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7 - Current trends in humanism and business

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2011

By
Domènec Melé
Edited by
Heiko Spitzeck ,
Michael Pirson ,
Wolfgang Amann ,
Shiban Khan  and
Ernst von Kimakowitz
Heiko Spitzeck
Affiliation:
Universität St Gallen, Switzerland
Michael Pirson
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Massachusetts
Wolfgang Amann
Affiliation:
Universität St Gallen, Switzerland
Shiban Khan
Affiliation:
Universität St Gallen, Switzerland
Ernst von Kimakowitz
Affiliation:
Universität St Gallen, Switzerland
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Summary

Introduction

Familiarity with current trends in a field is not only interesting as an aid to understanding our world or as a form of erudition, but also helps to guide speculation about the future. Extrapolating a future based on current trends is often better than prophesying without considering the evidence at hand and the main historical drivers of the present. This is the case for all human activity and, more specifically, for humanism in business.

“Humanism,” wrote Jacques Maritain (1996), “essentially tends to make man more humane and to manifest his original greatness by making him participate in everything in so far as it enriches him in nature and in history. It requires time that man develops virtues which he possesses, his creative strength and his rational life, and that man works to convert the forces of the physical world into tools of his freedom.” These words contain provocative ideas, which lead us to question to what extent business and humanism cross paths. In this respect, some questions arise: Does business respect the sovereign human rights of people? Do business institutions or companies make the people who participate in them more human? Does business give people the possibility to participate in organizations in accordance with their humanity? Does business foster the growth of individuals as human beings? Does business favor aspects of human potential such as creativity, rationality, and character?

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Chapter
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Humanism in Business , pp. 123 - 140
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

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