Cultural Reform in Finance and Business Administration
I’ve recently been doing research related to providing more capital (and a group of like-minded investors) for farm/food/nutrition economic development in rural communities.
With good assistance, I have found a number of wealthy individuals (including people in finance and administering businesses) with a sincere interest in a whole set of social improvements in enterprise.
From my experience, one aspect of their interest is narrow.
Any of the ‘ends’ I read encompass improvements to enterprise ethics – which is great.
What I think might be overlooked is the need for basic cultural improvements in how enterprises function – cultural improvements not linked to money and performance, but to values driven by historical awareness.
I find a number of young folks seemingly disappointed in America – particularly the evolution of the American economy. Much of the dissatisfaction is based upon historical racial and gender disparity.
I agree with much of what I hear.
I don’t agree it is a cause to be distressed with the idea of the American society.
It does seem to me there is a need to completely rethink our traditional values in finance and business administration.
I recently read a comment – the value of the U.S. Constitution is integrally connected to Christian values.
It struck me because I deeply believe we need to bring about major changes in our society in how money is used….and what are the values worth incorporating in new enterprises. I am not proselytizing about Christianity. I am very definitely saying we should incorporate sound, historically thoughtful ethical methods in any enterprise.
In order to achieve that goal we need to use existing wealth/assets to invent new banking and enterprise methods.
Note on the Painting
South Chicago Series #2
Bernece Berkman (1911 - 1979)
opaque watercolor on paper, 1937
20 x 30 inches
Bernece Berkman grew up in Chicago, where she worked for the Illinois WPA Easel project. She studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She studied with Todros Geller, whose philosophy of art as a means of social reform she adopted. She also learned from Rudolph Weisenborn and adapted his Expressionism with a Cubist twist. The South Chicago Series of paintings illustrates this style and also social realism in her choice of construction workers as subject matter.