Q. Why was the World Business Academy started?
A. In his article, "Why a World Business Academy," Academy Co-founder Willis Harman (1918-1997) states that business is the most influential institution in society today—comparable to the Church during the days of the Holy Roman Empire. As such, it "has to adopt a new tradition of responsibility for the whole by defining its own interest in a wider perspective of society. Every decision that is made, every action that is taken must be viewed in light of that responsibility. This requires more than incremental adjustment; it calls for a fundamental redefinition of business as a social partner."
Q. What is the Academy?
A. The Academy is a global, membership-based, non-profit, non-political organization that calls for a fundamental redefinition of business as a social partner. It is a collaborative international network of business executives, scholars and entrepreneurs dedicated to building a better world through business.
Q. What is the Academy’s mission?
A. To educate and inspire business leadership to help transform the world.
Q. What does the Academy do?
A. The Academy is engaged in a wide range of activities to support business taking responsibility for the whole. The primary function of the Academy is publishing. Twice weekly we send out articles via email on leading-edge thinking in business to our Fellows, Members and Subscribers. See the list below for a short description of each article category.
Other activities include hosting world class conferences and annual events, co-sponsoring events with affiliated organizations such as the International Conference on Business and Consciousness and The Stanford Faculty Club Lecture Series. The Academy also recently helped to develop an innovative curriculum for a new MBA program in Croatia, and joined with several groups in the Afghanistan Retraining Initiative for Self-Employment (ARISE). The mission of ARISE is training people for jobs and for self-employment so that in a short time they may become self-reliant and self-sufficient.
One of the primary functions of the Academy is to publish leading-edge thinking in business under the following banners:
* Connections: The Academy’s weekly newsletter, provides information on who is doing what within the Academy, and other news items of interest.
* Common ˘ents: Public policy debates about apparently intractable economic, political, and social issues often benefit from a business perspective.
* Continuum: An occasional compilation of various short pieces of some of the activities and trends in the worlds of commerce, society at large and consciousness.
* Currents in Commerce: Twice a month, Currents in Commerce scans hundreds of global sources present an eclectic brief selection of business news, facts, and trends that are both interesting and important.
* EconForecast: The focus of the Academy’s quarterly EconForecast is to analyze and to address at macro-economic, social, and political levels the current macro-situations occurring in the United States, Europe, Japan, South Asia, and Latin America. We publish it for the benefit of its members, subscribers, fellows and other interested parties.
* Global Reconstruction: Articles on global reconstruction as they relate to the Academy’s role in taking responsibility for the whole.
* Merchants of Vision: The World Business Academy recognizes Merchants of Vision whose practice of business surpasses the conventional as they use their expertise to make a difference in the world. These individuals do the right thing, for the right reasons, and are very economically successful in their respective markets.
* Signposts: Indications of things to come.
* Perspectives: The Academy’s signature print publication since 1992. Perspectives offers cutting edge articles written by esteemed authors who echo the Academy's motto, "Responsibility for the Whole."
* Transformation: An analysis of developing transformative concepts that have the potential to change business and society in future decades.
* Viewpoint: A piece by an Academy Member, Fellow or guest on issues in business, society and consciousness.
* Other activities include hosting world class conferences and annual events, lending support to affiliated organizations. For example, the Academy recently helped developed an innovative curriculum for a new MBA program in Croatia.
Q. When was the Academy founded?
A. The World Business Academy was founded in 1987 as a result of discussions conducted at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International in Menlo Park, California, USA. These discussions centered upon the role and responsibility of business in relation to today's critical moral, environmental and social dilemmas.
Q. Where is the World Business Academy located and how can I get in touch with the Academy?
407-A Bryant Circle
Ojai, CA 93023 U.S.A
Voice: 805-640-3713
Fax: 805-640-9914
connie@WorldBusiness.org
Q. Who is involved with the Academy?
A. The Academy’s members, subscribers, fellows, leadership and administrative teams comprise an extremely diverse group from around the globe. Membership includes Fortune 500 CEOs and small business owners; academics from leading universities; and individuals interested in taking responsibility for the whole.
Q. How can I become involved with the Academy?
A. Follow this link to the Academy membership page.
Q. What does it cost to subscribe to the Academy’s publications?
A. Subscribers are those who wish to receive only the publications of the Academy. They do not partake in the dialogue with other Members and Fellows and do not have complete access to the resource information about them. Subscriber annual dues are $150.
Subscriptions are billed on a yearly basis. If at anytime you decide to discontinue your subscription, the Academy will provide you a prorated refund on your subscription.
Q. Who are the Fellows of the Academy?
A. Visit the Academy Fellows page.