U.S. government operatives suddenly take Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally) from his flight from Cape Town, South Africa, after it arrives in Washington, D.C. He is a suspected terrorist whom the government sends to North Africa for torture and interrogation (extraordinary rendition). Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal), a CIA analyst, becomes involved. He reacts negatively to the torture techniques and urges El-Ibrahimi’s release. The story has other complications in the form of El-Ibrahimi’s pregnant wife at home who desperately works for her husband’s safe return.

Organizational Structure: A Simple Look
This scene opens with a night shot of the Washington Monument. It follows Kahlid’s (Moa Khouas) discussion with Hamadi (Hassam Ghancy), the leader of the terrorist bomb group. Congressional aide Alan Smith’s (Peter Sarsgaard) voice-over says, “She called you?” The scene ends after Senator Hawkins (Alan Arkin) tells Alan to back off. The film cuts to a panning shot of a market area and Douglas Freeman drinking.

Alan Smith’s question, “She called you?” refers to Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep), head of U.S. intelligence. She authorized the extraordinary rendition of El-Ibrahimi. Alan Smith, earlier in the film, pressed her for El-Ibrahimi’s release and his return to the United States. Whitman lied about El-Ibrahimi’s existence. This scene does not explicitly discuss organizational structure, but you can infer several aspects of structure from the scene.
1.    Review the earlier section, “Basic Design Dimensions.” Which dimensions does this scene show or imply?
2.    Can you sense the division of labor represented by Senator Hawkins and Alan Smith? Corrine Whitman does not appear in this scene but is also part of a division of labor.
3.    Review the five structural configurations described earlier in this chapter.  Which of those configurations best describes the likely structure of Senator Hawkins’ office? Which configurations do not apply? Why?