Werner, A.

'Margin call': using film to explore behavioural aspects of the financial crisis

Article

Werner, A. 2014. 'Margin call': using film to explore behavioural aspects of the financial crisis. Journal of Business Ethics. 122 (4), pp. 643-654. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1781-4

Publication dates
Type	Article
Title	'Margin call': using film to explore behavioural aspects of the financial crisis
Authors	Werner, A.
Abstract	The aim of this article is to show how the critically acclaimed and award winning film Margin Call may be used in business ethics teaching. Set in a fictional investment bank at the dawn of the financial crisis, the film zooms in on the motivations and decision-making of people who had much to lose from the crash of the hitherto very profitable mortgage-backed securities market. The film offers rich material for analysis of behaviours that contributed to the crisis. The article will set out topics for classroom discussion, including the impact of incentives and power structures, contextual factors that distance people from the consequences of their actions, and considerations of how the banking industry may be transformed.
Keywords	Financial crisis; Film; Teaching; Descriptive business ethics; Rationalisations
Research Group	Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics group
Publisher	Springer
Journal	Journal of Business Ethics
ISSN	0167-4544
Electronic	1573-0697
Online	26 Jun 2013
Print	01 Jul 2014
Publication process dates
Deposited	11 Jul 2014
Accepted	17 Jun 2013
Output status	Published
Accepted author manuscript	Andrea Werner - 'Margin Call' - using film to explore behavioural aspects of the financial crisis.pdf
Copyright Statement	This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Business Ethics. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1781-4
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1781-4
Web of Science identifier	WOS:000339384400007
Language	English

Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/84wyx

Log in to edit

Download files

Accepted author manuscript

Andrea Werner - 'Margin Call' - using film to explore behavioural aspects of the financial crisis.pdf

80
total views
110
total downloads
4
views this month
6
downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Beyond novelty and growth: a virtue ethics enquiry into fashion entrepreneurs’ responsible and harmonising practices towards sustainability

Werner, A., Elf, P., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2024. Beyond novelty and growth: a virtue ethics enquiry into fashion entrepreneurs’ responsible and harmonising practices towards sustainability. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05875-w

The real Living Wage in the London hospitality sector: opportunities and challenges

Werner, A. and Stephens, S. 2024. The real Living Wage in the London hospitality sector: opportunities and challenges. Middlesex University. https://doi.org/10.60528/1v7qzw

The (only) future of fashion? The role of small sustainable entrepreneurship in driving transformational change

Elf, P. and Werner, A. 2024. The (only) future of fashion? The role of small sustainable entrepreneurship in driving transformational change. in: Scott, K., Curtis, B. and Pajaczkowska, C. (ed.) The Future of Fashion Education: Speculation, Experience and Collaboration London, UK Taylor & Francis (Routledge). pp. 199-207

Addressing challenges to labour rights reporting on global value chains: social governance mechanisms as a way forward

Parsa, S. and Werner, A. 2023. Addressing challenges to labour rights reporting on global value chains: social governance mechanisms as a way forward. in: Kacanski, S., Kabderian Dreyer, J. and Sund, K. (ed.) Measuring Sustainability and CSR: From Reporting to Decision-Making Cham, Switzerland. Springer. pp. 95-106

Finance and funding for upscaling sustainable fashion

Lyon, F., Elf, P., Owen, R. and Werner, A. 2023. Finance and funding for upscaling sustainable fashion. in: Charter, M., Pan, B. and Black, S. (ed.) Accelerating Sustainability in Fashion, Clothing and Textiles London Taylor & Francis (Routledge).

