By Philip Horvath

We live in transformational times. Old ways of doing things are drowned under waves of innovations and new approaches. It is a time in which it is more important than ever to be flexible, adaptable, and creative in one’s modus operandi – for the individual as much as for organizations.

Further, the integration of perennial transformational practices that have weathered the storms of time becomes increasingly appropriate to consider – if not a necessity.
Business governs our lives. From banks that create an artificial scarcity of money to foster competition and entice profit making, to media conglomerates feeding us our reality, to the advertisement to which we are exposed, and the products and services we purchase as a result.

We start seeing cracks in these systems of production and consumption: the recent mortgage crisis, the urgent need for more sustainable ways to provide our energy and products, the globalization of commerce and information exchange creating new transparencies and exposing improper business practices around the world.

Change appears to accelerate, seemingly driven by Moore’s Law, resulting in ever new technology and the possibilities it provides, allowing us to connect to and collaborate on an ever expanding and more and more transparent body of knowledge, in all domains of our lives.

Completely new business models are possible and required. Models, which, unlike many of the current ones, can be sustainable, cyclical instead of linear, and integrated in ways in which nature and universe seem to operate.

To begin a meaningful conversation about Transformational Business begs for at least a first draft working definition:

A Transformational Business can be defined as
a community of individuals which, through products or services
aims to advance and raise the quality of the lives of a larger community.

This definition aims to honor the individual’s contribution (and required transformation) as well as the necessity for collaboration with others. In its intent, it is also meant to align with the Institute’s goal of ultimately affecting global transformation.

The primary distinguishing factors between a traditional business and a transformational business can be seen in their respective intent and their methods:

• While the primary intent of a traditional business is to create profits for its shareholders, the primary intent of a transformational business is to advance and raise the quality of how we collectively live on this planet and possibly beyond.
• A traditional business applies methods of production aiming to improve the mechanics of the organization. A transformational business applies methods of transformation aiming to forward meaning for its customers and the whole community it impacts.

Some of the primary goals for the Business Branch are to create community around the concept of transformational business so we can collectively create, gather, and share information and resources around the concept, exchange practices and support transformational business leaders.

All of you have conducted business all your lives. You have exchanged and traded goods and services, have dealt with land, labor, capital and information. You all have seen models that work and those that don’t. Hence, I invite all of you to participate in this conversation.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section and let us know what you think. If you have suggestions for online resources, articles, white papers, videos or other media, please submit them through the business branch contact at in**@**************************on.org.

We look forward to being in conversation with you and transforming business globally!