Ethics in the Movies Case Study

 

"Boiler Room"

 

1. What do you think of the values expressed by the man in the 1^st scene?  Which of Rokeach’s Values is the most important to him and what do you think of his level of value? 

 

 

2. What do you think of Seth’s Casino?  Is Seth deceiving himself by saying his business is an honest business?  Which ethical principle is involved?

 

 

3. What do you Seth’s six-month’s-long lie to his family, about still being in school?  What is his ethical decision making style?

 

 

4. What did you think of your first scene of the trading room at JT Marlin?

 

 

5. What did you think about the recruiting process at JT Marlin (i.e., the interview)?  Did any comments by the recruiter seemed unethical?

 

 

6. What do you think of Seth’s father’s comments during their meeting?

 

 

7. What do you think of JT Marlin’s philosophy communicated during the manager’s training conversation?

 

 

8. What did you think of the ethics involved in how the company handled the sales call to the doctor?

 

9. Bar Scene: What do you think of the JP Morgan broker’s treatment of the J.T. Marlin brokers from an ethics point of view? 

 

10. Training Room Scene:  What caused this reaction?  Do you think it represents a change in J.T. Marlin’s ethics?  Does appearance count in business?  Is “act as if” unethical?

 

11. What does the fight scene and conversation afterwards say about the ethics, behavior and values of the J.T. Marlin associates?

 

12. What do you think of the Seth’s casino closing decision?  Was it a question of money decreasing while the legal risk remained high?
13. What does Seth’s question, “Do you know how good it feels to close someone” mean to you?

 

14.  What does Seth’s questioning the prospectus and shredding indicate to you?

 

15.  Does Seth’s selling of Harry Barnard indicate unethical treatment toward stakeholders?  What do you think causes his behavior?

 

16.  Bending the rules about the 40^th account and fighting at work?  Is it ever moral behavior?

 

17.  What do you think of J.T. Marlin’s leader, his speech, and the party as a ritual of the organizational culture?  What do you think of the broker manager behavior toward subordinates?

 

18.  What is Seth’s conflict once he knows how the company operates?

 

19.  Is his father right about this business being worse than an illegal casino?  Does Seth think his father is correct?  Could Seth do well in other jobs.   For example, as a casino manager in Las Vegas or Atlantic City (i.e., places where casinos are legal).  Is a father not helping his son in this situation immoral.

 

20. Why do you think Seth’s last act is to get Chris to sign the sell ticket for J.T. Marlin?