Enron, The Smartest Guys in the Room (ATOM Study Guide)

Enron, the Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 feature film suitable for senior secondary and tertiary students about how core values of groups can be eroded in business. The film is the inside story of one of history's greatest business scandals, in which top executives of America's largest company walked away with over 1 billion dollars while investors and employees lost everything.

The film is based on a book of the same name and features insider accounts and revealing corporate audio and videos. It exposes the almost unimaginable excesses of the Enron hierarchy and the utter moral vacuum that posed as corporate philosophy.

The study guide includes information and activities to enhance the themes of the film. Students are encourage to critically analyze the core values of groups and societies and how we can determine what is right and wrong in a business context. The study guide also helps students develop an awareness of the complex interrelationships between businesses and how language can be used to conceal the truth. It includes a chart to show how companies are structured, timelines for the events in the film and challenging ideas about business ethics and corporate greed for students to discuss.

Curriculum Links:
The film and study guide will be of interest to teachers and students in a number of curriculum areas:
• Business Management
• Legal Studies
• Economics
• Civics and Citizenship
• SOSE / HSIE
• Ethical Studies
• Philosophy
• Media Studies
• Political Studies
• English