Topic > Categorization and Stereotyping in Movies and TV Shows Outsourced

IndexIntroductionCase StudyAll Americans are extremely wealthySolutionIndians only eat curry and spicy foodSolutionIntroductionCategorization and stereotyping have happened to most people and we are all guilty of doing it, whether it on purpose or unconsciously. Categorization occurs when we think of someone from a different culture or group versus another culture or group. When we categorize we tend not to think of people as individuals but to group them all together with their culture. This is how stereotypes arise and can have a negative effect on your ability to collaborate with other people from different backgrounds. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayCase StudyI watched the movie Outsourced and part of the television show Outsourced. The film and TV series are about an American named Todd who moves to India to manage his company's call center. The film contains many stereotypes about Americans and Indians, but it shows how you can overcome your differences and become a better, well-rounded person. The title “Outsourcing” betrays the difficulties and adjustments many face when expanding their business globally. All Americans Are Extremely Rich At the beginning of the TV show there is a part where Todd and Rajiv Gidwani, Todd's deputy manager, have just arrived at the call center office and Todd sees a cow looking out the window. He is caught off guard and Rajiv says something along the lines of how Todd wouldn't understand how sacred the cow is because Americans are so rich that they eat burgers for "breakfast, lunch and dinner." ” Being American, I can tell you with 100% certainty that this is not true. Many Americans are not in the top 1%. According to Bloomberg, “to be financially comfortable in America today requires an average of $1. 4 million...". A very small percentage of people in America have this type of wealth, so the categorization that “all Americans are rich” is false. This stereotype can lead to prejudice between Todd and his employees because they will automatically assume that Todd thinks he is better than them because he is “rich.” ” This can lead to mutual animosity and a lack of trust between boss and employees. Solution The way to combat this categorization and its consequences is for Todd to bridge the gap between him and his employees. He needs to get them to see him as a person just like them and build trust between them. It can do this by using the team building process strategy. By developing an openness to conversation, you can gain their trust. Todd should have lunch with his employees to have a more casual conversation. Todd can also focus more on a long-term relationship with his employees rather than a short-term relationship by getting to know them individually. By getting to know each of his employees, he was able to establish trust and a better working relationship. Indians only eat curries and spicy foods. This stereotype was prevalent in both the TV show and the movie. In the TV show, Todd is in the lunch room and seems disgusted by the food he is offered. In the end he ends up opting for the “green stuff”. Another American in the cafeteria, who brought a peanut butter sandwich and a ham sandwich, is talking to Todd and tells him that he will regret eating that food because it will make him sick for 5 days. The other American tells Todd that he was shipped his "normal food" from America. In the movie Outsourced, this stereotype comes to pass.