tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3297339528199658886.post3736857739541848860..comments2023-08-04T05:52:20.805-05:00Comments on LeadershipTheory and Behavior: Another Look at "Social Responsibility"Professor Robbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888371487484973438noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3297339528199658886.post-20982516696821636172008-10-14T23:37:00.000-05:002008-10-14T23:37:00.000-05:00"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, com..."Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world." I feel strongly about this quote. <I>The Big Test-The Secret History of the American Meritocracy </I>, a book i'm currently reading for another class,happens to serve as a telling showcase of this notion.The book begins with a rather anecdotal account about the family history of Henry Chauncey,the founder of ETS, then goes on to talk about how the wide application of standardized testing, such as SAT,has changed American social structure.This influential testing program did not come into being as a result of the collective choice of the general public,but was the child of a motivated few,together with a right conbination of time and chance.I recommend this book to you.It's as fun as thought-provoking.Sheila YAOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06381749179278171591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3297339528199658886.post-54894753056769246642008-10-07T06:49:00.000-05:002008-10-07T06:49:00.000-05:00Jessica,Couldn't agree more. I believe that the m...Jessica,<BR/><BR/>Couldn't agree more. I believe that the most ignored yet ostensible fact concerning business, is that it is comprised of people!! PEOPLE, NOT PROFITS, ARE THE ESSENCE OF BUSINESS. This is not to say that profits don't matter, but without people businesses cannot exist, whereas thousands of businesses attest to the fact that albeit unsuccessfully, enterprise can and does take place without profit margins. <BR/><BR/>Once we recognize that businesses are comprised of people, then we can begin to question the primary purpose of business. Is the primary purpose of business to create and capture rents, consequently garnering profits for shareholders, or is the primary purpose of business to make goods and services that benefit society? Are those ends mutually exclusive? Which should take precedent? <BR/><BR/>I believe that your blog makes an excellent argument for the notion that benefitting society and gleaning enough profit to compete and endure are not mutually exclusive goals, but the complexity and creativity begins and ends with one word, PEOPLE!! Until we embrace as McGregor coined, "The human side of enterprise" we are victims of our own systems, constructions, and notions and are ultimately unable to innovate toward any good whatsoever.Woodrow Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11153398884239416072noreply@blogger.com