To our readers

To Our Readers The articles in this issue concern contains

some new twists,

Geert Hofstede

some of the most basic human

though,

and Michael

which readers

will find quite interesting.

Harris Bond describe

with a discussion

by Japanese discussing

and Chinese

find satisfying

management

change

trainers.

to leadership

and inspiring.

in organizational

growth

of management-development

love in relation

Willem

Rodney

dynamism”

Mark F. Peterson

as designed

and implemented

Ferris takes on the very difficult it in a way which,

confronts

the problem

how inter-dependencies

Each

In the lead article,

of Asian countries.

programs

and manages

Mastenbroek

and shows

processes.

a new value set they call “Confucian

and seek to show how it is a factor in the economic follows

and organizational

task of

we hope,

readers

of energy

and vitality

in the organization

will

are the places

where vitality is sapped and where it must be restored. Finally, G. Barry Morris gives what we think is a very neat account of how rationality can infuse executive thought and action. Culture, impressed, of course,

though,

love, vitality,

rationality-

with how seriously

they are being perfectly

these are quite basic things in any organization.

our authors

consistent

handle each topic. In adopting

with virtually

all other writing

a serious

on human

in organizations. It is a characteristic of global intellectual culture: Important subjects treated very seriously. Yet you wonder-when we’re talking about love and vitality and fundamental values,

aren’t we talking

about

very positive

things? And aren’t positive

I am tone,

behavior are to be cultural

feelings things like cheer-

fulness and joy and exuberation and laughter? Why can’t we have more fun with these subjects whose essence is of the positive spirit in man? Why can’t we write more about man in high spirits? The answer, American humor

of course,

in our culture-but

when we are supposed

working though,

There are office jokes, cartoons what the organization

one, and I need not review it at length.

sober, “constructive,”

and “no-nonsense.”

hours are not the time for it, this culture

to be “all business”-

and pursed lips. Ironically, about

is a cultural

work ethic is very serious,

of

says. That’s the time

a phrase itself which can only be uttered with a frown

organizations

on walls,

The North

There is plenty

are full of humor

a nonstop

is or isn’t doing,

even if much of it is unofficial.

flow of parodies

much caricaturing

and puns and wisecracks

of the top people,

poems

and

songs at retirement parties - in other words, much merriment which may be officially tolerated but which is hardly ever encouraged or consciously fostered. A lot of it, too, is black humor, iconoclastic fun-poking at each other and at the organization rather than the bonding solidarity that laughing together can produce. Is there such a thing as an “organizational sense of humor?” If there is, is it something that can be consciously influenced by leaders and managers? (We have all heard the phrase “a happy ship,” but very few of us know how to create the condition reflected.) Does productivity go up as cheerfulness goes up? Does mental health in an organization improve as its sense of humor goes up? George Vaillant in his landmark study of the Harvard Class of 1939 says a sense of humor is one of the best coping mechanisms that healthy people use; one wonders if organizations might cope better if their members had higher and more developed senses of humor. The state of amusement seems to be accompanied by a reduction in fear and anxiety,

2

a self-forgetfulness and resulting capacity for immersion in the present, a reduction in physical pain, increased feelings of closeness to others, greater alertness, and greater openness to others’ communications. These are the very qualities many management writers are saying the modern

organization nization, loving

needs, yet few if any are connecting

and very few are trying amusement.

occasionally

to talk about

The tone of most management

lapses into impatience

Loving amusement cally loving,

writing

bitterness

serious

and the human

is an evenhanded

agree with the idea. What

and desperation?

and desperate

in an orga-

beings in it with

humorlessness

that

and sarcasm,

that was more one of loving amusement

yet, of personal

to the climate of humor

- Ferris in this issue doesn’t say that constructive

but I am sure he would

in an organization are pretty

these insights the organization

humor

than of impersonal

There is no question

must be basi-

if we set out to foster a climate seriousness

or, worse

that things in most organizations

these days, but the way they are reflected

individually

lies in the

eye of the beholder. A moment’s reflection will show that there is no human condition, including the moment of death itself, which cannot be cast in humorous terms and which cannot be the basis for a coming

together

Do management man nature, desperate

human

situations

for exuberance? help people

in laughter-a development

feelings,

and human

energy

of loving

amusement.

development

explain

to help us find the humor

we think we are in? Can they help us find our positive

We might start by adding

relax and enjoy

or a facilitative

congregation and organization

themselves,

pun, the capacity

to our lists of leadership the capacity

to turn the energy

for relieving

enough

about

hu-

in the serious

and

energies,

competencies tension

of fear into a guffaw

our capacities the capacity

with a cheerful

to

word

and to help others do

the same. I think

there is an “organizational

sense of humor”

and I think

it is more important

to

organizational survival and productivity than we may realize. It may be an invisible asset that the open, diverse American culture needs to experience more fully in itself in this period when doubts

about our own resilience

and innovativeness

seem to be stalking

the periphery

of our vision

of ourselves. The spirit which runs through an organizational sense of humor is an elusive thing, though, as all spirits are, Maybe the organizational sense of humor is a phenomenon which can be approached

only in loving

amusement. -Peter

Vail1