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Perceptions of Business Leaders: An Examination of Portrayals in US Motion Pictures

Journal of Leadership and Management

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Field Value
 
Title Perceptions of Business Leaders: An Examination of Portrayals in US Motion Pictures
 
Creator Urick, Michael J.; Michael J. Urick, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Alex G. McKenna School of Business,
Economics, and Government,
Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA
e-mail: michael.urick@email.stvincent.edu
Gnecco, John; Alex G. McKenna School of Business,
Economics, and Government,
Saint Vincent College, USA
Jackson, Danielle; Alex G. McKenna School of Business,
Economics, and Government,
Saint Vincent College, USA
Greiner, Mara; Alex G. McKenna School of Business,
Economics, and Government,
Saint Vincent College, USA
Sylada, Sravanthi; Alex G. McKenna School of Business,
Economics, and Government,
Saint Vincent College, USA
 
Description This research examines the portrayal of business leaders in recent US motion pictures. The result of the examination is that business leaders have largely been portrayed negatively (in 72% of our sampled movies featuring business leaders; often as a villain, as greedy, or/and as unethical). In those fewer instances in which business leaders are portrayed positively in movies, they are often “flawed” (in that they possess some trait or engage in a behavior that could be perceived as somewhat harmful to self or others) or the movie also has an additional character that is a “negative” example of a business leader. This paper explores positive and negative business leader portrayals in movies and, drawing from a discursive approach, suggests that popular culture portrayal of leaders can lead to stereotypes, distrust of business, and a decrease in status and interest in business as a career despite the fact that business leaders have a crucial role in leading their organizations to engage in large charitable/volunteer contributions, providing meaningful employment, and producing needed products and services.
 
Publisher Institute of Leadership in Management
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2015-09-23
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://leadership.net.pl/index.php/JLM/article/view/74
 
Source Journal of Leadership and Management; Vol 3, No 5-6 (2015): Journal of Leadership and Management
2391-6087
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://leadership.net.pl/index.php/JLM/article/view/74/51
 
Rights Copyright (c) 2015 Author & JLM
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0