Six documentaries on business that you must watch

What can be a quick and f un way to enrich your business knowledge? Watch documentaries. The topics can range from profiles of great business strategists to deep dives into Silicon Valley. We have identified six documentaries that offer an entertaining storyline, as well as valuable insights into business success.

How lifelong dedication and obsession with quality can pay off

Jiro Dreams Of Sushi profiles Jiro Ono, a Japanese sushi chef and restaurant owner who is widely revered for his skill and $300-a-plate dinners. It follows the 85-year-old master as he works with vendors to secure the finest ingredients, mentors his staff and prepares his son to succeed him when he retires. The movie brings viewers inside the dedication, obsession, and decades of hard work it takes to achieve perfection.

How to stage a dramatic turnaround

Inside: Lego, a short 2014 film by Bloomberg, takes viewers inside one of the greatest turnaround stories in recent history. Lego, the Denmark-based toy maker, was in trouble in the early 2000s. It lost its identity and was bleeding money. After executing CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp’s strategy to refocus on the core business, Lego rebounded to become the world’s fastest-growing toy company.

How to adapt constantly to stay relevant

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work takes viewers deep inside the business of the late Joan Rivers. The film is an effort to expose the struggles and joy of a female performer. Filmmakers reveal the highs and lows of Rivers’ decades-long quest to stays relevant. From meticulous organisation systems to her willingness to take any job to make sure her staff got paid, the movie shows the fierce determination necessary for success.

How to make decisions under enormous pressure

Few people know pressure better than Hank Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and the US Secretary of the Treasury during the height of the financial crisis. Hank: 5 Years from the Brink explores the momentous task Paulson was handed in September 2008 — saving the global economy — and how he dealt with it.
Behind the scenes of the business world’s biggest scandal

The 2005 documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a cautionary tale. It’s a deep dive into the fall of Enron, the energy company that was at one point valued at $70 billion but filed for bankruptcy in 2001. It’s become one of the most well-known cases of financial corruption and accounting fraud, and this film explores the psychology behind and fallout of the collapse of an empire

How Silicon Valley became a hub of innovation

The 2013 PBS documentary American Experience: Silicon Valley chronicles the beginning of the modern technology age. It follows a group of eight technologists who took a risk and decided to start their own company in 1957. It’s a telling look at the history of the Valley and the birth of a culture characterised by openness, innovation and idealism.