I agree with David, there are lots of organizations that care about their employees and stakeholders. There are also a growing number of organizations that explicitly nurture spirituality in the workplace. A couple of years ago our Distinguished Executive speaker at the MSR meeting was J-Robert Ouimet. His company, O.C.B. Holding in Montreal, Canada, is a wonderful example of an organization deeply committed to its people and to spirituality. The year before, our Distinguished Executive speaker was Tami Simon, CEO of Sounds True. She had many wonderful examples of the spiritual practices and values of her organization.
Each year, the Association for Spirit at Work, in partnership with the Spirit in Business Institute, the European Baha'i Business Forum, and the World Business Academy, honors organizations with explicit spiritual practices. In the past four years we have honored 31 organizations from 11 countries. This year there will be between 5 and 7 more organizations. We have brief case studies of some of these organizations on our website - www.spiritatwork.org. We are looking for student volunteers to help us write up the rest of these organizations. Our goal is to have one page case studies of each organization, as well as longer, more detailed case studies. We are currently finalizing a format so that the case studies have a consistency to them.
If you know of any students who might be interested in volunteering for this project, please have them get in touch with me or with Dana Dobson.
I have an executive summary of the 31 organizations, with a paragraph about each. I am happy to post that to the MSR website if it is functioning. Can someone let me know?
I won't be with you at the Academy this year. I took early retirement from the University of New Haven last year and am consulting, writing and speaking full time. But I send my love to everyone!
Warm Regards,
"The Universe pays me for being who I am and doing what I love doing." Shakti Gawain
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: stories
We should be careful and not paint the entire corporate world with one big brush. Keep in mind many of the great philanthropist's made their money in business (including oil - Getty, Rockefeller).
Another point, the majority of individuals in the USA are employed by companies with less than 100 employees (53%) and nearly 25% are employed by companies with less than 20 employees. Only 13% are employed in companies with more than 1,000 employees.
Small business owners, like myself, can be influenced by business schools and organizations concerned with spirituality. I am a practicing Catholic and I try to put my faith into action in all my consulting engagements.
Back to the point of the original email
I come from a pretty humble background. I was the first (and only) member or my family to go to college let alone graduate school. I ended up paying 100% of my education because my family could not contribute anything. A lot of professors and administrators helped me along the way. They advised me and helped me find jobs and internships. It has been over 20 years since my undergraduate degree and I still keep in touch with some of those professors.
By the way, I have an international consulting business and I am an adjunct professor. I work with corporate executives all over the world and their are plenty of them who care about their employees, the environment, and spirituality. You can see a list of clients at
www.SoftwareMetrics.Com/client.htm.
David Longstreet
Software Economist
www.SoftwareMetrics.Com
816.739.4058
It's troubling to me that so much of this dialogue is focused on business. And yet the corporate world is mostly MIA when it comes to improving the lives of people or protecting the environment. There are a few rare exceptions but for the most part the business world continues to take. Even when it "gives something back" there is still a net loss. Poverty, racism, environmental degradation, the growing gap between rich and poor, public health, global warming, and homelessness are not going away and in fact are getting worse. How can you look at spiritually in organizations, or transformations at business schools, and ignore these stark realities? The transformational leaders I know have all left the business world and are working for non-profits. There you may find your stories.
Todd Bryan
School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan
--On Friday, July 21, 2006 4:45 PM -0400 Eric Romero <
eric@AACSB.EDU> wrote:
Hi,
I am looking for current stories about students whose business education
has had a life altering impact. For example, an impoverished student who
struggles to pay for tuition, excels academically and then starts a
successful business. There is ample research indicating that stories are
an exceptionally effective method to communicate messages. Video enhances
the effectiveness of stories because emotions can be transmitted better
through video than text. For example, some time ago there was a report on
60 Minutes about a school in Chicago that provides a rigorous academic
experience to underprivileged students and has a life altering effect on
them. A link to the above mentioned video is on the school's webpage,
which is linked below.
If you watched the video, did you have an emotional reaction to it? If
so, I hope you agree that business education should have a similar effect
on business students. If you have similar videos about business students,
would you be able to share them? I am also interested in written stories
so if you have some, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks
in advance.
Sincerely,
Eric J. Romero, PhD
Assistant Vice President for Knowledge Services
AACSB International
777 South Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 750
Tampa, Florida 33602-5730
813-769-6513 (direct)
813-769-6500 (main)
813-769-6559 (fax)
www.aacsb.edu
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.4/396 - Release Date: 7/24/2006