Page 12 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, V.73, # 2, 2016, pp. 4-20

engine for one specific purpose -- solving human problems. I wondered why the
world left the problem-solving to the governments and charities alone? I found my
own answer. It was because business world was given a very clear mandate by the
economic theory. Their only mandate was to make money, leaving the people's
problem to be addressed by governments and charities. A businessman is supposed
to be driven by self-Interest. To him business is business.
Human beings are not money making robots. They are multi-dimensional
beings with both selfishness and selflessness. When I create a social business I am
allowing the selflessness to be expressed through business. Old interpretation says
selflessness cannot be a part of the business world, it is to be expressed in the world
of charity. My point is if human being has selflessness in his DNA, why it should
not be allowed in the business world. Business world should be an unbiased
playground for both selfishness and selflessness. Economics text book should
introduce two types of businesses to the students, self-interest driven business and
selflessness-driven business. Let the young people decide whether they would like a
cocktail of both businesses mixing them in various proportions, or enjoy each one
separately.
In the world of selfishness driven business, many express their selfishness in
its extreme form, they become limitlessly greedy. They become addicted to money.
In the process mankind has been brought to the verge of losing its human identity. A
human being is a person of love, empathy, compassion, and fellow feeling. If we
create a conceptual framework that allows us, indeed encourages us, to express our
deep rooted human values in our economic life we can transform the wealth-
pyramid into a wealth-diamond. These values can be expressed through social
business to take us there.
Social business may be seen from two perspectives. From charity side we can
look at it as sustainable charity. From business side we can see it as a selfless
business. Great thing about social business is that it is done by choice, no
compulsion is involved. One can go in and out of social business as one likes. This
makes people feel free. They can decide what they want.
I am glad social business is drawing attention from all sections of people from
all around the world. Universities are opening social business centers; multinational
companies coming forward to set up social businesses, young people are getting
attracted to the idea. More and more people are convinced that as human beings we
are capable of solving all our problems. Combined power of youth, technology, and
social business will make it happen.

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