What's the purpose of capitalism? What's the point? What about wealth? Is it's only purpose to purchase comfort, or power or influence?
What about benevolence; have you ever wondered why you feel good when you do something for someone else? Why is doing something for others considered "good?" What if you used your wealth to make yourself feel well and you decided the maximum good feeling is not selfishness, but benevolence? Maybe the purpose of wealth is to do nice things for others?
In recent years, more and more businesses have operated "to maximize shareholder return" or for the benefit of the shareholders. But a business that exists to only provide for it's owners seems to be a pretty shallow undertaking. If you look back 100 years to the people we value as great leaders, they used their talents, wealth, skill, and influence to make things better for others. Abraham Lincoln, for example, is valued and remembered much more highly than many contemporaries for his contribution to society, not for what he gained for himself.
Capitalism has great advantage over every other economic system. In a capitalistic society, such as the United States, people have freedom to choose the use of their profits. (That freedom is somewhat constrained by things like taxes, but we'll withhold that topic for another post.) In a capitalistic economy, we can use profits many ways; one of which is to generate further profit. However if that profit becomes an end in itself, that seems like a short story. Take the money and run.
Profit reinvested creates further profit. Many companies reinvest in customers; customer acquisition, profitability and retention. Profit reinvested in customers does not necessarily guaranteed a return to the business. How many companies do you know that went out of business with satisfied customers? And reinvestment in fixed assets is fleeting also. How many companies invested in buying other companies only to watch the stock market revalue itself in the second half of 2008?
Only when the shareholders invest profits in the lives of the employees or associates, who in turn spend their lives in the service of the company, that profit multiplies many times. Employees and associates care for customers and fixed assets. Their productivity creates the value that becomes profit to the shareholders.
Therefore I believe the employer that truly operates for the benefit of its employees and associates creates a meaningful experience of work and thereby creates a competitive advantage.
Do you agree? Can a company succeed caring for employees and associates ahead of customers and shareholders?
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Wide Awake
A book that I recently finished spoke to me, Wide Awake - The Future Is Waiting Within You by Erwin Raphael McManus. It was published in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas Nelson. You can get it here.
Erwin Raphael McManus is not your normal, run-of-the-mill pastor. He has a refreshing, engaging approach to following Jesus. Wide Awake is a challenge to those of us who have postponed or given up on our dreams. The challenge: embrace the dreams. They were put there by God. He designed them into us. Let's not quench them, or run from them or ignore them. Let's embrace them. Let's become alive in Christ and free enough to live our dreams. Why not dream wide awake?
Inside Flap: "Maybe you have been asleep. You have never lived up to your potential. You have unfulfilled dreams and longings. If you're dead, let Jesus raise you up to new life. If you have been sleepwalking, it's time to wake up and start dreaming wide awake."
McManus begins the introductory chapter titled Awaken with the premise that there is a hero within each of us. He claims (and I heartily agree) that "people are the most underused and undervalued resource on the planet. Earth's unlimited resource is the gifts, talent, passions, imagination, and ingenuity of its citizens." He goes on to say that "the real battle is not between good and evil, but between less and more." He also asserts that the world needs us at our best. We were created by God for a purpose. He states that the "planet is made better or worse by the people we choose to become. If you live a diminished life, it's not only you who loses, but the world loses and humanity loses." We simply need to awaken the hero within us.
The following eight chapters are the attributes necessary to live out our greatness. They are:
Erwin Raphael McManus is not your normal, run-of-the-mill pastor. He has a refreshing, engaging approach to following Jesus. Wide Awake is a challenge to those of us who have postponed or given up on our dreams. The challenge: embrace the dreams. They were put there by God. He designed them into us. Let's not quench them, or run from them or ignore them. Let's embrace them. Let's become alive in Christ and free enough to live our dreams. Why not dream wide awake?
Inside Flap: "Maybe you have been asleep. You have never lived up to your potential. You have unfulfilled dreams and longings. If you're dead, let Jesus raise you up to new life. If you have been sleepwalking, it's time to wake up and start dreaming wide awake."