Making the living wage work in SMEs: evidence from accredited employers in the UK hospitality sector

Werner, A. 2021. Making the living wage work in SMEs: evidence from accredited employers in the UK hospitality sector. in: Dobbins, T. and Prowse, P. (ed.) The Living Wage: Advancing a Global Movement Routledge. pp. 79-90

Advancing the circular economy through dynamic capabilities and extended customer engagement: insights from small sustainable fashion enterprises in the UK

Elf, P., Werner, A. and Black, S. 2022. Advancing the circular economy through dynamic capabilities and extended customer engagement: insights from small sustainable fashion enterprises in the UK. Business Strategy and the Environment. 31 (6), pp. 2682-2699. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2999

Living wage implementation in adult social care: challenges, solutions and benefits

Werner, A. 2021. Living wage implementation in adult social care: challenges, solutions and benefits. London, UK Middlesex University. https://doi.org/10.22023/mdx.16610725

Best practice in license allocation in the oil and gas industry: a review of five countries

Cillari, A., Stephens, S. and Werner, A. 2021. Best practice in license allocation in the oil and gas industry: a review of five countries. Resources Policy. 74, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102296

Why do managers of small and medium-sized businesses seek voluntary Living Wage accreditation? – an exploration of choice rationales

Werner, A. 2021. Why do managers of small and medium-sized businesses seek voluntary Living Wage accreditation? – an exploration of choice rationales. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 30 (6), pp. 778-789. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2021.1908417

Living wage and business ethics

Werner, A. 2020. Living wage and business ethics. in: Poff, D. and Michalos, A. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics Cham, Switzerland Springer.

A new living contract: cases in the implementation of the Living Wage by British SME retailers

Werner, A. and Lim, M. 2017. A new living contract: cases in the implementation of the Living Wage by British SME retailers. Employee Relations. 39 (6), pp. 850-862. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-07-2017-0150

Putting the living wage to work: strategies and practices in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

Werner, A. and Lim, M. 2016. Putting the living wage to work: strategies and practices in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Barrow Cadbury Trust.

The ethics of the living wage: a review and research agenda

Werner, A. and Lim, M. 2016. The ethics of the living wage: a review and research agenda. Journal of Business Ethics. 137 (3), pp. 433-447. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2562-z

CSR and related terms in SME owner-managers' mental models in six European countries: national context matters

Fassin, Y., Werner, A., Van Rossem, A., Signori, S., Garriga, E., Von Weltzien Hoivik, H. and Schlierer, H. 2015. CSR and related terms in SME owner-managers' mental models in six European countries: national context matters. Journal of Business Ethics. 128 (2), pp. 433-456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2098-7

How do European SME owner-managers make sense of stakeholder management? Insights from a cross-national study

Schlierer, H., Werner, A., Signori, S., Garriga, E., von Weltzien Hoivik, H., Van Rossem, A. and Fassin, Y. 2012. How do European SME owner-managers make sense of stakeholder management? Insights from a cross-national study. Journal of Business Ethics. 109 (1), pp. 39-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1378-3

Using a socio-psychological approach for understanding the influence of civil society on economic activity

Werner, A. 2008. Using a socio-psychological approach for understanding the influence of civil society on economic activity. Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts und Unternehmensethik. 9 (1), pp. 153-168.

Employee views of ethics at work: The 2008 national survey.

Webley, S. and Werner, A. 2009. Employee views of ethics at work: The 2008 national survey. London Institute of Business Ethics..

How UK companies use their codes of ethics: Highlights of the 2007 Institute of Business Ethics Survey.

Werner, A. and Webley, S. 2009. How UK companies use their codes of ethics: Highlights of the 2007 Institute of Business Ethics Survey. International Journal for Business Governance and Ethics. 4 (3), pp. 280-297. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBGE.2009.023333

Literature Review: Social Capital and SMEs

Werner, A. and Spence, L. 2004. Literature Review: Social Capital and SMEs. in: Spence, L., Habisch, A. and Schmidpeter, R. (ed.) Responsibility and Social Capital: The World of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Houndsmill Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 7-24

An investigation into Christian SME owner-managers' conceptualisations of practice

Werner, A. 2006. An investigation into Christian SME owner-managers' conceptualisations of practice. 176 Boca Raton: Dissertation.com..

Eine Untersuchung zu Handlungsentwürfen christlicher klein-und mittelständischer Unternehmer in Großbritannien und Deutschland.

Werner, A. 2006. Eine Untersuchung zu Handlungsentwürfen christlicher klein-und mittelständischer Unternehmer in Großbritannien und Deutschland. Forum Wirtschaftsethik. 14 (3), pp. 60-61.