Grant, I agree with your statement that a business might contribute to peace to impact its bottom line. Through learning Total Integrity Management and its guidance for creating an ethical corporate culture, I understand how focusing on the softer side of the business positively impacts the bottom line. This could be a major motivator for a business to want to contribute to peace. Through genuinely listening, respecting, and rewarding your employees for their ethical actions, managers improve the bottom line. Managers realize a greater ROI from their happy employees, as they will leave the company at a decreased number and also increase productivity. Operating income and stock price are increased due to increased productivity. Creating a corporate culture that contributes to peace [by inspiring ethical decision-making] makes sense economically and is just the right thing to do.
Grant West said:
A business might contribute to peace because, in general, it's the right thing to do. In my opinion, the way to a more peaceful world is a more peaceful business world. So if businesses start acting on what is in the best interest for peace (and not just revenues), then we could progress toward a more peaceful business world and business world. Another reason for a business to push peace relates to the bottom line. An economic environment with a lot of fear and hate isn't very efficient. When businesses try to force peace instead of hate, the affected economy could grow, and a growing economy is more beneficial to business.
I think this is an interesting standpoint and that the number one thing we can rely on is corporations looking out for profit and shareholder value. From creating an inclusive work culture and hiring from all backgrounds they can definitely make an impact. However, there is are a new wave of companies highlighted by the technology industry (ie. Google//Facebook) that involve creating an inclusive and peaceful world through not only hiring but the company mission and values. By clearly stating these values and living by them they can permeate into the workforce, so possibly the best thing corporations can do is lead by example, particularly the new age of companies. Recently charity organisations being attached to these larger companies have also been incredible factors in peaceful change.
Camden Newton said:
I agree with your two ideas about why a business might contribute to peace. With that being said, most organizations are primarily only focused on the bottom line and being a successful company. I think it would be hard to convince businesses to start making huge efforts towards peace. A company cares the most about its success so I believe, that is the most important motivator for continuing peace in the future. As Tim Fort noted, respecting employees and treating them fairly contributes to peace. If companies can end the old practices of discrimination based on age, gender, race, and other factors than it can help businesses. By creating an inclusive workforce and hiring people based on qualifications rather than physical differences improves peace as well as the bottom line. The incremental approach also plays a role in this because taking small steps towards overall peace will change the environment and hopefully become common practice. If this is the case peace will eventually be reached and businesses might not even notice they are doing it.