6 - The implications of humanism for business studies

Summary

Adopting a humanistic approach within business activities and interactions is of the utmost priority if society and, by extension, we as human beings both in the individual and collective sense are to survive, flourish, and emancipate ourselves.

At first glance, mainstream management literature would appear to be showing encouraging signs of enlightenment across the myriad of leitmotivs that are discerned across such words as “humanism,” “ethics,” “corporate governance,” “social responsibility for business,” and “environmental responsibility.” In fact, if there is a major point of convergence for the many streams of literature, it is the importance of the human person or personal attitudes and behaviors at work. No matter the trend or topic: whether it is about corporate ‘culturalism’ (Deal and Kennedy 1982; Ouchi 1981; Peters and Waterman 1982; Schein 1985 and 1991) or motivation and the valorization of human resources (Archier and Serieyx 1987; Crozier 1989; Peters and Austin 1985; Waterman 1987); whether it is across total quality, the re-introduction of the meaning of work, “empowerment” (Juran and Gryna 1980; Michel 1989; Mintzberg 1989; Peters and Austin 1985; Serieyx 1989) or the realization of the workplace as an area of social interactions and sharing (DePree 1989; Peters 1987; Peters and Austin 1985; Weitzman 1984); or whether it is the various preoccupations with ethics, ethico-spirituality, or other management methods aiming towards cohesion, participation, initiative and creativity at all levels, what stands out most clearly is the insistent call from all quarters to put the human element at the forefront.