My guest this week is R. Edward Freeman, Olsson Professor of Business Administration at the Institute for Business in Society at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and the founding father of stakeholder theory. Listen to him talk about:
- Why the real business case is about creating stakeholder value -- and moving beyond trade-offs to synergies
- What we can learn about thriving from ancient and modern philosophers -- and why there's no such thing as an ethical leader
- Why he's a big fan of the short term -- and doesn't buy into the notion of the short-term versus long-term divide
- How we need to break from the grip of unhelpful narratives -- like the triple-bottom line and the invisible hand of the market
- Why creative imagination is essential to make capitalism work -- and how all have have a crucial role to inspire ourselves and others
In the episode, the following books are mentioned:
- Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach, by R. Edward Freeman
- The Power Of And: Responsible Business Without Tradeoffs, by R. Edward Freeman
Key links:
R Edward Freeman (LinkedIn)
UVA Darden School of Business (website)
Think on Business (poem)
Thriving (book)
Wayne Visser (website)
Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)