by Subramanian Rangan (Editor)
About the Author
Subi Rangan is professor of strategy at INSEAD where he holds The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court Endowed Chair in Societal Progress. His work explores how enterprises can better integrate performance and progress, and thus rebuild trust in capitalism. In 2013 he initiated the Society for Progress, a fellowship of eminent philosophers, social scientists, and business leaders (www.societyforprogress.org). Their first work was published as Performance & Progress: Essays on Capitalism, Business, and Society (Oxford, 2015). His other research explores the strategies and operations of transnational firms. In 1998 he was awarded the Academy of International Business' Haynes Prize for original work by scholar under forty. In 1995 that academy awarded him the Best Dissertation Award. In 2010 his research won the Emerald award for Top 50 papers in management. Subi earned an MBA from MIT and a Ph.D. in political economy from Harvard University.
About this book
Our quest for prosperity has produced great output but not always great outcomes. The growing list of concerns includes climate and natural capital, abuse of wealth and market power, economic insecurity, gender bias and disparity, competitive and immoderate consumption, and unhealthful lifestyles. Fundamentally, when it comes to well-being, fairness, and the scope of our humanity, the modern economic system still leaves much to be desired. In turn, trust in
business and the liberal market system (a.k.a. "capitalism") has been declining and regulation has been rising.
Thankfully, a variety of forces-civic, economic, and intellectual-have been probing for better alternatives. The contributions in this volume, coauthored by eminent philosophers, social scientists, and thoughtful business leaders, are submitted in this spirit.
Mutuality, or the exchange of benefits, has been established as the prime principle of action and inter-action in addressing the chronic dilemma of human interdependence. Mutuality is a fundament in the social contract approach and it continues to serve us well. But, to address more robustly the concerns outlined above, we need to conceive a cultural economic system that is anchored on more than mutuality. In particular, we must help evolve an economic paradigm where mutuality is more
systematically complemented by reasoned and elective morality. Otherwise the design of the state as protector and buffer between the market and society will remain the central (if inadequate) remedy.
The essays in this volume integrate philosophy and social science to outline and explore concrete approaches to these important concerns emanating from business practice and theory.
Brieft contents
1. Introduction: Capitalism Beyond Mutuality?
Part I The Paradigm Problem
2. Thinking about the World: Philosophy and Sociology
3. A Dialogue Between Business and Philosophy
4. Decision Processes and Value Endogeneity
5. The Forest of Reasons
6. Intergenerational Equity and Responsibility for Future Generations
Part II The Agency Problem
7. Our Obligation to Future Generations
8. As You Like It: Work, Life, and Satisfaction
9. Purpose-Driven Business for Sustainable Performance and Progress
10. Behind Every Great Fortune is an Equally Great Crime
11. Taming Platform Capitalism to Meet Human Needs
Part III The Effectiveness Problem
12. Corporations in the Economy of Esteem
13. New Prospects for Organizational Democracy? How the Joint Pursuit of Social and Financial Goals Challenges Traditional Organizational Designs
14. Philanthropy and Income Inequality
15. Recognizing and Embracing Our Shared Humanity
16. The Government’s Catalytic Role in Driving Societal Progress
Index of Names
Index of Subjects
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press (July 24, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0198825064
ISBN-13: 978-0198825067