In William Shakespeare's "Henry V," a young king leads his outnumbered army to bravely face the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Although he had misspent his youth, King Henry V had matured into an admirable leader with a loyal following who miraculously wins the battle and the war.

At Cal Poly Pomona, this play is among other classics that are carefully studied and analyzed, but not just in the English and literature classes.

Professor Chris Poulson, who teaches in the management & human resources department, often uses Shakespeare and other literature and film to demonstrate management theories and principles.

t"It is a way of visualizing the story, the theory and the behavior," says Poulson. "You could read a case study instead, but using film and theater is richer because they are filled with engaging scenarios and events. I think it's powerful."

Henry V, Shakespeare's idealized king, is a prime example of motivational and leadership skills. King Henry V was able to inspire his troops to believe they could beat the French army despite being outnumbered 5 to 1.

Literature and film can provide a vast array of other management topics for classroom discussion, such as communication, goal setting, mentoring, leadership traits, role models and teamwork.

Depending on the course, Poulson will use different films, from contemporary dramas to film adaptations of classic literature.

When teaching Strategies for Men, and Women in Management, he provides examples of men's issues by screening 1997's Oscar-winning comedy The Full Monty and women's issues by showing the 1996 Oscar-nominated movie "Secrets and Lies."

One of Poulson's favorite films is "12 Angry Men." The courtroom drama about one man on a jury who refuses to condemn a man and influences his peers to reconsider their preconceptions is a prime example of group dynamics, he says.

He also thinks Shakespeare's "King Lear" illustrates the problem of executive succession and the process of dividing a company.

Senior Jeremy Roether was pleasantly surprised by Poulson's approach when he took Advanced Organizational Behavior course last winter.

"I really enjoyed his class," Roether says. "Henry V really presents a strong leadership role. In the film, you see a lot of leadership traits that people can relate to, like how leaders inspire people. It really gets you to think and look at different ideas."

One downside in using 'Western' literature is that women and minorities are not often included as leaders or even characters, Poulson says. However, he believes reviewing films can be a starting point in great classroom discussions. He is currently considering films and plays that will bring a broader cultural perspective to future classes.

"Business courses give us a career, but it's the humanities that make us human," he says. "I hope the students leave the class with a better understanding of management and even a deeper appreciation of the arts."