OD Concept Movie: "Miracle" essay

Characters

Miracle is an example of an organizational development movie that focuses on 1980 United States Olympic team. The main events revolve around the coaching team and the Management Board of the Olympic team. The coach of the team Herb Brooks leads the organizational change by selecting a team of inexperienced graduated high school players, who have never been to any competition. The team members that have been selected include two old school rivals, namely the defenseman Jack O’Callahan and the forward Rob McClanahan, Mike Eruzoine, who is the captain of the team, and one of the United States team scorers. Other important team players include Ralph Cox, Dave Silk, Mark Johnson, Mike Ramsey, Buzz Schneider, John Harrington and other participants making the team. At the same time, the Management Board consists of Walter Bush, who does not support the idea of making a team of inexperienced players, the assistant coach, Craig Patrick, and Doc Nagobads, who performs the duties of the team physician and who is a long-time friend of Brooks.

 

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Plot of the Movie

Miracle is a movie of Disney production showing the 1980 United States Olympic team. The head coach of the team, Herb Brooks, leads an inexperienced hockey players composed of college kids to one of the famous Olympic victories of all times. The team is faced with several problems due to lack of experience. During the initial practice session, the problems are seen between the defenseman Jack O’Callahan and the forward Rob McClanahan due to high school rivalries. As a result, the head coach intervenes and urges the players to act as one team. During a friendly match with Norway that ends in a 3-3 tie, the head coach notices that the players are distracted by girls around the playing field. Consequently, he forces them to undertake a practice module known as "Herbies." After following the coach’s instructions, the players reach a point when they are too exhausted to distract. In another exhibition game played against the Soviet Union, the players are mishandled and are involved in fighting. As a result, Jack O’Callahan is injured, which almost prevents him from participating in the Olympics games. As the Olympics begin, the United States tied Sweden in the first match. The coach initially blamed Jack O’Callahan for not wanting to play so Jack O’Callahan has to engage in game to inspire the team to greatness. In the second match, the team defeats the heavily favored Czechoslovakia before winning games against other teams, such as Romania, Norway, and West Germany to enter the medal group category. Nevertheless, the American team is considered as the outsider in the final game against the Soviets. The game begins with the Americans losing a penalty so the Soviets are the first one to score the goal before the inspiring Jack O’Callahan returns to the team making an immediate impact by checking the star player in the Soviet team known as Vladimir Krutov. The Soviets score two goals before going into the intermission, though the United States team manages to score one goal back. The Americans start the second half by levelling the score before the Soviets start winning again 3-2. The United States wins a penalty that is easily converted into another score before one of their player, Eruzione, scores another goal for the United States to go ahead for the first time. After that, the United States starts using the defensive mode of play, while the Soviet team enters the aggressive tactics. Nevertheless, as the time passes, the team of the Soviet Union fails to score. One of the commentators narrating the game states that it would require a miracle for the United States team to hold the severe attacks they had initially received from the Soviet players. As the Americans finally win, they are told to be responsible for one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Later, the team defeats Finland in the final game and wins the gold medal, which was an achievement that was merely seen as a dream.

OD Concept in the Movie

Organizational development refers to the successful change in an entity, as well as to its performance. It may also refer to interventions and various techniques that are used to facilitate the change process in any organisation, especially when dealing with issues relating to development. Various organizational development issues have been captured in the movie described above. More specifically, these were the questions connected with the stages of organizational development and human resource. The first incidence is considered as the forming stage, where the players, which have been selected to join the team, underwent the requisite transformation steps to become the true members of the team. The change in the organizational structure is seen as a new technique that was initially not present in the team. The storming stage is the second step, where rivalries are witnessed in the team. This is another common issue that always takes place, especially in situations when there is a change in the organizational structure of any company. The following is the norming stage, when team members start acting as a single unit leaving their individual practices and cultures behind for the improvement of the team’s organization. At this time, a new developmental culture is established by the members of the team and all individuals are expected to follow this culture. The last stage is the performing stage, where the team starts performing well due to their unity of purpose and reduced incidences of conflicts, as well as reduced incidences of issues relating to competition. Once all stages have been developed and a culture established for any company, it is on the right path to success.