The relationship between 'career autonomy' and 'support', as learned from 'HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)'.

//Summary - Level-C2//

In "Hidden Figures," career autonomy and support are intertwined themes. The film depicts how black women at NASA overcame racial bias through talent and determination, exemplified by Dorothy's advancement to management. This progress was aided by allies demonstrating Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), like Catherine's boss removing discriminatory barriers, highlighting the importance of support in fostering career growth and inclusion.

1)
[Synopsis]
The story takes place in the United States from 1961 to 1962, when the USSR was engaged in a fierce space race.

Catherine (Taraji P. Henson), who was one of a group of black female computer operators at NASA's Langley Research Center, is assigned to the Space Special Research Center because of her skills as a mathematician.

2)
Her new workplace, staffed entirely by white men, is a poor environment for black women, with rampant discrimination and no accessible toilets in the building.

However, by demonstrating her mathematical genius, Catherine gradually increases her presence in the workplace.

3)
"Hidden Figures" (2016), Japanese title: "Dream," is a film based on the true story of black women who forged brilliant careers at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, in the southeastern US, in the early 1960s, when racial segregation was still deeply entrenched.

This film can be viewed through the lens of diversity and inclusion.

4)
At the research centre, talented black women, including the protagonist Katherine (Taraji P. Henson) and her colleagues Dorothy (Octavia Spencer) and Mary (Janelle Monáe), worked as computer operators, but in an environment where they could not expect the same career advancement as white people.

5)
However, the white people at the research institute did not discriminate with apparent malice (as a result, they accepted the promotion of black women).

They continued to discriminate as a matter of practice because "that's the way it's always been done".

6)
Such "unconscious bias" also exists in modern Japan. For example, "retirement age". In some countries, this is prohibited by law as age discrimination, but in Japan, it is an established practice.

How can organisations overcome unconscious bias? The process by which the white people at the research institute became aware and changed is a reference for us today.

7)
Indeed, this film also offers inspiration from the perspective of "career autonomy and support".

Each of the three black women overcomes obstacles and advances in her career in her way. Dorothy is the one that caught my eye.

8)
Dorothy, the de facto leader of a team of black female computer workers, persisted in asking to be promoted to a managerial position no matter how often her superiors rejected her request.

When introducing the latest IBM computer threatened to put her team out of work, she turned the situation to her advantage.

She learned to program before the white people around her, got her entire team transferred to IBM's programming department, and was promoted to a management position.

9)
She never gave up and said, "It's not going to work in this environment anyway," but continued to apply the best effort and ingenuity she could at the time. She is a model of professional autonomy.

However, the career progression of Dorothy and the other three women was not achieved by their strong will and efforts alone. There was also "support" from those around them.

10)
For example, when Catherine complains that there are no black bathrooms in the East Building where she works, her boss, Harrison (Kevin Costner), smashes the sign for the white bathroom with a hammer.

When Mary seeks the right to take the university courses she needs to become an engineer, the judge at the courthouse gives her special permission, bending state law that prohibits blacks from taking the classes.

11)
The concept of organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) can explain Harrison's and the judge's behaviour.

12)
OCB means that each individual makes the right decisions and takes the right actions, not just the selfish ones, to improve society and the organisation as a whole.

They consider not only short-term but also medium—to long-term profits, and not only one's own profits but also the profits of others, mainly society's.

If everyone can practice this kind of decision-making, the law of large numbers will move the whole organisation in the right direction.

13)
OCB requires support, honesty, sportsmanship (being patient with inconvenience, not complaining about work assignments, etc.), and generosity (considering the impact of one's actions on others, etc.).

And civic morality. Still, support is critical in creating an organisational culture where individuals can fully develop and demonstrate their abilities.

This film is also a story that shows what this support should look like through its portrayal of the people around the main characters.

The relationship between 'career autonomy' and 'support', as learned from 'HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)'.

https://www.works-i.com/works/series/eiga/detail008.html

The movie "HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)" finally succeeds in portraying NASA's "hidden heroes."

The movie "HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)" will be released in Japan on September 29, 2017. With detailed production that will make even NASA enthusiasts take their hats off, it depicts NASA's "hidden heroes" that have never been told before. The background and behind-the-scenes will be revealed again through the words of NASA historians.
https://wired.jp/2017/09/28/nasa-history-hidden-figures/

On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, with millions watching. Like every NASA mission, his solo spaceflight resulted from a large-scale organisational effort.
But that effort doesn't just end at Mission Control in Houston. Behind each Mercury flight was a team of engineers, physicists, and "computers" whose work received little attention.