Business and importance of ideals,Leszek Niewdana

1. Be the change you wish to see inBe the change you wish to see in
the world: business and NGOsthe world: business and NGOs
mission to reignite idealsmission to reignite ideals
Leszek NiewdanaLeszek Niewdana
Fu Jen Catholic University, TaiwanFu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

2. IntroductionIntroduction

3. IntroductionIntroduction
 ““We live in an anti-hierarchical age, inWe live in an anti-hierarchical age, in
which deference to traditional sourceswhich deference to traditional sources
of authority – the social order of class,of authority – the social order of class,
the churches, the traditional family – isthe churches, the traditional family – is
in decline.in decline. The ethic of individual self-The ethic of individual self-
fulfillment and achievement is thefulfillment and achievement is the
most powerful current in modernmost powerful current in modern
societysociety [. . .] For many people, social[. . .] For many people, social
progress is measured by the expansionprogress is measured by the expansion
of individual choice within this privateof individual choice within this private
sphere. This individualism is not justsphere. This individualism is not just
consumerist. It is also moral…consumerist. It is also moral…

4.  In many ways this is a more moral time thanIn many ways this is a more moral time than
in the 1950s and 1960s. Young people thesein the 1950s and 1960s. Young people these
days feel more passionately and morallydays feel more passionately and morally
about a wider range of issues than they usedabout a wider range of issues than they used
to – from our treatment of the environmentto – from our treatment of the environment
and animals, to gender, race and humanand animals, to gender, race and human
rights around the world. People are morerights around the world. People are more
likely to challenge the right of establishedlikely to challenge the right of established
figures of authority to lay down the moralfigures of authority to lay down the moral
law.law. For many people, especially youngFor many people, especially young
people, [these are] arguments that we needpeople, [these are] arguments that we need
to rebuild a sense of community.to rebuild a sense of community.””
Leadbeater, C. (1997),Leadbeater, C. (1997), The Rise of the SocialThe Rise of the Social
EntrepreneurEntrepreneur, p. 14, p. 14
IntroductionIntroduction

5. 2. What kind of
person should I
become?
3. How could
I achieve the
ideal?
1. What kind of
person am I?
Reality
Ideal
Virtues
Creating moralCreating moral
ddesiresesires
Learning to liveLearning to live
with constraintswith constraints
SenseofSenseof
Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

6.  The threefold modelThe threefold model
interconnects individualinterconnects individual
self-fulfillment and theself-fulfillment and the
good of the community ingood of the community in
which one liveswhich one lives
Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

7.  The threefold scheme is reflected inThe threefold scheme is reflected in
many traditional moral/ethicalmany traditional moral/ethical
frameworks and in diverse culturalframeworks and in diverse cultural
contexts, in which some form of idealcontexts, in which some form of ideal
serves as an important factor providingserves as an important factor providing
a sense of direction in life.a sense of direction in life.
 ““Followers of Judaism, Christianity andFollowers of Judaism, Christianity and
Islam were all able to make use of thisIslam were all able to make use of this
framework; parallels to it can even beframework; parallels to it can even be
found in civilizations as radically alien tofound in civilizations as radically alien to
the West as India and China.”the West as India and China.”
Skidelsky and Skidelsky,Skidelsky and Skidelsky, How Much Is EnoughHow Much Is Enough, 2012, p. 78, 2012, p. 78
Threefold value schemeThreefold value scheme

8. Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment
 The Enlightenment movement,The Enlightenment movement,
set itself in opposition to theset itself in opposition to the
threefold scheme.threefold scheme.
 It created a new model in whichIt created a new model in which
freedom and rights of the self-freedom and rights of the self-
interested individual and theinterested individual and the
equality between suchequality between such
individuals became the coreindividuals became the core
values.values.

