{"title":"Living-Asset Stewardship: How Organizational Learning Leads to Exceptional Market Returns","authors":"J. Bragdon, Richard Karash","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467562","url":null,"abstract":"D oes a corporation’s investment in learning pay off? Or are such actions, despite their appeal, just an inefcient diversion of prots? We believe it is useful to examine two opposing mental models. One is a ‘‘xed pie’’ or ‘‘zero sum’’ model—in which any increase in the returns for one group comes at the expense of other groups (management versus labor versus shareholders, and so on). In this model, if learning benets the individual, how can the corporation benet? In the opposing model, there are synergies by which organizational learning generates factor efciencies—the ability to offer more and better quality output with fewer demands on nature and society (Hawken et al., 1999). We believe that thinking affects reality. If companies think ‘‘xed pie,’’ that is what they will get—a self-fullling prophesy—because they will hold back on investments that might otherwise produce excellent returns. We begin this article with a brief tour of economic history and our argument for the synergy model. Then, we support our argument with an analysis of 60 corporations that are global leaders in living-asset stewardship (see the sidebar). We close with surprising evidence that investing in the companies that are exemplars in living-asset stewardship appears to produce superior investment returns. Our belief in synergy draws heavily on the works of two men: management consultant Frederick Reichheld, who describes the synergies inherent in loyalty, and biologist Edward O. Wilson, who describes both the spiritual and economic values of biodiversity. Wilson gives us the analytic tools to see a strong, reinforcing cycle in which living-asset stewardship strengthens Reichheld’s model. ‘‘Humanity needs a vision of an expanding and unending future,’’ says Wilson (1993: 39). When that vision is encouraged, people become inspired; when it is suppressed, they feel despair.1 We submit that the very human quest for living-asset stewardship inspires thinking and solutions that transcend mere loyalty. We present evidence to suggest that stewardship improves corporate results, the lives of employees and customers, shareholder returns, and the possibilities for a better world. Jay Bragdon Conservest Management Co. JHBragdon@aol.com","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124738582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Corporation as a Community, Not as a Corpus","authors":"R. Ackoff","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467517","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"44 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124732906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When Culture Matters: Processes of Organizational Learning and Transformation","authors":"Cristiano Busco, A. Riccaboni, R. Scapens","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467553","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"116 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115086167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leadership When Events Don't Play by the Rules","authors":"K. Weick","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467535","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"96 2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132242614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leadership Is Sourced by a Commitment to Personal Development","authors":"G. Merten","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467526","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128582911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Young Leaders' Forum in Asia: Learning about Leadership, Abundance, and Growth","authors":"K. Ayas, P. Mirvis","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467544","url":null,"abstract":"L eadership is a choice. A spirit of abundance opens up new possibilities. To grow a business, you must grow the humanity of its leaders. These are some of the themes from biannual meetings of the Young Leaders’ Forum (YLF) of Unilever Asia Pacific. In early April 2001, some 25 young leaders, from different backgrounds and functions and based in Unilever country organizations throughout Asia, traveled from the meeting site (a comfortable resort along the South China Sea) to a small, impoverished hamlet near Danang, Vietnam, to visit an orphanage. The tour to the Village of Hope concluded a three-day meeting at which the young leaders had reflected on their personal development, reviewed the state of their businesses, and visited local markets and homes. Together, the participants, along with the authors and other facilitators, had seen how villagers live, cook, clean, and care for themselves and their children, what products they use currently, and what else they might need, want, and afford in the future. During this last day of the meeting, we planned to visit the home of 180 displaced and disabled children, play with them, meet their teachers, and talk about leadership with Van Tan Hoc, founder of the Village of Hope.","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127876414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards a \"Truly\" Scientific Management: The Concept of Organization Health","authors":"W. Bennis","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467508","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467508","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"72 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130237533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"I Don't Have Time to Think!\" versus the Art of Reflective Practice","authors":"J. Raelin","doi":"10.1162/152417302320467571","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302320467571","url":null,"abstract":"This article and its commentaries shed light on reflective practice, a reflection of past experiences to ponder the meaning of what has recently transpired to one's self and others in the immediate environment. It incorporates a rationale for reflective practice; strategies to encourage organizational use of reflective practice; and skills relevant to reflective practice","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128896895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Globalization's Challenge: Attuning the Global to the Local","authors":"Jeffrey R. Gates","doi":"10.1162/152417302760127219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302760127219","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123078488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From the Founding Editor","authors":"E. Schein","doi":"10.1162/152417302760127183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/152417302760127183","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":220561,"journal":{"name":"Reflections: The Sol Journal","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116956235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}