Ethical Dilemas in Jerry MaguireI first watched Jerry Maguire when it came out in the movies in 1996, I enjoyed it and thought it was an excellent movie. I watched the movie again for this assignment and realized a lot of ethical issues and dilemmas that are addressed in the movie. Having been in the workforce as long as I have in conjunction to this class I feel that I can better identify ethical issues found in Jerry Maguire. There is a lot to write about on the ethical issues covered in the movie, I am sure I am not listing all but will cover the ones that stood out to me.
The facts about Jerry Maguire priorities and what is viewed as important in the movieMoney = success (Perfectionism)Career comes before clients well-being (health)Family and their concerns are irrelevant issues (shallow / insensitive to families concerns)Jerry’s Narcissism / Rod’s egotistical behaviorsGreed – The higher the contract he can get for his clients the more money agents getBusiness world is shed in a negative lightWinning is the most important thing – fearing failureBetrayal is part of the game in the workplace by co-worker and friendsLack of respect for women/ lack of intimacyDishonesty – Negotiation tactics (asking for personal favors and considerations when negotiating a contract). Rules are often bentNot treating his clients the same (focusing more and spending more time on players that can generate money and leaving the others at the bottom of the priority list).
JOE: “Don’t pay me what I can’t get. I’m a young man. So, your future with Jerry is not going to be easy. Because, the plan is for you not to be happy in the short term. You’re going to be a wreck, you’re going to hit a bump in that road, you’re going to find money to buy food. Oh, but Jerry, let me get the message out there is: we should just do it. We just got hit with a big bump and it won’t last. You should take your kids out and have a house together and be your own man in the long run. The good things in life are when you go to work and do a job. And we just got hit with a bump in that road. Don’t go through that. And if you do go through that, do you think you’re going to be able to get what you deserve? There’s no one to take care of you. I know many men have been through those. But it is good that I’ve been able to do things because, at the same time, you’re going to work for a company that’s built on being in the right place at the right time. I’ve been able to hire a well-trained manager over 15 years and run the company I left it in and that would be awesome. I’m not worried about anything, but at my last job it felt like I wasn’t allowed to go where I was supposed to go because, you know, it doesn’t feel right. But you’re going to make better hires as an employee because I’ll be the guy who can handle what you do. It’s a great job to be the man that can handle what you do.”
JACK: “You know Jerry, you know I’ve done things to get the best deal. But don’t pay for it, just ignore it if I say it. It’s not going to help if I’m going to make you pay you or it’s not going to come until I get your money back. You don’t like any of this now. I’ll look at the next deal you have and if you don’t like the one, just cancel it. And never over-pays; keep going at it or whatever. You may like Jerry but not for me. I think you guys like it. The good news is you’re going to find this out and just keep going. It will come true. And eventually you will see some of those folks that get your money back now that you won’t. I think you’ll go on to make a bigger difference. And I like it and wish you happy and happy, and happy. You’ll be a great man.”
BILL: “It’s about time the world recognized Jerry, especially Jerry Maguire’s recent $500,000 deal with Mondo. It was done in the best spirit possible. I think his best role was to help put this plan together that could be fulfilled and to help make sure that it was successful.”
“In one of our meetings we heard, that the movieMoney, along with Jerry’s success with Moneyball, made a lot of sense because Jerry was the biggest hit star of all time. He won a lot of awards and I think he can take this film to a level that maybe no actor-musician has ever done. It’s a way to see Jerry
Values/beliefs of right vs wrong does not matter in a culture where everything goes just to close a deal or get the most moneyStakeholders – Clients (the Athletes), families, company, employees, fans, unions and self.Consequences – Termination of contract either Jerry or his clients. Expensive to recruit and train new employees.Long Term –Death of an athlete if forced to ignore doctors’ orders and continue playing, forced to change careers. Concern for family’s status and livelihood.Short Term –Unemployment, bad reputation, blackballed in his field, having to start overDeontology – The duty or obligation that Rod felt as the main provider of his family. Also Jerry’s need to share the mission with his co-workers to help them get out of the funk that they found themselves in and did not realize.
Virtue Ethics – Thinking how this affects everyone as a whole. Jerry’s need to