9. 2. How could I
achieve self-
realization?
1. What kind of
person am I?Reality
Self-realization
My rights
vs
rights of others
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

10. In short:In short:
 The Enlightenment modelThe Enlightenment model
practically removed thepractically removed the
objectively set ideals (anchoredobjectively set ideals (anchored
in the conviction that the goodin the conviction that the good
life could not be achieved withoutlife could not be achieved without
due consideration given to thedue consideration given to the
common good), and ultimatelycommon good), and ultimately
turned self-realization of theturned self-realization of the
dissociated individual intodissociated individual into a newa new
individualized idealindividualized ideal..
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

11.  Classical virtues and the goodClassical virtues and the good
life ideal had no place in thelife ideal had no place in the
“new” model.“new” model.
 Avoid hurting others - moralAvoid hurting others - moral
minimalism based on theminimalism based on the
obligation to respect freedomobligation to respect freedom
and rights of others and theand rights of others and the
requirements of the socialrequirements of the social
contract (the expanding numbercontract (the expanding number
of laws) – became the newof laws) – became the new
standard of moral philosophy.standard of moral philosophy.
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

12.  Kant’s (Kant’s (1724–1804)1724–1804) morality of dutymorality of duty
(responsibility): the height of moral(responsibility): the height of moral
standard of the Enlightenment?standard of the Enlightenment?
 ““Categorical imperative” as theCategorical imperative” as the
supreme principle of moralitysupreme principle of morality
 CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
anchored in this philosophyanchored in this philosophy
FreedomFreedom RightsRights
DutyDuty
LawLaw
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

13. Community / Society
Individual
State
Threefold modelThreefold model Enlightenment modelEnlightenment model
Individual
Individual
Individual
State
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

14. Neoliberalism – an offshoot of theNeoliberalism – an offshoot of the
EnlightenmentEnlightenment
 David Harvey defines neoliberalism asDavid Harvey defines neoliberalism as
“a theory of political economic“a theory of political economic
practices that proposes that humanpractices that proposes that human
well-being can best be advanced bywell-being can best be advanced by
liberating individual entrepreneurialliberating individual entrepreneurial
freedoms and skills within anfreedoms and skills within an
institutional framework characterizedinstitutional framework characterized
by strong private property rights, freeby strong private property rights, free
markets and free trade.”markets and free trade.”
D. Harvey,D. Harvey, A Brief History of NeoliberalismA Brief History of Neoliberalism,,
2005, p. 2.2005, p. 2.
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

15. Iconic statements of neoliberalismIconic statements of neoliberalism
 Ronald Reagan: “the government is theRonald Reagan: “the government is the
problem”problem”
 Margaret Thatcher: “There is no such thingMargaret Thatcher: “There is no such thing
as society. There are individual men andas society. There are individual men and
women, and there are families.”women, and there are families.”
 Milton Friedman: “There is one and only oneMilton Friedman: “There is one and only one
social responsibility of business – to use itssocial responsibility of business – to use its
resources and engage in activities designedresources and engage in activities designed
to increase its profits so long as it staysto increase its profits so long as it stays
within the rules of the game, which is to say,within the rules of the game, which is to say,
engages in open and free competitionengages in open and free competition
without deception and fraud.”without deception and fraud.”
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

16.  The goal of neoliberalism has been toThe goal of neoliberalism has been to
re-shape the entire social space ofre-shape the entire social space of
diverse communities into the form ofdiverse communities into the form of
the market.the market.
 The preferred method of neoliberalismThe preferred method of neoliberalism
has been to release competitive forceshas been to release competitive forces
in all possible spheres of life, includingin all possible spheres of life, including
all layers of government and education,all layers of government and education,
and turn them into variables of theand turn them into variables of the
market.market.
Challenge of the EnlightenmentChallenge of the Enlightenment

