Should We Blame It On Our Business Schools?

This is something that has bothered me for years:

I am not aware of a single university level business school that teach quantifiable "stability," or "sustainability" measures as a means of evaluating a business' success or failure.

What then, is their focus?

They preach constant and continued growth in profits and capital resources, by any means possible, as the fundamental underlying strategy for operating a successful enterprise. Yes, at reputable schools, the phrase "any means possible" is usually ameliorated by required classes in business ethics; however, once you have completed the requirements for a MBA degree, the departing message at graduation is always clear; "Grow your business or be considered a failure."

True, MBA candidates have been exposed to business ethics, but ask yourself, "When was the last time I saw consumer-favorable, or even stockholder-favorable ethics, in action?" All one needs to do is look at CEO salaries, bonuses, and stock options. Or bogus accounting procedures used to bolster less-than-acceptable profitability (or losses.) Do they define "ethics in action?"

So What's The Big Deal?

Clearly, we live on a planet of fixed geographic size. Besides habitat, it also serves is our only marketplace. It's a fact that we are reaching a saturation point at exponential speed. What happens in ten or twenty years when "growth" is physically impossible?

Example 1: Getting into China's marketplace will take a few years; by then maybe Africa will have developed into a major market. Add to the mix the fact that worldwide companies are buying up smaller companies rapidly. Even more interesting is that their are no international monopoly regulations. Now, I'm no George Orwell or Alvin Toffler, but the fact is no one is taking a long-term view of commerce and where it's going.

Example 2: As businesses become bigger, they gain enormous resources that enable them to better control their destinies. In the "old days" they achieved their revenue and profit objectives through aggressive marketing techniques. Lately, however, they have increased their muscle by adding massive amounts of leverage and control through raw political influence. Frequently, I find myself wondering, "Who IS running America?" Is it the will of the people and stockholder interest, or big business joined at the hip with the Federal government? Or, has the Federal government become the real big business? Worse yet, isn't reality the unholy marriage of big business and government who together, run our lives and control our futures. Ask other people who observe the business scene. Most say, "It's hard to tell the difference between the two." And even more alarming, are people I talk to who say, "Quit being so naive. We really know who runs things, don't we?" (Wink wink.) Then they leave for Cancun on the next flight.

Is There An Answer?

I don't know. But it has to change.