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It doesn't matter if it's just a trickle. With enough trickles we can make a very nice river. That really depends. I'm not saying social change never happens
by alex_c 17y ago
It doesn't matter if it's just a trickle. With enough trickles we can make a very nice river.
That really depends. I'm not saying social change never happens from the bottom up, but for me, this pledge is just one step up from, say, an internet petition. Show me one internet petition that has ever made a meaningful difference, and I will change my mind about this topic.
I do the best I personally can, but I don't think changes to business ethics can come from within, because too often ethical businesses put themselves at a disadvantage and fall behind. Whenever changes aren't directly aligned with business interests, they have to come from outside forces - whether it's legislation, or pressure from society, or both - and be applied evenly to all businesses. That's how we've got all progress so far, and I don't see it changing any time soon.
- rbanffy 17y agoIt's not an internet petition. HBS's MBAs will make it. They will say those words and make a promise. I have no doubt many of them will just go on and rape and pillage whatever they find in front of them, but others will take it seriously, will keep their promise, remembering what they said and why they did it and, in the end, the world will be a better place for that. It's also a statement that some of the ways of the past will no longer be tolerated. It sets a code of conduct. Like I said elsewhere, there are very few rites of passage left in our society. It's pretty obvious there are far too many executives running companies like kindergarten dictators, overgrown babies that want everything the way they like no matter what. Maybe something that helps them realize they changed because of all the work they did in the MBA course helps. It's a big maybe, but it's also clear it's a step in the right direction.