Moneyball
The theories of management were portrayed in the film at different times; first the scientific management approach was used when Billy Beane was forced to field a team after the loss of key players Damon and Giambi. The first step Beane took was he hired a new assistant GM Ivy League grad Peter Brand. Brands view of replacing Giambi with 3 players instead of one higher paid player helped the A’s stay within their budget and produce the same amount of efficiency. Next human relations management approach was used with the actual signing of these just as efficient players that were never given a chance by any other organization. Next was the process approach to management, which came into play after the team had lost a game and Billy Beane had went into the locker room and music was playing and the team was playing around like they had just won game 7 of the world series. The next day Beane had made trades to get rid of Giambi and Penya too of the team’s best players, and brought in to under paid but harder working and just as efficient players, to show that losing is not fun and that he will have players playing for him that will buy into the system that he is preaching and believes in.
The managerial roles identified in the text and portrayed through the film of the main characters were first off General Manager Billy Beane. Beane’s role was the interpersonal one. Beane was the leader of the organization he was in charge to recruit, select, train, evaluate, motivate and then direct his followers which were the players of the Oakland Athletics. Next we had Peter Brand the Assistant General Manager, who is in the informational role of the organization. Brand gathered the information on the players that Beane needed to go after and sign for the team and who also fell within the price range that they could spend. Brand was also a monitor of what was going on with the team to the point of where Beane made Brand start traveling with the team on the road. The last managerial role that is identified in the movie was the decisional role which was portrayed in head coach Art Howe. Beane and Brand might have did their job by bringing in the players who they felt would help their team win it came down to Howe to make the decision to play those players and until Beane had made some trades to get rid of players Howe was making his own decision on who to play.
The leadership role of Billy Beane was he took what he was dealt as far as financial situation and he set up a direction in which he created a vision for the future of his team. Beane then aligned the people in which he felt would best fit the vision in which he had seen in order to be successful. Finally Beane was able to motivate and inspire the people.