to make my own teaching and research more exciting. The power of filmmaking is manifold; films can create a strong emotional impact with audiences through the combination of visuals and audio. But there is more: as I discuss in my recent article in the Journal of Management Studies , films combine concrete and abstract layers of storytelling in exciting ways. They use characters to give audiences access to new worlds and they build stories from vivid scenes we remember for a long time. After getting into filmmaking, I started using actual films in my class – instead of conventional case studies – as a way to discuss complex topics. For example, to teach multi-stakeholder processes in the context of corporate misconduct, I use the drama Dark Waters from 2019, starring Mark Ruffalo. The film is inspired by true events and tells the story of corporate defence lawyer Robert Bilott (played by Ruffalo), who is approached by a farmer named Wilbur Tennant from the village where he grew up. Tennant asks for help in finding out what and who is behind the death of his 190 cows. He suspects that the firm DuPont is responsible for polluting local waters with dangerous chemicals. Reluctantly, Bilott agrees to help, even though DuPont is one of the major clients at the law firm where he works. After a long investigation, they find that the local water supply has been poisoned by so-called ‘forever chemicals’, which DuPont has been using to produce Teflon. These chemicals are likely to have not only killed the cows, but also caused numerous cancer cases and birth defects in the local community. Lawsuits follow that eventually lead to a multimillion-dollar settlement. This film is a good example of effective character-driven storytelling. Protagonists like Bilott help audiences understand complex subject matters such as corporate misconduct and the dynamics unfolding around it. I like the film not only because it shows the complexity of multi-stakeholder processes, but because it confronts students with an important ethical dilemma. If you were in Bilott’s shoes, would you take on the case and pursue it against your career interests? Ways to weigh up moral dilemmas To frame the discussion, I use a diagram from Gareth Morgan’s book, Images of Organisation in which he describes decisions as an outcome of partly overlapping, partly conflicting considerations: the nature of the task, career ambitions and external factors such as personal interests and values. There is no easy answer here, but I trust that many students will remember the film whenever they face a morally difficult decision. The film uncovers the subtle mechanisms that make us think that some things are impossible, while it also teaches us that, under certain conditions, we can break out of this mind trap. There is a scene where Bilott tries to convey to Tennant that winning a lawsuit against DuPont is unrealistic. He says: “These companies have all the money – they’ll use it. Trust me, I was one of them.” But Tennant’s response to that catches Bilott off-balance. Tennant replies: “You are still one of them.” This reaction changes Bilott’s entire approach to the case. We all get corrupted by the
BIOGRAPHY
Stephan Manning is a professor of strategy and innovation at the University of Sussex Business School and a producer of films and videos. His research focuses on responses to global societal challenges, social innovation and entrepreneurship, global value chains and films as vehicles for social change. His research has been published widely; for more information visit www.stephanmanning.com
16 | Ambition | JUNE 2024
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