 |
 |
Enterprise Excellence 1
Editorial Welcome to the first edition of Transforming Business's ezine! Both the title of the ezine – Enterprise Excellence – and the subtitle – Business in Development – have double-meanings that reflect what the project is about. The project is first and foremost about excellence in enterprise – not only in commercial terms but also in terms of purpose, vision, values and socio-economic impact. But the title can also be understood as an injunction to 'Enterprise Excellence!' – to implement such excellence within enterprise, in the expectation of a good return. The subtitle, Business in Development, reflects the special focus of the project on enterprise solutions to poverty. While the growing concern about global poverty often focuses on aid and debt relief, Transforming Business will concentrate on the role that business can play in development: how can business help 'make poverty history'? But Business in Development also reflects the project's interest in the way in which business itself is undergoing profound and rapid development. A focus on the provision of goods and services is giving way to the demand for products of a less tangible nature – like rust, integrity, emotion, well being, responsibility and citizenship. The demand for material and economic capital is being matched by a growing demand for social, spiritual, natural and emotional capital. So much for double meanings. There's another one in the title of the project, Transforming Business, but I'll leave that one for you to work out! In the meantime, I hope you're as delighted as I am that Transforming Business has finally been launched! Although the current level of funding is only sufficient for the project to run two days per week, I'm hopeful that further Partners will come forward, meaning that its hours, and hence its scope and impact, can be significantly increased. This set of ezine was originally intended only for project Partners and Patrons. But due to popular demand it is now being sent to a wider circle of people, including yourself. Feel free to forward it to everyone in your address book with an interest in business, ethics, spirituality, civil society and development. The more interest the project engenders the more it will be able to become an effective agent of transformation. As noted at the end of the newsletter, the project is also in need of voluntary administrative and IT support. If you know of anyone looking for voluntary work that is stimulating and creative, has flexible working hours and can be done from home, do let me know. I do hope the contents of this ezine will be of interest, help and inspiration to you. It certainly contains a rich variety of events, news, resources, new books, inspiring case studies, telling statistics and pithy quotes. If, however, you'd rather not receive this ezine, simply follow the 'unsubscribe' instructions at the end. All feedback and suggestions for inclusion and improvement of future editions of Enterprise Excellence are welcome. With best wishes,
Dr Peter Heslam, Director, Transforming Business, Cambridge University The quotes contained in this ezine are offered on their own merits in the hope that you'll find them useful. They do not necessarily reflect the thinking of Transforming Business or anyone associated with it. Peter Heslam, the editor, would be happy to receive suggestions for inclusion or improvement in future editions of Enterprise Excellence. |
