Jim Lyttle


Telephone: (608) 395-1050
E-Mail:  jim @ JimLyttle.com
Website: www.JimLyttle.com

Area of Interest

Interdisciplinary research on the effective and responsible
use of humor ... especially when used to change minds as
in advertising, education, counseling, or politics.

Biographical Sketch

Jim Lyttle holds a doctorate from York University in Toronto, Canada, where he received the Anthony P. Cunliffe Award and taught in the graduate program that is 49th best in the world, according to the 2011 Financial Times ranking.  His own master's degree comes from the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, which placed 46th in the world on the same ranking, and where he earned an entrance scholarship.  He has since served as a full-time faculty member in graduate programs at American universities such as Penn State.

Before coming to America, he traveled across Canada for several years as a musician, vocalist, and arranger with his own show band.  Then, he worked in electronics at Electrohome in Kitchener, Canada.  He is a life member of Mensa, an executive of the Clan Little Society, North America, and the editor of its publication The Reiver.  He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he owns and operates MORNA: an organization to conduct and encourage scholarly research on the effective and responsible use of humor.

Research Impact

Jim Lyttle is a recognized scholar of humor and an active member of the International Society for Humor Studies.  His research and analysis have been cited in books, graduate theses, conference papers, and academic journals as diverse as Management Decision, Human Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, Organizational Psychology Review, International Journal of Bank Marketing, American Behavioral Scientist, Media Psychology, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Mass Communication and Society, and American Politics Research.

Sample Publications

Management

Ethics Training

Workplace

Advertising

Teaching Expertise

Jim Lyttle teaches graduate level management courses that overlap with the liberal arts, such as organizational behavior.  He uses problem-solving techniques learned from Gareth Morgan (Images of Organization) at York University and critical thinking standards learned from Richard Paul (CriticalThinking.org) at Sonoma State University.  He learned the case method at the Ivey School (UWO) and later completed The Art and Craft of Discussion Leadership at Harvard University.  He has adapted the case method for part-time students with diverse levels of academic preparation.  Using humor, challenging discussions, and lively classroom presentations, he advocates a more thoughtful approach to leadership.  He also designs and delivers private sector courses that help professionals use humor in their practices, while avoiding offense or confusion and maintaining their credibility.





Learn More About Jim Lyttle's

Impact

Research

Education

Experience




© 2012, Jim Lyttle, Ph.D.