Anthony, Gales, & Hodge, 2003). • They have made sure the firm is private because of their shady dealings with the Mob.

  8. Systems Theory (cont’d) • Bendini, Lambert, and Locke’s parts include Executives, lawyers, criminals, and investigators. • The Executives appoint lawyers on cases, the lawyers follow the orders, the investigators locate threats, and the criminals clean up the mess. • All of these parts interact with each other to maintain the organization’s goal of making money, while appearing ethical.

  9. Hidden Agendas • Mitch McDeere is an up-and-coming young lawyer with a promising career coming from little money. • Agenda: to make something of himself; to become rich; goes from idealist to realist • Avery Tolar • Agenda: to survive, but to have fun and make a little waves in the process; to be a philanderer

  10. Hidden Agendas (cont’d) • Oliver Lambert & Company • Agenda: to control and continue to prosper aiding the Mob in money laundering; to do anything necessary to keep up appearances • “We know you'll do whatever’s necessary to protect the firm… wont’cha Mitch?” • Oliver Lambert (Pollack, 1993).

  11. Summary • Bendini, Lambert, and Lockeuses a formal organizational structure. • However, there are employees not on the proverbial organizational chart. • Organizational goals for the firm revolve around making money, whatever the cost. • The firm is a closed system, which enables their secrets to remain unknown. • There are three main agendas present at the firm.

  12. Analysis • Mitch McDeere was left in the dark on the business dealings of his new firm. This shows… • The absence of coordination between McDeere and the rest of the firm • The reluctance and severity of letting their secret out • There were hidden agendas that McDeere had to find out on his own. • The system was closed rather than open because they used resources without venturing outside to get them.

  13. Analysis (cont’d) • The organizational goals of the firm do not match the strategic goals and actions. • I believe that the goals for this firm are contradictory because in order to satisfy clients you must make helping them your main goal. • Bendini, Lambert, and Locke are incapable of putting clients first. • The firm’s standards were set high in outward appearance but internally set very low.

  14. Analysis (cont’d) • As the book states, “Organizations are purposeful, goal-oriented entities,” but when I think of the purpose and goals of the firm in the movie, they seem to be the same; to make money. • (Anthony, Gales, & Hodge, 2003). • You would think that the purpose of a law firm would be to help people, but this law firm was as crooked as it gets. • Social responsibility and ethical behavior guidelines are nonexistent. • Without these components, the firm will lose clients and eventually fail.

  15. Analysis (Cont’d) • This movie depicted an overall very ineffective organizational structure, as well as a very unethical firm. • The concepts from our book helped me to judge the firm’s actions without bias, but with fact. • The organizational goals were not disclosed in the movie outright, but were decipherable by their actions. • I learned that all of the concepts in our book are important, but some are more important than others.

  16. References • Anthony, W. P., Gales, L. M., & Hodge, B. J. (2003). Organization Theory: A Strategic Approach (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. • Pollack, S. (Producer and Director). (1993). The Firm[Motion picture]. [With T. Cruise]. United States: Paramount Pictures. • Cover Image: The Firm http://tf.org/images/covers/TheFirmTomCruiseGeneHackman1993-tf.org-free-2010-movie.jpg • Avery and Mitch Image http://www.businessinsider.com/is-greenberg-traurig-john-grishams-the-firm-2009-10

  17. References (cont’d) • Avery Tolar Image http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Gene_Hackman_016.html • Desk Image http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800191019/photo/538040 • Eye http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u15/Blue_eye.jpg • Oliver Lambert Image http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Tom_Cruise_010.html

  18. References (cont’d) • Running Image http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/10question s/0,30255,1706278_1522782,00.html • The Firm Image http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Gene_Hackman_009.html • William Devasher Image http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Wilford_Brimley_003.hml

More Related