Paper Example on American Factory: Hope and Frustration in Uneasy Union

Introduction

The film American Factory provides a mix of hope and frustration between employees from two different spectra of life but working in the same company. Years after the GM plant was closed, it was hope for the thousands of Chinese employees when it reopened as Fuyao Glass America. American employees took up the management positions but got frustrated by the unorganized labor rules in China and seeked to join a union to advocate for their rights. The Chinese employees, on the other hand, viewed the American employees' demands as ridiculous, for they enjoyed working 12 hours shifts without coffee breaks and weekends. Thus at the workplace, there existed a culture clash as the Americans felt frustrated by the unorganized labor rules in China while the Chinese employees abided by the philosophy that "life is about work."

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The filmmaker’s perspective on the film

The filmmakers have in mind that the world there exists a culture clash between people from a different environment. Even in the workplace where diversity is important, culture clash can lead to discrimination based on the individuals' beliefs and values. In the context of the film, this notion is based on the existing gap to be addressed between labor and management. The filmmaker plot's the billionaire to represent a person who feels the American employees' view and the Chinese employees' view differently. This is illustrated in the film when there is a rise in the innate differences between the Americans and the Chinese attitudes toward work.

Lessons from the documentary about our society

There exists a cultural clash between people from a different environment, and as the American work environment is well organized and regulated, the Chinese working environment is not highly regulated. Thus, in a working environment that respects diversity and where the two work together, there is a clear difference in the employees' attitude to work. Also important is that the work culture of the society where the company is located becomes dominant in the workplace. In the context of the film "American Factory," employees' attitudes vary from the management to the least ranked employee. While establishing such working areas, most employers have their own expectations and demands from the employees just as the heads of the Chinese firm expected the Americans to perform.

Social institutions featured in the film

The main social institution featured in the film is the labor union. The American employees having felt discriminated against by the Chinese firm; they feel there was a high need to have a union that will help them air out their problems. The social institution will protect their rights and have them get the privileges they demanded at work while, on the contrary, the management threatened American employees who join the union.

Social groups represented in the film

There are two main social groups represented in the film. First is the Employees with the American culture of work, and second is the Chinese with a workaholic culture towards work. Thus, the film consists of American and Asian people, each with different cultures. At the start of the factory, the billionaire hired two thousand blue color Americans, and about 200 Chinese workers are brought in to help with retention.

The social problem revealed in the film

Exposure to a poor working environment is the major social problem revealed in the film. Due to the laxity in labor laws in China, the Chinese investors seem to be impatient with how the two thousand blue color Americans perform their tasks. In turn, the American employees feel discriminated by the Chinese when they are lectured on how work should be done, yet the Chinese workers got work training from cross-cultural consultants on how they will direct the American employees at work.