McManus begins the introductory chapter titled Awaken with the premise that there is a hero within each of us. He claims (and I heartily agree) that "people are the most underused and undervalued resource on the planet. Earth's unlimited resource is the gifts, talent, passions, imagination, and ingenuity of its citizens." He goes on to say that "the real battle is not between good and evil, but between less and more." He also asserts that the world needs us at our best. We were created by God for a purpose. He states that the "planet is made better or worse by the people we choose to become. If you live a diminished life, it's not only you who loses, but the world loses and humanity loses." We simply need to awaken the hero within us.
The following eight chapters are the attributes necessary to live out our greatness. They are:
- Dream
- Discover
- Adapt
- Expect
- Focus
- Create
- Enjoy
- Invest
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Introduction
Welcome
Many of my thoughts and opinions come from a desire to make a difference. The question however required definition. What type of difference would I make? How can I maximize that difference?
The Power to Make a Difference
A few years back, I decided to act as if Jesus Christ was who he claimed to be, and that changed my life. Up until that time, religion, and religious teaching left me empty. Nothing seemed to make any difference in my life. I was a failure in my own eyes and destined to remain so.
However, as I have studied Jesus' teaching contained in the Bible, I have found it to be the best and only way to actually reconcile religious teaching to the things I experience. Jesus teaching, and all the teaching recorded in the Bible, provides a rational explanation of my circumstances as well as those I can view objectively in the world. Daily I find that it takes more faith to believe that Jesus is wrong. As a result, I have a new life! I am different than I was and I have the power to do things I've never been able to do before. Many times I fail to trust that power, but I have experienced it too many times to deny its existence. Therefore, I have the power to make a difference in my own life and I have friends who will testify to that change.
The Best Difference
But if Jesus gave me the power to make a difference in my own life, is that the extent of his teaching? Is his only goal for me to be a better person? Or should the difference I make extend beyond myself? Empirical evidence seems to suggest that we were designed to interact and relate to one another. We were built for relationships. Also, there is no denying that people tend to want to do something that will outlive themselves.
Interestingly, Jesus claimed that true treasure did not exist in this world. He told us to "lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal." True treasure is only in Heaven. Also, we also know that you can't take anything with you when you go. So the best difference, the most lasting difference must be in the lives of people.
Purpose
My goal then, is to help people improve their quality of life. This blog will contain thoughts and learning on the subject. If you'd like to improve your own life quality or that of others, please feel free to participate.
Many of my thoughts and opinions come from a desire to make a difference. The question however required definition. What type of difference would I make? How can I maximize that difference?
The Power to Make a Difference
A few years back, I decided to act as if Jesus Christ was who he claimed to be, and that changed my life. Up until that time, religion, and religious teaching left me empty. Nothing seemed to make any difference in my life. I was a failure in my own eyes and destined to remain so.
However, as I have studied Jesus' teaching contained in the Bible, I have found it to be the best and only way to actually reconcile religious teaching to the things I experience. Jesus teaching, and all the teaching recorded in the Bible, provides a rational explanation of my circumstances as well as those I can view objectively in the world. Daily I find that it takes more faith to believe that Jesus is wrong. As a result, I have a new life! I am different than I was and I have the power to do things I've never been able to do before. Many times I fail to trust that power, but I have experienced it too many times to deny its existence. Therefore, I have the power to make a difference in my own life and I have friends who will testify to that change.
The Best Difference
But if Jesus gave me the power to make a difference in my own life, is that the extent of his teaching? Is his only goal for me to be a better person? Or should the difference I make extend beyond myself? Empirical evidence seems to suggest that we were designed to interact and relate to one another. We were built for relationships. Also, there is no denying that people tend to want to do something that will outlive themselves.
Interestingly, Jesus claimed that true treasure did not exist in this world. He told us to "lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal." True treasure is only in Heaven. Also, we also know that you can't take anything with you when you go. So the best difference, the most lasting difference must be in the lives of people.
Purpose
My goal then, is to help people improve their quality of life. This blog will contain thoughts and learning on the subject. If you'd like to improve your own life quality or that of others, please feel free to participate.
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