If employees are considered as the internal customers of organizations, they often rank lower in priority compared to external customers. In the race among companies and organizations to achieve greater economic value, these internal customers have, in a way, become victims. However, it didn’t take long for the consequences of neglecting internal customers to reflect in the economic success metrics of businesses. Organizations, upon investigating the causes of their lack of success, realized the significance of internal customers and their undeniable role in shaping the experience of external customers and achieving commercial success. Thus, the concept of work in the experience economy, and the experience of employees as an integral part of customer experience, emerged.
Work is Theatre
"Work is theater"—this short, clear phrase is how Pine and Gilmore define work in the experience era (Pine & Gilmore, 2011, p. 157). Theater actors, regardless of whether they play major or minor roles, rehearse beforehand, analyze their past performances, and strive to improve their acting every day. All businesses, from executive offices to shop floors, require performances akin to those of theater stars. In the experience economy, actors in all roles—managers, supervisors, employees, and workers—must adopt a different perspective on their work compared to earlier economies. This perspective is drawn from theater. However, this statement is not a metaphor comparing work "as" theater; it is a model. The purpose of the statement is not to highlight similarities and differences between work and theater or justify work deficiencies using metaphor. Instead, it emphasizes the intrinsic theatrical nature of an organization. In essence, work is theater.
The word "drama" originates from the Greek word "drao," meaning "to do." In all organizations, whether or not managers recognize it, employees are performing—not in the common sense of playful entertainment but in presenting a real-life performance that is fully understood, well-designed, and convincing. Grasping this essential truth lends new meaning to terms like production, performance, method, role, and scenario, which have been borrowed from theater into management.
Lessons from Aristotle's Poetics
The study of theater began with Aristotle's Poetics, emphasizing literary forms. Aristotle's notion of plot as the arrangement of events determines the structure and principles of the experience depicted, guiding the sequence of impactful signs to create a memorable work. Elements of this plot, such as unexpected twists, revealing moments, balance and unity of events, and emotional impact, explain what makes an experience enduring. His prerequisites for a compelling performance—appropriate choices, alignment with roles, and character consistency—are suitable criteria for job characteristics in any theatrical production. Aristotle distinguished theater from daily activities, and some of his concepts are illuminating for understanding work in the experience era:
- Choice: The most fundamental issue in theater is choice. Theater requires defining the boundaries of play, roles, and significant versus insignificant elements in each scene. Even organizations not yet in the experience economy must identify which employees, in what contexts, and under what rules, should act. What events should occur on stage? What details are critical or trivial? What elements make a presentation compelling and desirable?
- Sequence and Timing of Events: How are work activities organized? What elements follow a sequence in the organization’s events? Where does the work begin, peak, and end?
- Rhythm and Pace: This refers to the relationship between elements of the performance. What transitions should be planned and managed at what pace? What structures, contrasts, and releases are needed, and at what intervals?
With this perspective, the workplace becomes an empty stage with abundant opportunities to distinguish itself from environments lacking this viewpoint. Technological advancements also create new stages for engaging and memorable performances.
Computers as Theater
Brenda Laurel, in her book Computers as Theater, likened Aristotle's philosophy to computer-based theater. She argued that human-computer interactions must be elevated into a designed experience through defined principles and methods. In this approach, the computer shifts from being a mere interface to becoming a medium. Laurel criticized the narrow view of computers as tools and instead saw the design of human-computer experiences as creating a world that expands human thought, imagination, feelings, and actions (Pine & Gilmore, 2011).
Work, Theatre, and Audience
Both work and theatre share the presence of an audience beyond the performers. This audience observes the performance, benefits from its results, and occasionally provides feedback, both positive and negative. Customers are the primary audience, while society, competitors, colleagues, and business relationships form the secondary audience outside the workplace stage. These external observers influence the nature and quality of interactions and performance.
Irving Goffman’s Dramaturgy
Irving Goffman was the first to model work as theater. In 1959, his book The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life explored how theatrical principles manifest in daily social and professional behavior. He found that people experience varying degrees of awareness in presenting themselves to others. Some are constantly performing, while others pay little attention to others' perceptions. Depending on the importance of others' opinions, individuals modify their expressions and actions to present themselves favorably. Goffman categorized those who manipulate their behavior as "performers" and those who avoid false presentations as "sincere." He believed that all human actions, whether intentional or unintentional, are performances.
Organizations must recognize the impact of employee performances on external audiences. As subtle cues are interpreted by others and help define situations, performers must align physical actions, facial expressions, front-stage coordination, and interactive abilities. Even minor discrepancies between behavior and situational definitions can disrupt interactions, as the reality constructed by a performance is fragile and easily shattered by small events.
Business as a Stage
Richard Schechner, a pioneer in performance theory, defined performance as "a quality of behavior that can characterize any activity." He viewed performance as a special quality that could occur in any context, describing it as "any activity performed by one or more individuals in the presence of others" (Schechner, 1988, p. 67). He introduced four key concepts to understand stagecraft: drama, script, theater, and performance.
- Drama: The core idea or central element of the entire performance—a written text, scenario, structure, or blueprint. In the business context, drama represents strategy, guiding an organization’s direction and actions through strategic plans, missions, visions, or competitive advantages.
- Script: The script translates the drama into detailed temporal, spatial, and situational components. In business, processes serve as scripts, embodying the operational codes for achieving strategy.
- Theater: Theater represents the collective performance of actors, presenting the drama and script to the audience. It bridges actors with the audience, captivating them through a coordinated performance.
- Performance: Performance encompasses the entire experience, from the first audience member’s entry to the last one’s exit. In business, performance translates to the value-added deliverable, whether it’s a product, service, or experience.
Organizations succeed in offering experience as an economic value only when they effectively present work to their audience. Yet many employees fail to deliver exceptional performances, treating their work as routine tasks devoid of vitality and attraction.
