American Ganster, an entrepreneurial

Had long been watching to see American Gangster , and finally settle the bill yesterday, and certainly a great result because it is a peliculón also quite long, 2 hours 30 minutes, and a comprehensive lineup of familiar faces as Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe (With a magnificent role both), Cuba Gooding Jr, etc.

But I will not talk about the movie, but as Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), goes from being the driver and assistant to one of the biggest gangsters of Harlem, to become, after his death, in whom take its place, building their great empire.

Or what is the same, similar to applying the business world, as an entrepreneur gets to build his own business, becoming a benchmark in the sector.

Note: What enter from here, it may contain some spoilers , I tried to write the least possible detail on the film, but perhaps I have missed something, so I've seen the movie perfect, but as you read something you do not like to read .

In the film, we can see as it were form 4 distinct roles in the form of action:

The group formed by "The platform mounted over the distribution of heroin in New York back in 1968, dominated by mafias, distributors minors, consumer junkie, etc."
"The group of corrupt cops that instead of fighting this scourge, are dedicated to collecting bribes"

and finally the way of acting of the protagonists, one on each side and can be considered lonely and marginalized for not following the "rules marked" by many of his fellows:

Himself Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), with a course of action that breaks everything set up then the rest of mafia groups, with an ethic and way of acting very marked in the manner of doing business, mainly because everything lived with his former boss
The police inspector Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), known as the police "idiot" and honor that has never accepted a bribe (There is a key event in the film for this aspect, but I leave that for when you see the movie if not have done, ).

So, after this brief introduction we discuss a little how to act in Frank Lucas equating it with a more entrepreneurial and business:

A first aspect that draws attention is the modus operandi of Frank throughout the film, very stiff and straight, having control over almost everything and not hesitating to use violence when necessary, but never for free, and trying to be fair to all those around him during the film several times referred to that way of acting is very different from the rest of mobsters, often recalling his late boss Bumpy Johnson.

And there it is one of the first key to have learned from one of the best, your boss, which lets you know the intricacies of the market in which to be introduced, competition, customers, the general functioning.

Time to take the gap left by his own boss, he realizes that the market is structured, and that the mafia networks leave no room for the imagination, so your profit is zero, so our hero has two options:

O is formed in surviving day to day, or try to break anything. And the answer comes watching the news.

It should say at this point, that the film takes place during the war in Vietnam, commenting on the news that many young soldiers or returned dead or pure heroin addicts Asian country, and here comes the business opportunity and competitive advantage for our protagonist: Go Search heroin directly to Asia.

So here we have two other important points of business strategy, skip the middlemen, especially when in addition the product you get is better than the offer, then the second question arises, how?, Which in this case is achieved The second important aspect to have contacts in the film turns out to be a cousin of Frank army, leaving the U.S. as the pending matter when you see the movie.

So the union of all the above is achieved by a better product than the competition (in this case a much purer heroin), with a certain level of vertical integration , as the framework that is mounted Frank is responsible for the import, cut, distribution and sale of their own heroin and also implementing a cost-differentiation strategy, we can offer a lower price than the competition. And now you say the detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe):

How is it possible?
Who can sell a horse, twice as good at half the price?.

Here is another distinguishing feature of our entrepreneur: Mark.

Frank Lucas draws much of its prestige on the brand that has managed to create, maintain and position: "Blue Magic", if I remember correctly, and as seen in the movie, and not reveal, personally responsible to fix situations that can discredit their brand.

And through this process of personal acquisition of heroin in Asia, introduced in New York, and his own brand production process and begins to build his empire by combining it with other typical aspects of business, is that Frank Lucas is the ethics and firm conviction that what he does, and how it does is perfect, is surrounded by people you can trust (Putting on the strengths of the business to family members, brothers, nephews, etc.), does not hesitate to get rid of who fails, and undoubtedly one of the key aspects of its rise, is the discretion and little evidence of power in their way of life, something that had allowed him to pass unnoticed before the competition, and even the police inspector Richie incorrupt Roberts (Several scenes in the film highlight this aspect in a more emphatic), actually is a small detail, but very expensive to start to suspect the inspector ... ...

Another aspect that shows the movie is the relationship with the competition, and how to come out of the market to this new power, admitting defeat and offering his services as support forces and distribution, where we get another good tip: Do not forget about the competition and take advantage of synergies that can occur with it. Indeed, in one of these conversations with the mafia of competition, comes to light one of the best tips from the entire film, and that a withdrawal time when the top is not a defeat.

And finally comes the fall for our hero, because although it seemed to have everything under control, it was not enough to have the process of importing, processing, distribution and sale of heroine controlled small bribes to whom it comes, keep competition at bay , care mark, caring for the family. But I had to try to keep under control also unexpected, and is not to never neglect the macro, and wait for things to start happening and fix it, so the war of Vietnam comes to an end, and with it the possibilities of further introducing heroin into the country.

So here is a downside to our entrepreneurial, focused as it was in his rise in the domestic market, had neglected changes that may take place abroad, which together with changes and errors in the strict manner in which he led until then business, make all his empire crumble suddenly.

Broadly speaking, and certainly left me a little something, you can see out of nowhere, a gangster in this case, be achieved an empire, but also small details as well as a lack of planning and honest soul of an outcast inspector Police make everything disappear suddenly.

Comment as well, although this is no longer fall within the proper business ethics, since it really is not ethical, , Highlighting the film's strong network of kickbacks, payments, commissions, etc., created between the different social groups:

Mafia at different power levels (heads, distributors, suppliers, etc.)
With the corrupt mafia police
Personal bribes to the Inspector Richie Roberts are always rejected by him and his irreproachable conduct in this regard
The curious way of understanding bribes Frank Lucas himself throughout film

Finally, the film relative to everything said about the plot, has a more developed end, but I will not reveal much more, in case anyone has not seen, so without further recommend your viewing if you have not been, and if you have been, have been reflected sure many of the things discussed here, and some others that might have let me.

If you have any doubt see it or not, should not you have done and I leave the trailer: