An interesting observation is that all companies (i.e. the managers in the companies)
reported the atmosphere of their establishment as very good, and also better than the
atmosphere achieved by their competitors. Can this be explained? The managers are
actors, trying to do their best, and they are convinced that they succeed. They also
observe their competitors. Being an actor, however, is different from being an observer.
As reflected in the literature of actor versus observer, individuals perceive things
dramatically differently in these two roles (for an excellent discussion, see Fiske and
Taylor, 1991). An alternative explanation is the Lake Wobegon effect[1], which can be
described as a tendency to overestimate one’s achievements and capabilities in relation
to others (see, for example, Maxwell and Lopus, 1994).