17.  The market frees individual acquisitivenessThe market frees individual acquisitiveness
from moral, social and/or religiousfrom moral, social and/or religious
constraintsconstraints
 It releases self-interest from moral restraintsIt releases self-interest from moral restraints
 It erodes all social ties other than purelyIt erodes all social ties other than purely
economic ones and/or converts socialeconomic ones and/or converts social
relationships into instrumental onesrelationships into instrumental ones
(“commodifies” them)(“commodifies” them)
 It promotes a preoccupation with narrowIt promotes a preoccupation with narrow
individual advantage at the expense ofindividual advantage at the expense of
responsibility to the community or socialresponsibility to the community or social
obligationsobligations
 It substitutes competition for voluntaryIt substitutes competition for voluntary
cooperation.cooperation.
Maitland, I. (1997), “Virtuous markets: the market as school ofMaitland, I. (1997), “Virtuous markets: the market as school of
the virtues”,the virtues”, Business Ethics QuarterlyBusiness Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 7 No. 1, p. 18, Vol. 7 No. 1, p. 18
DiscomfortDiscomfort

18. ValuesValues ““foreignforeign”” to theto the
Enlightenment:Enlightenment:
 ““Give until it hurts – withGive until it hurts – with
a smile”a smile”
 ““It is not how much weIt is not how much we
do but how much love wedo but how much love we
put into what we do”put into what we do”
 ““If we really want to love,If we really want to love,
we must learn how towe must learn how to
forgive”forgive”
Mother TeresaMother Teresa
DiscomfortDiscomfort

19. A way forward?A way forward?
 Three stages in the developmentThree stages in the development
of the concept of “enterprise”of the concept of “enterprise”
““Friedman” typeFriedman” type
CSR typeCSR type NGO/SE typeNGO/SE type

20. Importance of mobilizing moral and spiritualImportance of mobilizing moral and spiritual
capitalcapital
““Capital” is believed to take several forms:Capital” is believed to take several forms:
 physical capital (mobilizing natural resources);physical capital (mobilizing natural resources);
 economic capital (mobilizing financialeconomic capital (mobilizing financial
resources);resources);
 human capital (mobilizing labor resources);human capital (mobilizing labor resources);
 intellectual capital (mobilizing intellectualintellectual capital (mobilizing intellectual
resources);resources);
 social capital (mobilizing civil societysocial capital (mobilizing civil society
resources);resources);
 ethical capital (mobilizing moral values).ethical capital (mobilizing moral values).
Bull, M. et al., (2010),"Conceptualising ethical capitalBull, M. et al., (2010),"Conceptualising ethical capital
in social enterprise",in social enterprise", Social Enterprise JournalSocial Enterprise Journal, Vol. 6:3,, Vol. 6:3,
p. 252p. 252
A way forward?A way forward?

21. Importance of mobilizing moral andImportance of mobilizing moral and
spiritual capitalspiritual capital
 LatinLatin spiritusspiritus: that which gives life: that which gives life
or vitality to a systemor vitality to a system
 ““Spiritual capital is our sharedSpiritual capital is our shared
meaning, our shared purpose, ourmeaning, our shared purpose, our
shared vision of what most deeplyshared vision of what most deeply
matters in life – and how thesematters in life – and how these
are implemented in our lives…”are implemented in our lives…”
Zohar, D. and Marshall, I.,Zohar, D. and Marshall, I., Spiritual CapitalSpiritual Capital, 2004, p. 27, 2004, p. 27
A way forward?A way forward?

22. Core Christian values as moral andCore Christian values as moral and
spiritual capitalspiritual capital
Crucial transformative aspects ofCrucial transformative aspects of
Jesus’ “revolution”Jesus’ “revolution”
 Care for the marginalizedCare for the marginalized
 Challenging dehumanizingChallenging dehumanizing
phenomenaphenomena
 Raising quality of lifeRaising quality of life
A way forward?A way forward?

23.  ““Nothing makes one feel soNothing makes one feel so
strong as a call for help.”strong as a call for help.”
Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
 ““Be so good they can’tBe so good they can’t
ignore you.”ignore you.”
Steve MartinSteve Martin
A way forward?A way forward?