WHY we need to focus on business:
I agree that many, probably most businesses (due to a legal structure arising out of a set of philosophical and spiritual beliefs, embedded in Western and, increasingly, in Global culture, that unduly priviledge a single variable view of measuring and evaluating business purpose and success --i.e., profit) fail to attend to more substantive issues of human well being. Similarly many business leaders (due to cultural views which , contrary to substantial empirical research, unduly priviledge material wealth as the cause of happiness and the foundation of the successful life) also fail to attend to "improving the lives of people or protecting the environment".
In my view the underlying motivation of many, hopefully most, of us in the management, spirituality and religion field is to change these perspecives and behaviors through research on these issues creating deeper understanding and presenting the results to future (and present) business and political leaders and to the general population. Examples and stories of wiser behavior, even if exceptional, help to serve this purpose.
Lee Robbins
LeeRobbins@post.Harvard.edu
415-552-9800
-----Original Message-----
>From:
tbryan@UMICH.EDU
>Sent: Jul 21, 2006 2:53 PM
>To:
MSR@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
>Subject: Re: stories
>
>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.
>>
>>
>>
>>
http://www.cristorey.net/
>>
>>
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>>