Movie Analysis ProjectBy Andrea Hansen

BS311

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.

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).

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

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)

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

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.

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.

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

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).

Summary

Bendini, Lambert, and Locke uses 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

References (cont’d)

Avery Tolar Image

http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Gene_Hackman_016.html

Desk Imagehttp://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800191019/photo/538040

Eyehttp://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u15/Blue_eye.jpg

Oliver Lambert Image

http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Tom_Cruise_010.html

References (cont’d)

Running Imagehttp://www.time.com/time/photoessays/10questions/0,30255,1706278_1522782,00.html

The Firm Imagehttp://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Gene_Hackman_009.html

William Devasher Image

http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/993TFM_Wilford_Brimley_003.hml