When the next generation of business leaders finish their education will we be able to feel confident that their efforts will make the world a better place? Education is not just learning techniques and maneuvers. There is a caveat: education can be an indoctrination.
It is the responsibility of those with vision to inject principles and sound theory into the education system to counterbalance hollow strategies designed without the essence of the human spirit included. Likewise our duty is to make sure that fallacious doctrines are at least laid out next to alternatives in a point/counterpoint fashion in the hope that logic will prevail.
A first step towards improving all MBA programs is to require each candidate to read and study these two books:
Foundations of the Price System by Milton Shapiro
“The complexities and sophistication required to sustain and advance civilization have removed man so far from wilderness existence that the direct, clear dictates of nature are obscured from his view. Thus, while we unquestionably live so much better than our primitive ancestors, too often we don’t really know why!”
- Milton Shapiro
This is a book that every business person will want to read over and over throughout his or her career because this book is like a tool and everyone knows that a skilled practitioner cannot do the job right without his tools and also becomes very proficient with the tool the more it is used.
Divine Microeconomy: A Tapestry of Human Virtues by Bruce Koerber
“How can it be regarded as satisfactory to have economic theory that does not fully comprehend human nature or serve humanity? Until there is such a theory it can be said that economics still is in its infancy.
Until economic theory achieves that pinnacle it will continue to be inadequate. Everyone will suffer. However, once that pinnacle is attained it will be like the monumental difference that occurred in medical science after the acceptance of germ theory compared with before.
Once that important threshold is reached, new vistas will open up. Try to imagine the difference! In economics it will be like the difference between being considered ‘the dismal science’ and being considered the science of human action, and even more monumental, being considered the science of purposeful action by spiritual beings!” - - Bruce Koerber
Once the business person realizes where all value comes from and how to create things of value then mastery of the entrepreneurial spirit in conjunction with capital will lead to great advances. Then, as it is now, it will be the rightful honor of these business persons to be recognized as the benefactors of mankind.
