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Subjects (65)
Work and Labour Relations (30)

Human Resources (7)

  • After Mr. Sam
    After Mr. Sam
    Arthur Hammond 1974 1 h 17 min
    This full-length documentary is the 7th and final part of Corporation, a film series about the inner workings of the Steinberg supermarket chain. This installment documents a 3-day conference held in the corporation's lodge north of Montreal. There, faced with the stepping down of Sam Steinberg as president, ambitious top-level executives thrash out their differences on matters of corporation policy and objectives. But who will replace Mr. Sam, the man who built the business? Sprinkled with Sam Steinberg's reminiscences and reflections on business, full of insights into the workings of a large corporation and clashes of interest and character, the film presents an unusually close view of a struggle for position and power.
  • After the Axe
    After the Axe
    Sturla Gunnarsson 1981 56 min
    This full-length drama depicts the reality of managers getting fired and the emergence of a new industry specialized in handling executive terminations. The film was made with the cooperation of the business community, which helped script some of the scenes and provided authentic locations. The central figure, D.R. "Biff" Wilson, 44, is a composite figure based on extensive conversations with fired executives.
  • The Barrier
    The Barrier
    Thomas Farley 1957 1 h 0 min
    This feature-length drama tells two sides of the same story to illustrate the lack of communication between employer and employee. The story takes us into a fictional paper company to meet two men who, despite having similar goals, are at odds with each other. First, we see the tale unfold from the point of view of the employee, and then we get to see the same story retold through the eyes of the employer.

    Filmed in the late 1950s, The Barrier is part of the NFB's Perspective series.

  • The Cage
    The Cage
    Fergus McDonell 1956 27 min
    This short documentary from 1956 examines the phenomenon of "the gilded cage." Are the strain and tension worth the lifestyle a well-paid job provides? As we follow the story of Hugh Martin, a capable executive caught on the treadmill of our competitive society, we're forced to conclude that there must be another way. A film still as relevant today as the day it was made.
  • The General Foreman
    The General Foreman
    Morten Parker 1958 29 min
    Here is a classic example of "the man in the middle," subject to pressures from above and below, and divided in loyalty to the enterprise and to the men he supervises.
  • How They Saw Us: Needles and Pins
    How They Saw Us: Needles and Pins
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    Ann Pearson  &  Roger Blais 1977 10 min
    In this film about a factory seamstress, there is the substitution of glamor for genuine job satisfaction and advancement. The film was made in 1955.
  • Japan Inc: Lessons for North America?
    Japan Inc: Lessons for North America?
    Kalle Lasn 1980 27 min
    This short documentary is an absorbing study of Japanese business and industry. Discipline and productivity in Japan are much more regimented than in many other parts of the world. For the 110 million Japanese, survival means doing things together, rather than asserting a North American-style individualism. Japan's industry has automated and computerized at an unparalleled rate. Open-concept offices and collaborative work styles offer a model of the changing style of modern work that could inspire the West to modify their processes as well.

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