Let’s talk about that slap at the Academy Awards ceremony: understanding individual behaviors and social processes

Abstract

Research methodology

The case was developed from secondary sources. This descriptive case was classroom tested in undergraduate organizational behavior courses.

Case overview/synopsis

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, which honored movies released in 2021, was held on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Prior to Chris Rock announcing the winner in the category of best documentary film, Rock was assaulted on stage by Will Smith. On April 8, 2022, the Academy’s board of governors met to discuss disciplinary actions for Smith’s behavior. The Academy’s board decided to ban Smith from all Academy events for the next 10 years. Theories of individual behaviors and social processes can provide explanations for behaviors of Chris Rock, Will Smith, the producers and the Academy.

Complexity academic level

This descriptive case is most appropriate for undergraduate-level organizational behavior courses. The primary topics in this case align well with individual behaviors relative to emotional intelligence (EI) and motivation. The secondary topics in this case align well with social processes relative to decision-making, conflict and culture.

Citation

Bumpus, M.A. (2024), "Let’s talk about that slap at the Academy Awards ceremony: understanding individual behaviors and social processes", , Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 963-987. https://doi.org/10.1108/TCJ-10-2023-0220