The Responsibility Project:
Birds Barbershop
ETH/316
University of Phoenix Film Summary
Birds Barbershop is a short film about how two lifelong friends came together to start a small business in because neither of them wanted to work for large companies. What seems to start out as a simple small business in a simple small community seems to turn into a successful social experiment on how a small company can begin to grow and become successful while maintaining some good old-fashioned values.
Co-founder, Michael Portman tried working for a large corporation and found that as he climbed the business ladder, he did not like the personalities that made up different management levels. The inference in the film was that Michael did not like the ethical standards set forth by upper management, and decided he wanted something more rewarding from his business career. Jayson Rapaport also tried working in a larger corporation where he experienced the negative effects of corporate bureaucracy. As one point Jayson realized it was time to make a change and do something on his own, so he returned to Austin, Tx. where he reconnected with his life-long friend to create a small business in the community that provided a service, but did so without all the fanciful trappings of a large corporate chain or national franchise. Their vision was to bring back the charm and solid values of an old time community barber shop: Birds Barbershop.

How ethical principles can be used to address community or organizational issues.

The duo did not set out to conquer the world of hair salons by setting up stores on every corner. They did however, want to be the kind of management team that they themselves would like to work for. Leading by example is absolutely a core ethical principle immediately identifiable by employees and patrons alike. After stripping away all the bureaucracy of larger companies, Rapaport and Portman were able to focus on two issues: being the best proprietors, they could for their employees and their customers. Part of that challenge involved empowering staff to contribute creatively to the shop’s image and culture. The result was a more naturally honest and inviting customer experience. In addition, employees take ownership of their jobs and flourish in this highly positive-charged work environment.
After a few years, Rapaport and Portman came to a realization that they were now responsible for the livelihoods of over 100 employees. Proper managers will always consider the quality of life an employee can attain working for them and strive to provide effective compensation for those efforts.

Why are the film’s issues important?
The success of Birds Barbershop is due in no small part to the goals our two entrepreneurs set out to accomplish. “We’re not curing diseases but we are trying to make a little part of your day better and more affordable than it used to be” (Portman, 2012). The co-owners understand how people in the small community outside of Austin, Texas value quality service, from businesses who genuinely care about their customers as well as the community they support. The film demonstrates that a company can flourish and prosper without falling to the temptations of big business. The focus in this film is all about business culture and how the right decisions do not have to be a “lesser of two evils” scenario: you can treat employees with respect and the company will prosper.

What role do external social pressures have in influencing organizational ethics? In the small suburb near Austin, patrons have an expectation of good service for a reasonable price. As such, it may be tempting for a company to cut corners on product quality in order to maintain a steady profit stream. The filmmaker portrays Birds as two friends that have created a service for the community that thrives on its controlled slow growth taking care to not break for temptation’s sake any core ethical standards simply to make an extra dollar.

How might these issues be relevant to organizational and personal decisions? The film clearly stresses that the proprietors of Birds are focused on making strong and sound ethical choices for their business. They understand that what may appear to be a subtle decision at one level can have a much stronger impact downstream to the potential detriment of their customers and or their employees. The have an obvious respect for post and take great care to ensure that whatever business decisions are made, are done only after considering the potential impact on all stake holders. Based on their individual experiences in previous larger companies, it is unlikely that Rapaport or Portman would sleep well, knowing they may have unsettled the positive balance between organizational and consumer relations.

What is the relationship between legal and moral problems as shown in the movie? As with most successful business owners, Rapaport and Portman considered the notion of franchising the name Birds in order to meet demands so they developed a business model to gauge the results. The concept of a corporate structure for their company had a strong dampening effect on the company’s staff, which in turn had a direct effect on the charm and character of the stores that they had worked so hard to capture. The environment became less fun for employees, posing the question, is it worth losing the charm of the company in order to expand the brand - a brand that was built on that very character and charm? Reference:
Manson, T. (Director). (2012). Birds Barbershop [Motion Picture].