Laugh it up: humor in inter-cultural management after international mergers

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to provide some insights for the use of humor when addressing intercultural issues after an international merger. Design/methodology/approach The author focuses on a few key articles that deal with intercultural issues in international contexts, including an ethnographic case study of a merging firm. Findings Although humor in different cultures can be difficult to explicate and define, the author find that humor can be used both positively and negatively among employees, and also among consumers, after international mergers. Originality/value When considering international mergers, management literature often describes various approaches that firms may take toward bridging differences in employee relations and organizational cultures. However, information on the use of humor in post-merger workplaces, at a more micro level, is not easily found. This paper briefly summarizes how humor – as a collective tool – might be used by employees and managers in daily office encounters to ease post-merger office tensions, as well as by consumers who react to mergers online.