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Laszlo Zsolnai, & Antonio Tencati ‘Beyond Competitiveness.’ , in The Collaborative Enterprise: Creating Values for a Sustainable World, eds. Antonio Tencati, and Laszlo Zsolnai, Peter Lang Academic Publisher, Oxford, 2010. The paper argues that economics is rightly called a “dismal science.” It propagates a negativistic view of human nature. In this view economic agents are always self-interested and want to maximize their own profit or utility. Their interactions are based on competition only and their criterion of success… Read More »Beyond Competitiveness

Knut Ims, & Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Self-realization in Business: Ibsen’s Peer Gynt.’ , in Heroes and Anti-heroes. European Literature and the Ethics of Leadership, eds. Rita Ghesquiere, and Knut Ims, Garant, Antwerp-Apeldoom, 2010. (This book may be available at: European SPES Forum) The paper takes Henrik Ibsen’s dramatic poem Peer Gynt as a point of departure to discuss what does self-realization in business mean from a moral point of view. Does it mean to realize one’s faculties in a virtue ethics sense,… Read More »Self-realization in Business: Ibsen’s Peer Gynt

Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Ethics, Competitiveness and the Sustainability of Companies.’ Journal of Creativity and Innovation, 2010, vol.3, no. 1, pp. 15-32 The paper addresses the problem of the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and competitiveness of companies. It argues that an exclusive focus on competitiveness is self-defeating. It also shows that the opportunistic use of CSR might be counter-productive. Evidences are presented that ethical behavior can survive in highly competitive markets, which provides new meaning of competitiveness. The… Read More »Ethics, Competitiveness and the Sustainability of Companies

Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Ethics needs spirituality.’ , in Spirituality and Business. Exploring Possibilities for a New Management Paradigm , eds. Sharda S. Nandram, and Margot Esther Borden, Springer, Heidelberg, Dordrect, London, New York, 2010. (This book may be available at: Springer) The article argues that ethics needs spirituality as an underlying background and as a major motivational force.  Ethical initiatives in business fail if they are not based on genuine ethical commitments. Serving the well-being of communities, nature and future generations requires authentic care, which may develop… Read More »Ethics needs spirituality

Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Business as a Profession.’ , in The Future International Manager: A Vision of the Roles and Duties of Management , eds. Laszlo Zsolnai, and Antonio Tencati, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. (This book may be available at: Amazon) The irresponsible and insensitive behavior of business leaders worldwide shows that business is an underprofessionalized occupation today. Occupations are defined as professions to the degree to which they serve society. Unless managers demonstrate that they serve the common good  in their daily… Read More »Business as a Profession

Antonio Tencati, Francesco Perrini, Nel Hofstra, & Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Engaging in Progressive Enterpreneurship.’ , in The Future International Manager: A Vision of the Roles and Duties of Management, eds. Laszlo Zsolnai, and Antonio Tencati, Palgrave, 2009. (This book may be available at: Amazon) Shareholder value maximization and competitiveness are at the core of today’s business and economic policy. Companies seek to improve their productivity and try to gain competitive advantage. But these efforts often produce negative effects on various… Read More »Engaging in Progressive Enterpreneurship

Knut J. Ims, & Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Holistic Problem Solving.’ , in The Future International Manager: A Vision of the Roles and Duties of Management, eds. Laszlo Zsolnai, and Antonio Tencati, Palgrave, 2009. (This book may be available at: Amazon) Today’s management practice tends to reduce every problem to the technical dimension. This often results in the “Error of the Third Kind” (E3), which means solving the wrong problem precisely. Managers need scientific and technical knowledge, but they also need a… Read More »Holistic Problem Solving

Antonio Tencati, & Laszlo Zsolnai ‘The Collaborative Enterprise.’ Journal of Business Ethics, 2009, vol.85, no. 3, pp. 367-376 Instead of the currently prevailing competitive model, a more collaborative strategy is needed to address the concerns related to the unsustainability of today’s business. This article aims to explore collaborative approaches where enterprises seek to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with all stakeholders and want to produce sustainable values for their whole business ecosystem. Cases here analyzed demonstrate that alternative… Read More »The Collaborative Enterprise

Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Nature, Society and Future Generations.’ , in Business, Globalization and the Common Good, eds. Henri-Claude de Bettignies, and Francois Lépinueux, Peter Lang, Oxford – Bern – Berlin- Bruxelles – Frankfurt am Main – New York – Wien, 2009. (This book may be available at: Amazon) Today’s business has a major impact on society and the natural environment. It considerably affects the fate and survival of natural ecosystems and the life conditions of present and future generations. Applying… Read More »Nature, Society and Future Generations

Luk Bouckaert, Hendrik Opdebeeck, & Laszlo Zsolnai ‘Why Frugality?’ , in Frugality: Rebalancing Material and Spiritual Values in Economic Life, eds. Luk Bouckaert, Herndrick Opdebeeck, and Laszlo Zsolnai, Peter Lang, Oxford, 2008. (This book may be available at: Amazon) The present unsustainable lifestyle of mankind requires drastic changes. Western-style consumer capitalism has failed. It has resulted in global climate change, dramatic ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Also, it has caused massive unhappiness and emptiness in rich countries and social… Read More »Why Frugality?