Miranda is the demanding boss of Runway magazine who wields power through an authoritarian leadership style, influencing her employees to also act rudely. Andrea starts as a new assistant just trying to pay rent but grows motivated by her mentor Nigel to pursue higher level needs and do better work. However, after gaining recognition, Andrea realizes she has become just like Miranda and chooses to leave for a more suitable job. The film depicts office politics, like Miranda using others to deliver negative messages, to maintain her position of power within the company.

6. In Runway’s office, there are four main characters who have different personalities: the rookie
Andrea, the boss Miranda, the stylist Nigel, and the assistant Emily. In this paper we will use OB
theories to identify and analyze the role of power and leadership, work motivation and office
politics in the movie.

7. Everyone in the office building, avoided coming across Miranda. One
girl left the elevator because Miranda walked into the same
elevator. Another girl took a detour to avoid meeting Miranda.

8. Miranda’s behavior had influenced Emily, who showed the exactly same manner of Miranda. Emily
was rude to Andrea and looked down on other employees. She said in her authoritative,
professional voice to Andrea, “There is no Plan B, there’s just Plan A.” The interesting thing is,
finally, Andrea also behaved as what Miranda did, which is the reason that Andrea chose to leave
Runway.

9. Miranda, Editor-in-chief of Runway, is a workaholic and devil boss. In behavior theories, she is
direct, task-oriented and demanding. In other words, she managed her subordinates relying on
formal authority and using a directive command-and-control style.

10. In the first stage, Andrea just graduated from university and only wanted to find a job to pay the
rent. When she joined Runway, her motivation belonged to basic needs. It was just a job for her, so
Andrea did not want to change anything for this job.

11. t
Even when Nigel, her mentor, suggested her quit job, Andrea could not understand why.
Nigel told Andrea that many people died for this job because Runway produced the
greatest artists of the century, which encouraged Andrea to wake up her second level
needs. Andrea wanted to do better at heart instead of working for rent.

12. t
Andrea got her boss and colleagues’ recognition
after she moved to the second level. However,
when her boss said Andrea was same as her,
Andrea suddenly realized that this was not the
life she wanted. Finally, she gave up her job and
found a suitable job in The New York Mirror.

13. t

14. t
Office politics means some political behaviors such as power or networking are
used in the workplace for personal profits (Krackhardt, D.1990). In the movie,
there are some scenes that indicate office politics.

15. t
Miranda always asked others to pass on negative things. For example, she asked
Andrea to tell Emily that Andrea would go to Paris instead of Emily. Miranda also
asked Nigel to tell the designer that she didn’t like his design.

16. t
Miranda always asked others to pass on negative things. For example, she asked
Andrea to tell Emily that Andrea would go to Paris instead of Emily. Miranda also
asked Nigel to tell the designer that she didn’t like his design.

17. t
Office politics frequently happen among high-level people. In this
movie, when Miranda knew some people tried to kick her off, she
successfully used office politics to keep her position. Miranda
provided her boss a list of writers, editors and models who would
like to follow her if she left the company.

18. t
Here we provide some suggestions on how to become a
good leader and build a positive working environment
based on this movie and OB theories.

19. t