IndexIntroductionLeadership-Induced StupidityStructure-Induced StupidityImitation-Induced StupidityBrand-Induced StupidityCulture-Induced StupidityAnalysisIntroductionIt is often seen and observed that organizations which may seem intelligent, sometimes encourage something this is very strange: stupidity in the workplace. This is an interesting aspect of the organizations that the authors discover and address in this book. First, both authors are professionals and have worked as professors, teaching organizational behavior at the respective universities where they work. So it's not just their area of ​​expertise, but they also have a wealth of experience in this area that they have gained throughout their career. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay An important aspect they highlight in the book is that sometimes turning off and not using certain parts and functions of the brain during work is acceptable and understandable times – this phenomenon has been coined as functional stupidity. This happens when the benefits of doing so outweigh the costs. People do not have to use and put pressure on their cognitive abilities, which ultimately frees them from any second thoughts and doubts that may arise. This then makes them conform to the status quo, preventing them from asking inappropriate questions and avoiding making them seem like troublemakers. This in return shows them as leaders with certainty. Which also poses the paradox of stupidity. This is not limited to individuals in the workplace but also affects the organization. By avoiding and suppressing the various uncertainties, differences of opinion, challenges to the stats quo that are sometimes common and prevalent in the workplace, the leadership and managers can ensure that no employee deviates and that everything goes smoothly. Convenience is often valued more and given importance over the inconvenience of the truth. However, this may ultimately prove to have significant negative effects. Gradually and steadily, when you turn a blind eye to inconsistencies, you begin to create an environment destined to make mistakes. The case of the 2008 financial crisis, which is referenced in the book, is a great example of how this environment was contagious and linked for failure. Functional Stupidity We have progressed so much over the last few centuries and become knowledge-intensive organizations and workers, so why is functional stupidity such a big problem? This can be compared to the "thinking inside the box" analogy. Functional stupidity can take 5 different main forms: Leadership-Induced Stupidity The role of a leader is to provide examples for others to follow and induces inspiration and admiration from their employees. However, this is very often not the case. Most employees internally want their leaders not to interrupt or override their work and to let them work alone. An example of functional stupidity would be believing that leaders have significant impact and influence on how an organization operates. Structure-induced stupidity. Every business needs to have rules and regulations. However, many companies tend to overdo this aspect. As a result, workers tend to check boxes that have nothing to do with actual productive work. Companies place more importance on respecting and adhering to rules rather than achieving productive results. Imitation-Induced Stupidity In many organizations, they believe that the way the company positions itself and looks to externals is moreimportant of what the company actually does and how it operates. Living up to the expectations of others becomes the primary consideration. Brand-induced stupidityMore weight and importance are given to the brand to which the product belongs rather than its characteristics. Branding gives meaning and purpose to employees. It creates an illusion and convinces them to do their job which can be a senseless task. However, the essence of a brand can create ignorance that can hinder productivity. Culture-Induced Stupidity A formed culture often prevents you from provoking thoughts. It makes employees gullible to mistaken beliefs despite evidence proving them wrong. Employees are so strongly influenced by culture that their thought process becomes one with it. Knowledge Economy More and more organizations are emphasizing being knowledge-intensive and employing a well-informed workforce. This book is able to shed light on several thoughts on what organizations that consider themselves intelligent are actually like. Many organizations pride themselves on relying on and employing highly educated, creative and critical thinkers who are passionate about learning. However, on the contrary, this is not the case. Instead, they want someone who is disciplined, orderly, recklessly enthusiastic, and can conform to and accept any irrational idea that comes their way and is proposed to them. The academic dilemma The term “knowledge economy” focuses and analyzes in particular the part that universities play. The book cites the case of an American study that involved 2,300 university students from 29 different colleges. The test compared the time they started college and from then on, two and four years later. At the end of the 4 years of the study, it was observed that 36% of the students had had no impact or difference in their cognitive abilities or ability to analyze different problems. The study's conclusion was a shocking finding: Business students concluded they performed worse before graduation and actually performed better in high school. However, we must keep in mind that many universities, especially those belonging to more traditional courses - engineering and medicine, have relatively high standards. The authors are more likely to focus on the change and damage to the capabilities of lower-tier colleges. Something that can easily be learned on the job has now become a self-contained, comprehensive course. One course that is equivalent to a bachelor's degree is spa management or bartending. Because of this, students, instead of focusing on their studies and course material, instead check their Facebook notifications and newsfeed. This may be partly due to the low value that can be obtained from a course on Beyonce, Aliens or Star Wars. Another surprising element that they highlight in the book is that of the drastic difference in the number of academic staff compared to administrative staff. Many universities in the UK have fewer teaching staff and more administrative staff. This clearly gives the idea that higher education is not the main focus, but rather administrative benefits are. FinaleTowards the end of the book and the last chapter, the authors explain and give advice on how to manage and counteract functional stupidity. They highlight the reaffirmation of the paradox of stupidity which represents a compromise for managers and leadership. The key question that needs to be addressed is: would they like more functionality and stupidity or would they like less functionality and instead more intelligence? The balance between the two is stated by the authors through the virtue defined by John Keats, a famous poet..