The broken pane theory

The government's policy of zero tolerance for anti-social behaviour is apparently rooted in the work of Dr Kelling. "Dr Kelling's broken pane theory takes its name from the observation that a few broken windows in an empty building quickly lead to more smashed panes, more vandalism and eventually to break-ins. The tendency for people to behave in a particular way can be strengthened or weakened depending on what they observe others to be doing. This does not necessarily mean that people will copy bad behaviour exactly, reaching for a spray can when they see graffiti. Rather, says Dr Keizer, it can foster the “violation” of other norms of behaviour. It was this effect that his experiments, which have just been published in Science, set out to test." This idea has been significantly shaping my thinking about the behaviour of staff within the workplace and the place of culture to preserve the necessary order and discipline required for success. Is a zero tolerance approach the necessary answer eliminate the rapid deterioration of standards that quickly ensue when one or two disrupt the order? Or are there other ways to preserve the disciplines essential in organisational life? (source: the economist)