Creating Just Workplaces: Transforming Capitalism From Within

Prabhu Guptaraprabhusguptara@gmail.com

2

Structure of my presentation

A. Preliminary matters

B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequate

C. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!

D. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reform

E. Conclusion

Please note

• The intention of my presentation is to provoke you to think!!!

4

Structure of my presentation

A. Preliminary matters √

B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequateC. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!D. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reformE. Conclusion

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business life

Big versus small

• 1,000,000 small companies employed 30 million people

• 90,000 big firms employed 45 million people

Small companies=30; big companies=500 workplaces

• If you had a chance of influencing only one company, it is obvious that the bigger company is the better one to try to influence

• However, most of us, from the participant list, are involved in small companies.

• So, however much inspiration and knowledge we gather, our chances of impacting the workplace for the majority of the world’s workers is rather small…

• …unless we can find a way of maximising our impact – and we will look at that….

Berkshire Hathaway bigger than Hungary

Hungary's GDP: $128.96 billionBerkshire Hathaway's Revenue: $136.19

billion - Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011 6

General Electric bigger than New ZealandNew Zealand's GDP: $140.43 billion

GE's Revenue: $151.63 billionSource: Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWnay7si

Exxon Mobil is bigger than ThailandThailand's GDP: $318.85 billion

Exxon Mobil's Revenue: $354.67 billionExxon Mobil the world's 30th biggest economy

Source: Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWrtUcHH

Walmart is bigger than NorwayNorway's GDP: $414.46 billionWalmart's Revenue: $421.89 billion

Walmart the world's 25th biggest countrySource: Fortune/CNN Money, IMFhttp://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWulb0jL

ExxonMobil Royal Dutch Shell Walmart Stores, Inc Austria Denmark Greece0

100

200

300

400

500 $491 B$478 B $476 B

$415 B

$331 B

$242 B

Scale of EnterpriseRevenue of corporations and GDP of countries

in Billions of US$, IMF, 2014

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business life, which means that big companies have the greatest power and impact

2.Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into account the factor of levels of work and influence

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means that the big have the power and the greatest impact

2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into account the factor of levels of work and influence

a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity)

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means that the big have the power and the greatest impact

2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into account the factor of levels of work and influence

a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity)b. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productivity)

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means that the big have the power and the greatest impact

2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into account the factor of levels of work and influence

a. Individual (personal peace and prosperityb. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productivity)

c. Corporate

Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:

1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means that the big have the power and the greatest impact

2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into account the factor of levels of work and influence

a. Individual (personal peace and prosperityb. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productiveness)c. Corporate

d. Global

20

Structure of my presentation

A. Some preliminary comments √B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequate √

C. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!

D. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reformE. Conclusion

Other symptoms

• Financial sector instability• Already glaring Inequalities growing even further • Shrinking provision of ‘public goods/ services’• Environmental damage• Imminent danger of war• ………………………………………..

Are we in Crisis?

Social Challengesto the Global Order

• Demography• Community deficit• Migration

(c) Relational Research, 2014

The Demographic Challenge in Asia and EuropeData from the CIA, 2014

Singapore Hong Kong Japan Italy Germany Switzerland China Self-sustaining population

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.07

Number of children per adult woman (TFR)

Debt mountain

Sovereign Debt

Corporate Debt

Personal Debt

Disengaged Investors

(c) Relational Research, 2014

Disembodied welfare

Political Challengesto the Global Order

• Disengaged voters• Identity politics• Size of multinationals

(c) Relational Research, 2014

UK

Netherlands

France

Average

Germany

Spain

Italy

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%

Election turnout % in the 2014 European elections

The need for a revolution in thinking

Relational Research © 2013

A New FrameworkUnderstanding of:• Personal identity• Work• Poverty• Development• Technology• Business• Government

Relational ThinkingAn Economic Strategy

• From debt to equity• Engaged shareholders• Relational companies• Relational Ratings Agency

(c) Relational Research, 2014

Relational Companies

• From debt to equity in corporate finance (through the tax system)

• Measurement of stakeholder relationships• Relational Ratings Agency• Relational Capital Reporting

Relational Finance

• Ethical basis of return to capital?• Equity vs. debt• Engaged investors• Effective accountability

A New Slogan

• No investment without involvement • No profit without participation• No reward without responsibility

Responsible Government

• Money supply• Regulation• Foreign Affairs

Relational Welfare

• Rootedness• Co-location of relatives• Family Associations

The Coming“Age of Relationships”

(c) Relational Research, 2014

Any movement, to be successful, must touch you intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally…

and get you to act!

• Comprehensible• Comprehensive• Inspiring• Persuasive (Strategy or overall plan)• “Actionable”: tells you what you can contribute to the

movement today

The Relational Thinking Network: a network of SECTORAL networks!

• Schools• Companies• Consultants• Scientists• Technologists• Politicians• Administrators• Lawyers• ….

The Relational Thinking Network: a network of Regional networks!

• UK• South Africa• Singapore• Hong Kong• Australia• USA• (Switzerland)• …………………….

Some Websites

• http://relationalthinking.net

• www.relationshipsfoundation.org

• www.relationalresearch.org

• www.relational-analytics.com

• www.relationalschools.org