Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada

Ariana Goldberg

April 12, 2013

Organizational Behavior

The Devil Wears Prada is a movie based in New York that takes an inside look at one of the most renowned fashion magazines in the world: Runway. At the top of the food chain is the fierce Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, Runway’s powerful editor-in-chief. Below her are a number of subordinates that are put through a whirlwind of stressful situations throughout the movie. It seems as though everyone at Runway is consumed by the fashion industry and Miranda Priestly’s wrath, except for the innocent Andy Sachs. Andy was a graduate of Northwestern and an aspiring journalist. She applied for a role as Miranda’s co-assistant in hopes of gaining unmatched connections that would land her a dream job. When first introduced, Andy was naïve to the world of fashion and even admitted she had never heard of Runway before. Andy quickly learns how strict and tyrannical the corporate culture of her new company is, yet remains true to her character and makes it out on top. Despite the endless number of obstacles, seemingly impossible demands, and the extreme imbalance of work and personal time, Andy demonstrates key attributes of motivation in order to keep her exceptional position. Additionally, The Devil Wears Prada craftily exemplifies the expectancy theory and Maslow’s Needs Theory to further prove Andy’s terrific motivation.

The textbook defines motivation as, “the forces within a person that affect the direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior” (P. 132). Andy’s ultimate goal following her graduation was to find a decent job in the journalism industry. With her eye on the prize, she accepted an open position at Runway, due to the mere fact that it was a published journal in New York City. She soon learns that Runway has a cult-like following, in which its employees and fans are consumed by its fashion contents. It appears as though nearly every action performed by these employees is done to please the almighty Miranda, who oftentimes disapproves of work that has been completed. Andy gains some feelings of motivation early on because she sees how challenging her job is. Furthermore, her motivation is increased when her coworker Emily reveals that Runway “sets you up to work anywhere in publishing”. Again, Andy’s ultimate goal is to obtain a successful job as a journalist, so when she understands the possible opportunities that could come of this job her attitude shifts. Andy begins to dress appropriately and fully engage in her environment. She acts in a very goal-directed manner (a key component of motivation).

Another component of motivation, specifically employee engagement, is for the employee to understand