Publisher's Synopsis
Voyage for Continuity: A Search for the Altruistic Gene and its Rationale Contents: Introduction: Corporate Practices vs. Creativity and Accountability; 1. A divided Democracy and a much needed Bridging-Process; 2. Corporatism vs. Pluralism; 3. The Role-divided Value Chain and Independent Surveillance Authorities; 4. Taking a Stance for Ethics & Enterprise; 5. UN/UNDP and Intl. Professional Forums must contribute to vital Dialogue; 6. A New Nobel Prize for Urban Design and Sustainable Environments; 7. The Development Syndromes and the Pivotal Catalysts; Summing Up: Facing Greed driven by a Selfish Gene? Introduction: Corporate Self-Interest & greedy Stewardship vs. Creativity and Accountability Today we see Imbalances between the Corporate World and the Entrepreneurship of Atomists, who risk their own Hide and hope for Predictability decided by others than themselves. Leaderships of Corporate Powerhouses, Bureaucracy, Diplomats and Party Politics side with each other to achieve a controllable ¡§Elite Circulation¡]. In that Way Neo-Feudality can reign in the so-called ¡§Global Democracy¡] by means of a Neo-Colonialism based on Intl. Organizations & Regulations, skewed by privileged Diplomats and Executives in charge of Intl. and Regional Conferences, Networks & Systems, the Framework of Patents, Licenses, Intl. Trade and Negotiations. In a growing Number of Cases the Corporate Leaderships have misused their Positions for their own Short-Term Benefit ¡V and they get away with their Mixing of the Roles as long as they have acted within the existing legal framework. Therefore Abuses by Corporations send negative, condescending Signals to Billions of Minds, who observe in Awe and Impotence the Deals of the Omni-potent. Fragmentation and Disintegration undermine Democracy. The Virtues of Ideals and a Long-Term Perspective are at Stake. Do we share a Vision for a future, improved Democracy - or are we ¡§programmed, selfish Genes¡] fighting for Short-Term Gains and a personal Survival? Democracy can only be improved by Ethics and Enterprise - and vice versa. Ethics and Enterprise are stimulated by Freedom of International Research & Learning, Access to Role-divided Business Services, Global Harmonization and Pluralism in Intl. Organizations as well as in Regions, Nations and local Communities. 1. A divided Democracy A dividing Rift between the Corporate Leadership and their Followers, on the one Hand, and the Enterprisers, their Key People and entrepreneurial Supporters, on the other Hand, seems to widen in the Nations influenced by the ¡§Global Democracy¡], sponsored by UNDP, WTO, EU, ASEAN, NAFTA, etc. Favouring the Corporations has Impacts on Party Politics and Lobbyism. There are certain lucrative Links and fast Lanes, which are unknown to the Followers of a Party. Some commit to serve Special Interests - slowly but surely. There may be Consequences for those involved, if the Scam is exposed. If so a Scapegoat will be sacrificed, small adjustments made, and soon the Central Players are back in Business. The Costs of ¡§Bad Decisions¡] caused by ¡§Horse Trading¡], rather than fit and proper Decision Making are considerable. Transparency and Probes can expose King-Makers and the Gatekeepers. Both Changes and Repairs to the Decision Making Process can take Place effectively. Institutional Development in the hands of King-Makers, Gatekeepers and their Camaraderie has direct- and indirect effects on Transaction Costs and Enterprise. Pro-active Restructuring is not likely. Cf. www.coase.org The End Result may be a divided Democracy, which can be seen in several recent Elections worldwide. The self-interested Corporations and their Leaderships joining Ranks with media-driven Politicians and Lobbyists must be exposed. Likewise the Self-Interest of Politicians with very narrow Platforms. All Corporations must start to deliver a true Value Proposition to their most important Stakeholder ¡V
