HUMOR AS A TOPIC IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR COURSES

A number of authors have detailed the desirability of using humor in managerial practice. Introductory organizational behavior/theory texts do not discuss humor. I have developed a lecture which demonstrates how humor reflects organizational culture. This lecture generates student discus-sion and questions about a topic which often appears &dquo;too theoretical&dquo; for the introductory student. Additional uses of humor as a lecture or exercise topic are also presented. Outline of the Lecture According to Trice and Beyer, culture can be studied through rites. Rites are useful for categorizing jokes or humor episodes which transmit both the dominant culture and subcultures within an organization. After explaining how Trice and Beyer define rites, I specifically discuss the rites of passage, enhancement, and degradation. Rites of Passage. Humor is one way of approaching rites of passage. The socialization of new employees can involve a &dquo;humor test.&dquo; Once the test i