Doing Business From a Higher Perspective

Danah Zohar will outline two scenarios. In the first, we have the scenario of capitalism and business as we know them today. This portrays an amoral (immoral!) culture of short-term self-interest, profit maximisation, emphasis on share-holder value, isolationist thinking, and profligate disregard of its own long-term consequences. It is based on narrow assumptions about human nature and motivation. Danah argues this is unsustainable, a monster set to consume itself.

The second scenario is that of spiritual capital. This portrays a values based business culture in which wealth is accumulated to generate a decent profit while acting to raise the common good. Its emphasis is more on 'stake-holder value', where stake-holders include the whole human race, present and future, and the planet itself. Spiritual capital nourishes and sustains the human spirit and is, it is argued, the necessary future. It envisages business becoming one of the professions, driven by a sense of vocation.

In her lecture, Danah Zohar will outline 12 principles of action that can move us from one scenario to the other.