Individual Assignment

For the course

“Insider Outsider Perspectives: Understanding Other Cultures”

Submitted by

Amisha Lal | 2020PGP031

Under the guidance of:

Dr. Surbhi Dayal

at

Indian Institute of Management Indore, Rau-Pithampur Road,

Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Perspective about the film's content and style

A piece of literature or a movie has cultural worth when it makes current values’ remarks
regardless of generation. Despite the fact that the work is fiction, in this instance, 12
Angry Men, we can evaluate the events in the movie and question our own or society's
behaviour. The attitudes and ideas of the jurors in the film, can help us reflect on our
own prejudices and misconceptions about others. The plot of the movie is how a group of
jurors must decide whether an accused murderer, a juvenile, is guilty or innocent in a
tense and gripping dramatical satire. At first, eleven of the twelve jurors convict the
defendant of the charges. The jurors are gradually swayed to a not-guilty verdict after a
fierce debate. The film highlights social issues and theories in the areas of conformity,
prejudices, attitude modification, and others when examined closely. 
Although there are numerous underlying themes in this film that deal with a wide range
of complex subjects, one of the most important messages is that anything is possible.
While the jurors may be unable to agree on anything else at first, they appear to agree
that the father's murder was not acceptable. The judge even informs them on this,
saying, "One guy is dead!" and along with that another person's life is on the line. They all
represent the widespread conviction in our society that murder is unacceptable. The fact
that they are on a jury for a murder trial reflects society's confidence in the prohibition of
murder.

Social problems portrayed in the film

12 Angry Men explored how biases might influence decision-making. In this scenario,
many jurors in a murder trial show how their prejudices influence their decisions as they
attempt to vote based on their racial beliefs towards the defendant. While juror #3 has
an underlying disdain for children as a result of his troubled relationship with his son,
juror #10 demonstrates prejudice against slum-dwellers that gradually becomes ugly.
Because these feelings are subjective, jurors are forced to view the case and facts from a
viewpoint that is exclusively favourable to their prejudices. Furthermore, because this
antagonistic attitude was (unsurprisingly) frowned upon even in the 1950s, it diverted
attention away from the case, forcing jurors to continuously define their moral standards
before focusing on the accused.
It's intriguing that the most incriminating evidence comes from an eyewitness to the
murder who also happens to be a resident of the boy's slum. However, the boy, a
member of the same society, is presumed to be a liar. "She's one of them too?" Juror 8
drew the attention of the other jurors to their double standards. Juror #5 answers to the
snide remarks by revealing that he, too, is a ghetto native. The fact that these
contradictory standards exist undermines the credibility of jurors whose votes were
influenced by pre-judging.
This still relevant in the current scenario. Diversity always brings with it a vast range of
beliefs, both deeply held and easily swayed. In the same way that #MeToo, Black Lives
Matter, and other movements demand, jurors in the movie are forced to examine their
ideas in difficult ways.

How can understanding other cultures/perspectives change the way we look at things

Many countries now live in a multicultural environment, and the world is rapidly
becoming a global village. Understanding different cultures is not only vital, but it also
promotes peaceful coexistence. It's important to remember that when we learn about
different cultures, we're all individuals. This will go a long way towards making the
environment a better place for all of us to thrive in. Spending time with people from
different cultures allows you to learn about their struggles and community customs.
You'll also get the chance to rethink any preconceived notions you might have about your
habits and daily life. Such knowledge allows you to develop as a person while also
learning more about your culture and respect other cultures as well.

How do methods, linkages, and contextualisation help to understand others better?

Language's meaning is always contextual, and so is any intellectual effort. We constantly

respond to a preceding argument in the form of a dialogue or intellectual interaction and
communication, and this in large part dictates the orientation of our own argument.
Contextualization provides the overarching benefit of improving people's understanding.
It can help people learn a language by allowing to grasp the culture through the
language's intricacies. Hence, contextualization and culture are inextricably linked.
Each of us has a unique background that shapes who we are and how we see the world.
Where we grew up, the size and composition of our families, our ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, and educational background all have an impact on our
perspective. Even if two people grew up next door to each other, their cultural
perceptions and experiences can be very different. Cultivating a cultural perspective
through methods, linkages and contextualisation is an important step towards
developing creative and flexible social skills that benefit our companies. From inspiring
collaborative innovation, recruiting talent, to retaining clients and improving support,
workplaces rely on our capacity to develop strong relationships, both internally and
outside.

What management lessons did you learn from the movie.

It is critical to know as a manager that people are incapable of making decisions without
getting hazed by biases which includes themselves too. Prejudices cloud people's
judgement all of the time. When making judgments or persuading others, as a manager
one should keep in mind that we see things through various glasses and must try to help
one another steer clear of any such pre-conceived notions.
Empathy is a crucial component of emotional intelligence. Understanding other people's
motives and being able to connect with them can help you better detect different
personalities and their motivations, as well as comprehend group dynamics.
The manner in which you argue, not just the reasons you make, might influence your
effectiveness. Juror #8 never declared in the film that he knew for sure that the
defendant was not guilty. If he had assumed the arrogant stance of knowing everything,
he would have failed to persuade the others. His calm demeanour was also important,
since it provided him a lot of credibility within the group. This is a quality a budding
manager must hone.
Leaders frequently encounter aggressive stakeholders who pressure them to make
decisions that suit their wants or opinions. In such situations, courage is defined as doing
what is right rather than what others want. With Juror 8 disagreeing with 11 other jurors
shows the courage it takes to go against the wind for the right thing.
The best jury members looked beyond and gave their all as they were contributing to the
greater benefit of society. The same should be done by the organization's leaders. It's not
always about obtaining a salary or a promotion in their jobs. It's an opportunity to make a
difference and contribute to the betterment of consumers, employees, and society as a
whole. This viewpoint not only boosts motivation but also lowers stress levels. The dread
of a career-ending failure causes a lot of stress in leadership roles.