–A trend among MBA’s looks beyond making money to ethical and human concerns–It’s easy to miss news items that allow us to see the importance of values. Though small they do signify how real progress in some areas does happen. In this instance the item relates to a pledge by some 20% of the graduating Harvard Business School, one which essentially says that greed is not good. The pledge is voluntary but its mere existence is significant particularly when seen in context of a similar trend in other schools. At Columbia Business School, for example, all students must pledge to an honor code. At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, there are now seven professors teachings an array of ethics classes which are said to be very popular.
Following the practices of Enron and Bernie Madoff and in the wake of a recession triggered by the failure of financial institutions, the trend points to a generation, where some at least, are concerned about more than making money, and want to factor in the impact of their work on the community, the lives of the workers involved and the environment. Step by step, it does indicate that in the rather near future such concerns will be standard practice.
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