REPORT ON REAL VALUE DOCUMENTARY

X-BBA-2010

Real Value is a documentary based on true stories of companies that reached success with the idea
of sustainability as the main goal. The video shows us the way the leaders of these businesses came
to the idea of not only creating profit but also wealth by serving and bringing back to the
community. the perspective is interesting as it is applicable on communal, national and global level
as well as in both developing and non-developing countries Through the entrepreneur’s personal
experiences, we are able to understand how to make a more sustainable business model which is
efficient and also bring value for all. It takes a local community’s perspective, focusing on how our
towns, cities and the countryside change depending on a company's actions. Hearing the different
aspects from the people interviewed one can understand how a business can change the community
Businesses can either contribute to the local market, investing in people and the community’s
wealth and health or it can do just the opposite which is drowning the community on its resources
and make it dependent on import and work from neighbouring cities. In the documentry, the
entrepreneurs give reasons for how they learned to do business that do both that is, it serves local
communities and generates profits which will in turn benefit both the company and the employees
working there. According to the individuals featured in the documentary socially responsible
businesses can be a solution to the problems facing our climate and societies. The documentary
doesn’t call governments or corporations for direct action. It rather targets consumers and business
owners: portraying success stories of apparel, agriculture, biofuel and insurance businesses that are
making contribution to their communities and environment. The business owners encourage people
to both produce and consume locally so that local businesses and communities can benefit each
other. This movie supports individuals’ and small local entrepreneurs’ eager to give back to their
community, giving us a idea on how it can bring about significant changes on a global scale The
documentary also highlights the importance of operating a business in a transparent manner. Later
on the owner of the apparel business explains that he provides full information to the customers
about the whole supply-chain of his business and how it operates. The owner agrees that this
information might be used by his existing or future competitors, and then he makes it clear that his
main goal is to be honest with his customers. As governments are mainly funded by tax it is possible
that small-scale local businesses contribute less to the state than large-scale corporations do. The
documentary also shows examples of apparel products made in Bangladesh, China, and Turkey. It is
likely that there are two reasons why large scale apparel businesses based in developed countries
move their production overseas. Firstly the documentary explains that the consumers are more
focused on the price of the product rather than the quality. This means that in a competitive market,
such as apparel industry, there is a strong need to cut the costs so that companies can offer lower
prices for the communities. This resulted in major players in apparel industry cut on labor costs by
moving the production facilities to developing countries. Lastly establishing productions in
developing countries is not possible without the consent of local governments. The local
government prefer to support foreign companies as they create employment opportunities for local
citizens as well as generate tax. Furthermore, having a foreign production facility established in
communities in developing countries is beneficial for those who face limited economic
opportunities. The documentary focuses on the inspired individuals to develop socially responsible
businesses and companies. It also attempts to explain that socially responsible communities and
businesses can be a solution to the social and environmental issues, it doesn’t reflect on
perspectives of governments and employees in factories of large businesses