For Businesses and Governments Embracing Social Response Capitalism…“All the World’s a Stage”

Shakespeare historically noted that we’re all merely players on this global stage – each with our exits and our entrances. Perhaps if he were alive today Shakespeare would say the same about the character and condition of the modern global corporation. Some companies come and some go. The only certainty is uncertainty in a global business environment. However, advancements in how global firms and governments think about, value, define and act out their respective futures are beginning to define who stays on stage longer than others… Emerging economies, social response corporate leaders, and governments and universities around the globe are seeking the knowledge from Bruce Piasecki’s book “World Inc.”. Piasecki’s summary on how the collision of capitalism and social responsibility is shaping the near future resonates with product and policy innovators both domestically and abroad.

When Bruce Piasecki released his 6th book, “World Inc.: When it Comes to Solutions - Both Local and Global - Businesses Are Now More Powerful Than Government” in April 2007 he knew that in the fast paced marketing savvy business of publishing that it takes a great deal of time to have foreign editions sold. Having written and published five previous books including the Nature Society's book of the year, In Search of Environmental Excellence: Moving Beyond Blame, Piasecki was prepared, like many authors, to travel to new destinations, meet new people, and actively market his new work.

What caught Piasecki by surprise in the 9 months after the release of “World Inc.”, however, was just how rapidly the book’s rights were sold as foreign editions. In less that a year, Bruce Piasecki’s “World Inc.” is on its way to being translated and sold in:

Brazil – Greece – Italy – Japan – Korea – Portugal

What’s interesting to me about the proliferation of the book globally is the way other regions of the world are finding new grounds for hope and inspiration in reading their translated version of “World Inc.”. For example a Japanese reviewer recently noted, “…in Japan, Corporate Social Responsibility became a very popular concept in the last few years, and people are more and more concerned about CSR, environmental problems, and the future of capitalism…”.

As the world’s developed and developing nations wrestle with limitations to their natural resources, energy security and doing business in a more environmentally and socially responsible way, “World Inc.” is providing a source of enlightenment while serving as a social response solution in its own right by educating and inspiring the leaders of today, and tomorrow. We also see how many foreign governments, corporations and citizens are beginning to frame the discussion Piasecki expertly crafts within “World Inc.” into a roadmap for how they can work collaboratively into the future. As social response capitalism eclipses capitalism as an advanced form of doing business, we believe more governments and corporations will take note.

From a US perspective I find it encouraging that foreign corporations and governments are so engaged in discovering “social response capitalism” through Bruce Piasecki’s “World Inc.”. Many US based corporate, social and government leaders have engaged Piasecki on “World Inc.” to speak to them and help them learn what foreign nations are so interested in. That is, how can growth occur in a socially and environmentally responsible way while delivering financial value to shareholders? As the swiftness of information and severity of market conditions push more businesses toward social response capitalism it becomes necessary to learn from other corporate, government and social leaders. Piasecki’s “World Inc.” is a life time of learning wrapped into a couple hundred pages of prose and wisdom that is shaping the foundations of business and governments globally.

Remove Complacency from the Existing Equation
The competitiveness of US based companies will be tested in years to come on their ability to address social needs. When I see other nations and foreign corporations embracing the theme’s of “World Inc.” I sense that the world is transitioning from an industrial age where machines were king to a socially responsible and enlightened age where social consciousness merges with economics and democracy. On occasion I hear rumblings of other nations of the world developing so fast that they may actually leap-frog the US with regard to the state-of-the-art technologies and infrastructure. That is not a bad thing if you consider green growth and sustainable development as global imperatives in the 21st Century. However, from a competitiveness point of view it could hurt the US whose aging infrastructure is in need of a technology refresh. In addition the US has an aging population of engineers, scientists, researchers, educators and manufacturing leaders whom seek to retire in the next ten to fifteen years. The baby boomer and previous generations may be leaving behind an infrastructure that was once a poster child for prosperity, but may now look weak and decrepit to the newer, faster, and more efficient infrastructures of other nations.

To stay on the proverbial world stage the US cannot be complacent with its people, policies or its prosperity. The US needs to embrace the change and transformation occurring around the world right down to the tiniest of US towns. That transformation can be simply recognized as “the need to create a better world”. That statement can mean less reliance on oil. That can also mean cleaner water. That can mean removing barriers to accessing education. That can mean feeding the hungry and providing job training and opportunities to the poor. However it’s defined, the notion of a better and more enlightened way of living, doing business, and governing has emerged as a global priority. Call it a social enlightenment period of history or a reflection that what we’re currently doing does not work. Either way a new era of business is upon us, and its time to remove complacency to change out of the equation.

So what is a nation in the midst of change to do?
Be a leader on the world stage, of course. The US can benefit from what so many other foreign corporations and governments have discovered in “World Inc.” already.

1. Rejuvenate with the power of business – Some of the largest economies of the world are now corporations, not nation states. Business is a powerful driver of change and partner in creating a better world. The responsibility for creating a better world resides not only with the checks and balances of government, but also the ingenuity and infrastructure of business.

2. Celebrate collaboration - Citizens, business and government need to work together to address critical social, environmental and economic challenges. Without the collaboration of each, solutions will be short term.

3. Accept the fact that small is beautiful - Principles of efficiency, conservation, security and protection are not counter intuitive to economic growth and development. In fact, in today’s resource constrained world these words are business opportunities for leading companies and opportunities for governments to ensure the needs of society are met today and into the future.

4. Allow capitalism to transform - Social response capitalism is an advanced form of capitalism emerging like a tsunami. However damage will not be to those in its path, instead this wave will lift up the economies of the world while cleansing what we know about how not to conduct business and past mistakes.

5. Address degradation of global ecosystem services - Clean Air – Fertile Land – Potable Water are the battle songs for future global conflict if we fail to redefine our values and align our goals domestically and abroad. We need to establish new age public-private partnerships between government, corporations, NGOs, universities and the public if we are to address past environmental damages and prevent any further degradation to ecosystems and their ability to provide us with future utility.

6. Make it a priority to be in-search of a better world – to address healthcare, energy security, environmental damages, natural resource constraints, education and democracy a renewed commitment to innovation, arts and sciences, philosophy, social sciences, engineering and all disciplines is required. The solution to a better world is not hidden, yet to be discovered, in one disciple. Instead the solution resides in our ability to use frameworks and best practices that involve the intersection of many disciplines so that multiple points of view can be tested and so that the best and brightest of ideas can become innovative solutions to our complex challenges.

7. Get up on the World Inc. stage and perform with grace and fascination – it’s of no use watching the show from the rafters. The nation must be a part of the growing world stage! We need to take part in creating a better world by being a part of a global alliance and solution, not one that polarizes or is blind to others needs.

Tell us your thoughts on what else can a nation in political and economic transition can do to embrace change and foster a more sustainable future?

Mark C. Coleman
Senior Associate & World Inc. Case Leader, AHC Group, Inc.
Mark@ahcgroup.com