World Institute of Scientology Enterprises

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Headquarters of the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises International in Los Angeles

World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) is an organization affiliated with the Church of Scientology^[1] that educates and assists businesses in the use of management methods and techniques developed by Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, such methods and techniques being, like all of Hubbard's non-fiction writings, scripture of the Church of Scientology. The stated goal of WISE "is an ethical, sane and prosperous civilization" and "returning to business the values and ethical standards upon which it was founded: honesty, integrity, craftsmanship, rewards for productivity, commitment to the prosperity of entire communities and nations."^[2] However critics of WISE say that its real purpose is dissemination of and recruitment into Scientology^[3] and they reference the incorporation papers of WISE which include the statement "It is organized under the Nonprofit Religious Corporation Law primarily for religious purposes. Its purposes are to promote and foster the religious teachings of L. Ron Hubbard in society, and to have and exercise all rights and powers from time to time granted to nonprofit corporations by law."^[4]

[edit] History

In the history of Scientology, Hubbard said about the early Churches of Scientology: "They are not business and so fail when they try to operate like one". He then began creating a new system of organizing these churches with the stated purpose of "Disseminating Scientology to the world." This new system was modified continually until circa 1980. In the late 60s, a project began compiling his notes into hard bound volumes that later became known as the Organization Executive Course or OEC. Originally intended as a training program for church executives (hence the name), Hubbard later made them available to all church staff and stated that all staff should train on them. This training reportedly was very successful and the church expanded greatly as a result.^{[citation needed]}

However the OEC was stated to work for any kind of organization if understood. Business not connected to the church wishing to improve their own success reportedly began hiring trained church staff in the 70s causing problems in the church. In the 1980s Hubbard created WISE with the intention of giving any non-church related organization a means to train their own staff so that Scientology churches and missions could train their staff without fear of losing them to other groups.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Organization

While the Church of Scientology denies that WISE is part of the church, internal publications such as The Command Channels of Scientology and WISE's place on the Scientology Org Board, as well as numerous reports that WISE affiliates are urged to recruit for Scientology in exchange for money, lead critics to assert that denials by Scientology are disingenuous.

• WISE headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California, 6331 Hollywood Blvd, in the Hollywood Guaranty Building. The corporate executives of WISE belong to the Sea Org of the Church of Scientology.

• Hubbard College of Administration International, which provides a "Degree program for an Associate of Applied Science Degree of Management and Administration", is located at 320 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California.

• WISE regional offices, which are at Church of Scientology locations, coordinate the local level Charter Committees.

• Charter Committees of established members in local areas provide guidance and dispute mediation between WISE members instead of using the civil courts.

• Hubbard Management Consultants are WISE members licensed to sell services, seminars, training and courses based on Admin Tech and to encourage their clients to become WISE members. Consultants are encouraged to compete in the "WISE Consultant Expansion Game" with weekly standings.^[5] WISE consultants include "MasterTech Computer Products", Sterling Management Systems, Survival Strategies Inc., and David Singer Enterprises.^[6]

[edit] Membership

Membership in WISE means that the owner(s) of the firm have embraced Hubbard's administrative ideas such as management by statistics and the Org board and have agreed by abide by a certain Code of Ethics which includes arbitration by a WISE mediator of any disputes with another WISE member.^[2] That is the basic company membership. If the firm also wants to train its employees in the Hubbard administrative technology using WISE materials then they become a higher-level member.^[7] Some employees and prospective employees have objected to this formal training in something that also forms a part of Scientology and a number have filed discrimination lawsuits with mixed results.

WISE Members include e-Republic, which publishes Government Technology and Converge magazines and coordinates the Center for Digital Government. Other affiliated firms include various "alternative health" centers including "The Natural Health Centre" in Redondo Beach, CA which is owned and operated by Dr. Grace Syn.

[edit] Dentistry

A number of dental firms use the WISE administrative technology in their practices and there have been a number of civil suits and discrimination cases brought by employees objecting to the material with mixed results:

• In 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit against dentist K. Mike Dossett of Plano, Texas, on behalf on Dossett's former receptionist, Jessica Uretsky. The suit alleges that Uretsky was pressured to study Scientology during mandatory meetings on her own time, and was told to "increase business by concentrating on her phone to make it ring". ^[8]
• In 2005, dentist Daniel Stewart and his Smile Savers Dentistry in Baltimore, Maryland were sued by former employee Tammy Bright. She accused her employer of religious discrimination for failure to adapt her religious beliefs to Scientology. Devora Lindeman, Stewart's attorney who is also a Scientologist herself, denied the allegations and said Bright was fired for "poor performance." ("Woman claims she was fired unfairly over Scientology" by Laura Cadiz, The Baltimore Sun, March 4, 2005)
• In 2003, three former employees of Aurora, Ohio dentist C. Aydin Cabi asserted in court that Dr. Cabi dismissed them from their jobs for their refusal to take part in Sterling Management's Scientology-based seminars. ^[9]
• In 2002, The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on behalf of former employees of dentist Juan Villareal and Harlingen Family Dentistry in Harlingen, Texas who refused to attend Scientology training courses. ("EEOC: Employees illegally fired" by Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Friday, September 13, 2002)^{[citation needed]}

• In 1998, dentist Roger N. Carlsten was sued for religious discrimination in the workplace by former employee Susan Morgan, who alleged in court that she was fired for refusing to take a Scientology-filled Hubbard Administrative Technology "statistics" course. A Rhode Island Superior Court jury, however, cleared the dentist of the charges.^[10]
• In 1994, Christina M. Goudeau of Baton Rouge, Louisiana filed suit against Landmark Dental Care. Goudeau reported she was fired because she was expected to join the Church of Scientology, and to use Scientology practices and terminology in the office. ("Suit blames Scientology for firing" by Fred Kalmbach, The Advocate [Baton Rouge], June 16, 1993)
• In 1992, two former assistants of dentist Lyn V. Bates filed suit in Canton, Ohio, claiming they "were continually, against their will, subjected to religious recruitment, proselytizing and brainwashing by defendants in fervent attempts to convert them to the Scientology cult." ("Dental assistants say firing result of their rejection of Scientology", by David Knox, Akron Beacon Journal, September 2, 1992)
• In 1990, dentist Glover Rowe and his wife Dee claimed to be held forcibly against their will by Scientologists after attending two Sterling management seminars.^[11]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Scientology Portal

• WISE
• Sterling Management
• Hubbard College of Administration site
• Site critical of WISE
• Managing to recruit: religious conversion in the workplace, Deana Hall, Sociology of Religion, Winter, 1998.
• Expert report prepared for the plaintiff in the case of EEOC v. I-20 Animal Medical Center, Dr. Stephen A. Kent, November 9, 1999.
• WISE Charter Committees
• WISE Consultant's Guide to Bridge Dissemination