D. Greatbatch
Displaying group cohesiveness: humour and laughter in the public lectures of management gurus
Greatbatch, D.; Clark, T.
Authors
T. Clark
Abstract
As perhaps the highest profile group of management speakers in the world, so-called management gurus use their appearances on the international management lecture circuit todisseminate their ideas and to build their personal reputations with audiences of managers. This article examines the use of humour by management gurus during these public performances. Focusing on video recordings of lectures conducted by four leading management gurus (Tom Peters, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Peter Senge and Gary Hamel), the article explicates the verbal and nonverbal practices that the gurus use when they evoke audience laughter. These practices allow the gurus to project clear message completion points, to signal their humourous intent, to ‘invite’ audience laughter, and to manipulate the relationship between their use of humour and their core ideas and visions. The article concludes by suggesting that the ability of management gurus to use these practices effectively is significant because audience laughter can play an important role with respect to the expression of group cohesion and solidarity during their lectures.
Citation
Greatbatch, D., & Clark, T. (2003). Displaying group cohesiveness: humour and laughter in the public lectures of management gurus. Human Relations, 56(12), 1515-1544. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267035612004
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Publication Date | Dec 1, 2003 |
Deposit Date | Oct 15, 2008 |
Publicly Available Date | May 31, 2011 |
Journal | Human Relations |
Print ISSN | 0018-7267 |
Electronic ISSN | 1741-282X |
Publisher | SAGE Publications |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 56 |
Issue | 12 |
Pages | 1515-1544 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267035612004 |
Keywords | Group cohesion, Humour and laughter, Management gurus, Management ideas, Public speaking. |
Public URL | https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1601733 |
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Copyright Statement
The final definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal
Human relations, 56 (12), 2003. Copyright © 2003
The Tavistock Institute by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Human relations page: http://hum.sagepub.com
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