Training Day: Management Analysis

Michael Rounsavall 1/9/08 Management 202 Training Day: Movie Analysis The movie Training Day starring Denzel Washington,proved to show many interesting outlooks of managing activities and skills that I have never even came close to noticing before. Alonzo Harris played by Denzel in the movie expressed many forms of management throughout this movie. He displayed different basic management functions, fundamental management skills, parts of the evolution of management, and also some other key management terms. Jake Hoyt, who Alonzo is supposed to give in an evaluation on, also shows many different forms of management throughout this movie. The first thing I noticed during this movie was the basic management functions that Alonzo was planning throughout the whole movie to achieve a certain goal. At the beginning of the movie I noticed that Alonzo took the drugs from the dealers instead of arresting them. As the movie went on this pattern continued, and it wasn’t until Alonzo sat down with the three police officers that I realized what was actually going on. This meeting was a form of bureaucracy (Griffin, 15), because the top dog police officers, who I thought of as the top managers set a set of guidelines for Alonzo, and allows him to go cash in on Roger’s money stash. At this point I realized throughout the movie I realized Alonzo was displaying basic management functions throughout this entire movie. He obviously had a goal, which was get enough money to save himself from the Russians. He then began planning, and deciding the best way to achieve these goals. (Griffin, 9). This plan consisted of going around and stealing from the drug dealers then selling it for one hundred percent profit or Illegally searching homes for money, when that didn’t work he got permission from the top ranks to steal from his friend Roger. Alonzo then began to organize his plan by getting the people he needed, and determined how each activity and resource would be demonstrated during this robbery. (Griffin,9) This plan was to frame the murder of Roger to look like he had shot a cop, then to steal Roger’s money which would save Alonzo. Alonzo did a spectacular job of leading the group so that it would seem like it was an act of self defense towards Roger. He was barking out orders, and made everyone work together, so that there would be no problem getting away with this (Griffin, 10). After the money was taken by Alonzo he displayed the final step which is controlling. During this stage you must ensure that your firm is going to arrive at its destination at the appointed time. (Griffin, 9) For Alonzo this met he had to get the money to the Russian’s, and he saw Jake as a problem. To ensure that he would reach his final destination Alonzo set Jake up to be murdered, but this didn’t work out because Jake saved the murderers sister. After this Jake realizes that Alonzo is very corrupt, and goes to take back what Alonzo has stolen. This movie not only displayed the basic management functions but also proved to show fundamental skills and other key terms. During this movie I definitely thought of Jake as more of a first line manager who was able to control the streets, but was under the wing of Alonzo and the top executives. Throughout the movie Jake showed just about every one of the fundamental management skills you could show. He definitely possessed the technical skills because he was able to show all the skills necessary with being a cop, especially when he had to fight of f the two rapists (Griffin, 10). He showed most of the other skills at the end of the movie when he was going to take down Alonzo. After Jake escaped from the â€Å"set up†, that Alonzo had planned out for him,he made his own theory about what he was going to do. In management a theory is organizing knowledge, and providing a blueprint for action (Griffin, 12). Jake realized that he gained the respect from Alonzo’s administration in which he controlled, and planned to sneak in Alonzo’s house to take the money back from that he had stolen. As Jake got into Alonzo’s house he showed very good communication skills with Alonzo’s son ensuring his safety, while making sure Alonzo wasn’t able to hear him come in, and conveyed his message effectively so that he could take care of the situation (Griffin, 11). After this Jake was able to take down Alonzo until they were outside, and Alonzo had all of his administration together. Alonzo ran a form of administrative management throughout the projects, where he organized, lead, and controlled what went on, and how the operations were going to take place (Griffin, 15). As Alonzo’s organization realized how corrupt he really was, just like many higher level managers are accused of, they stopped letting Alonzo control them, and allowed Jake to take Alonzo’s stolen money for evidence. Jake definitely was not interested in the human ethics movement whereas that workers respond social context of the workplace(Griffin, 15). Jake did a good job proving that he was very ethical throughout this movie, and proved he was ready to move up to a higher position. Even though Alonzo did a good job displaying management skills, he was very corrupt, and was cheating his way through the system. This movie showed how people could control an administration, but be shut down for doing things the non-ethical way. Jake fought through this corrupt system, and showed great fundamental managementskills throughout this entire film. I never realized how much this film actually showed related to the world of management until I really looked closely at it. I’m sure now that I will be able to look at films such as this one, and be able to understand how they also have to do with managing a company. York, 2006.