Yesterday I read chapter 9 from Richard Farson's book titled Management of the Absurd. The chapter "The More we Communicate the less we Communicate" attempts to convince the reader that communication is the problem not the solution for managers: "...most organizations, in fact, are over communicating: meetings, conferences, memos, phone calls and electronic mail overwhelm managers and employees alike." Communication, according to Mr. Farson, is inefficient, boring and irrelevant. In support of his assertions he cites two experiments and a research project. The origins of the experiments in the chapter are unidentified and the research project is from the Western Behavioral Sciences Institute. In one of the experiments apparently communication not only fails to provide useful information but actually serves to paralyze the organization. In the second "Accurate information has become both tedious and stifling." As far as the research project is concerned Mr. Farson concludes that accurate information may be less important to managers that other things.
Just as in previous chapters Mr. Farson jumps to conclusions in this chapter. He is counting on the reader "taking his word for it" and glossing over the lack of support for his conclusions, the fallacies and the lack of an answer to the problems posed in chapter 9: If communication is the problem, what is the solution? Less communication? How much is enough? No answers to any of these questions.
Yes, Mr Farson there are metaphysical as well as man-made realities.
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