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Issue 562 (March 2007) - Office of Marketing and Communications

Issue 562 (March 2007) - Office of Marketing and Communications

Issue 562 (March 2007) - Office of Marketing and Communications

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IT’S NO JOKE…FUNNY BUSINESS IS SERIOUS WORK FOR A UQ LECTURERWHO’S RESEARCHING HUMOUR IN THE WORKPLACE.Dr Westwood9U Q N E W S , M A R C H 2 0 0 7UQ Business School academic Dr BobWestwood believes the TV program BigBrother can tell us something pr<strong>of</strong>oundabout humour at work.Dr Westwood said the Big Brother <strong>Office</strong>Olympics episode broadcast last year was funnyprecisely because it was subversive.“Most research on humour at work to datehas come out <strong>of</strong> a functionalist framework with,ultimately, the idea <strong>of</strong> capturing the benefits <strong>of</strong>humour as a way <strong>of</strong> improving productivity,” hesaid.“But the <strong>Office</strong> Olympics episode, with itsmockery <strong>of</strong> the “boss” figure, showed humour atwork at its most subversive <strong>and</strong> dangerous.”Dr Westwood has recently co-edited (with CarlRhodes, University <strong>of</strong> Technology, Sydney) a booklooking at humour in the workplace.Humour, Work <strong>and</strong> Organisation is publishedby Routledge <strong>and</strong> brings together academics fromAustralia, New Zeal<strong>and</strong>, Engl<strong>and</strong>, Irel<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> theUS to provide an alternative to the managerialistperspective that Dr Westwood believes continuesto drive much <strong>of</strong> the research.With examinations <strong>of</strong> gender, humour, <strong>and</strong>organisations; humour in workplace meetings; anin-depth look at TV’s The Simpsons; a chapterentitled “The comedy <strong>of</strong> ethics”; <strong>and</strong> a finalsection examining the organisation <strong>of</strong> humour,the book is a surprise package.Dr Westwood said it was a scholarlyacademic book, produced from withinthe academy, by an established <strong>and</strong>establishment publishing house.Contributors include Sam Warren<strong>and</strong> Stephen Fineman, who examinethe intriguing idea <strong>of</strong> “prescribed fun”at work, while Martin Parker studiesthe interplay <strong>of</strong> organisational culture<strong>and</strong> popular culture by providing along list <strong>of</strong> satirical books, televisionshows <strong>and</strong> websites, all predicatedon the stereotype <strong>of</strong> work as thelast place you’d want to be <strong>and</strong> “theboss” as a tyrant.“It constitutes a location [for hischapter [Theory as Joke] within theextant power structures that largelymilitate against the possibility <strong>of</strong>subversion <strong>and</strong> transformation,” hesaid.In other words it’s no joke.Join NTEU at UQWe know higher education.We have a full-time <strong>of</strong>fice at UQ.We are a democratic union.The National Tertiary EducationUnion (NTEU) is open to all General<strong>and</strong> Academic Staff at UQ. Werepresent all staff in negotiationsabout your pay <strong>and</strong> conditions. Weassist individual members with issuesranging from performance appraisalto probation.Our recent achievements include:• 4% pay rise on 1 Jan <strong>2007</strong>.• 26 weeks paid maternity leave.• Short-term contract roll-over.• Guidelines limiting academicworkloads.• Raising research staff issues.• Improved casual loading.We want to do more but we need your help. Join NTEUtoday! It’s an essential investment in your future.To find out more or join online visit www.nteu.org.auContact the UQ Branch <strong>of</strong>fice on 336 52538,or email m.mcnally@qld.nteu.org.auThere has never been a moreimportant time to join a union.

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