Discussion Questions
for Enron
1.Describe Enron’s corporate strategy and culture and incentive
system as reported in the film. Why did the company fail?
Compare/contrast Enron’s failure with the failures of major
financial services firms last year (Lehman Brothers, WaMu,
AIG).
2.Explain and evaluate the narrative methods used in producing
this documentary. How is this narrative structured? How is the
story developed? What role do interviews play? Who is the
narrator and what is his/her point of view? How are music
and visuals used? Is the narrative effective?
Discussion Questions
for Enron
3.Considering the different roles women play in this
movie, discuss whether it is a feminist film.
4.Explain the analogy of the Milgram obedience
experiment in the movie. (Remember that 50% of
those who participated inflicted potentially lethal
electric shocks.) Does it work? What were the
implications of the experiment for participants? For
experimental social science? What do you think
would be the results if the experiment were
repeated now?
Borins reading
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Introductory chapter of book in progress
Literature review and critique
Importance of organizational context
Engage with entire narrative, not just exemplification (cf.
Garber on managerial readings of Shakespeare, esp. Henry V)
• Importance of both managerial content and narrative form
• Dominant/counter fables require context (Freedom
Writers/Cheaters)
• Posner, Law and Literature gets it right
Narrative Classification of Enron
• Documentary using an all-knowing narrator (starts at
the end)
• Director Alex Gibney’s point of view to show failings
of unregulated market in this instance: truthfulness
or truthiness? Comparison to Michael Moore?
• Things fall apart genre in large corporate setting
• Is it an instance of the dominant fable or a counterfable?
Erikson Questions
• Ken Lay: integrity or despair?
• Which values do you prefer: Erikson’s
generativity (caring for the next generation) or
Enron’s “he who dies with the most chips,
wins”?
February 4 – City Hall
1. The movie focuses on three competing narratives
to investigate, explain publically, and hold
accountable those responsible for the shootings
with which it begins: Calhoun’s, the Zapatti
family’s, and the union representing detective
Santos. Outline each narrative and explain what
the relevant party is doing to promulgate it. In
general, how do you try to win a competition of
narratives?
City Hall
2. Discuss Mayor John Pappas’s strengths and
weaknesses as a political leader. Also, evaluate Al
Pacino’s portrayal of that role.
3. Considering the movie as Kevin Calhoun’s
bildungsroman, discuss how well he handled the
professional and personal challenges and
opportunities that confronted him.
Compare/contrast Calhoun with Bud Fox in Wall
Street.
City Hall
4. A reality check: Read the 2008 New York City
performance report on the police
(http://www.nyc.gov/html/ops/downloads/pdf/_mm
r/nypd.pdf). Is the picture it paints consistent with
City Hall (1996)? Why or why not? Assume you are
working in the Mayor’s policy office, with
responsibility for communications, and a background
in narrative. How would you communicate the
findings of the performance report?