Although the businesses Southwest Airlines, UPS, Starbucks, Timberland, and Herman Miller may not seem to have much in common on the surface, Hoover media fellow Marc Gunther sees them as part of a revolution in the business world.
In his March 9 presentation "Compassionate Capitalism: How Moral Values Are Reforming American Business," Gunther discussed the business models these companies practice—part of a change in business practices that he terms "compassionate capitalism." From Gunther's point of view, the old industrial- based business model that exploited workers is now being replaced by a revolutionary, relationship- based business model. Although acknowledging the recent scandals and controversies many companies have experienced, Gunther saidthat "business in America is changing for the better."
Gunther, a senior writer at Fortune Magazine, has written cover stories for Fortune about Rupert Murdoch, Steve Case, Time Warner, and spirituality in the workplace. In 2001 he wrote an article titled "God and Business: The Surprising Quest for Spiritual Renewal in the American Workplace." Soon after he began writing Faith and Fortune: The Quiet Revolution to Reform American Business (Crown Business, 2004), in which he examines companies and their leaders who promote socially conscious ideals.
