Hi all,
I am a Commerce student and we just began our %26quot;core%26quot; of the program.
I'm appalled by the problems that business has caused in the world, and some of my classmates are aggressive which is not my personality at all.
I am a volunteer, I care about other people a lot, and am very sensitive to feelings etc.
I'm feeling lost, intimidated, and like I made a wrong choice in my studies.
My goal is to do something positive with my degree, but I can't seem to focus on my school work. I just think it's so cold, aggressive, fake, and in some cases harmful.
If I think that greed causes most of the problems in our world, how can I possibly succeed as a business student/business person in the future?
Please help, does anyone have any real life experience in the business world?
Thanks!!
I'm aware that I am being changed by business, and I'm resisting it which is causing a lot of internal conflict..
The ugliness of business?
Think of studying business as %26quot;learning how to best use the resources at my disposal in order to achieve my aims%26quot;. That implies that you know what those resources are; that you can identify what you are trying to achieve and that you can measure your performance along the way. These are all things you will learn about when studying business. They are just as useful in the charitable sector, the arts or healthcare as they are in commerce.
None of these things is harmful in its own right and all of the tools and techniques you learn can be used to make a positive contribution to society.
You are right that there is a moral dimension to everything we do within society (not just what we do in business) and that your own morality will help to shape how you apply your skills ... but first you have to acquire the skills.
You are also right that there are people studying business who believe it is all about aggression and winning and exploitation and survival of the fittest. There is an element of truth in that but, really, it has to be about sustainability. If you go into it intending to exploit your investors, your employees, your suppliers and your customers, I suggest that is not a sustainable course of action.
During your studies, you will be expected to make decisions based on certain scenarios. They do not have to be scenarios you find acceptable but they should be designed to help you to develop your business skills. It sometimes pays to 'look over the fence' as it helps to broaden our own perspective, giving us choices we would not otherwise have. That is probably a good thing, isn't it? We necessarily change as we accumulate knowledge and experience. The trick is to retain our moral compass and to use our knowledge wisely.
My morality when I was young kept me very far away from 'business' yet, over the course of 30 years, my perspective and circumstances changed. I found I could exert more influence for the 'good' as a senior manager than I could shifting boxes in a warehouse. It wasn't something I planned and it certainly wasn't something I regret. If there is any regret, it is that I did not learn the business skills sooner.
Hang in there, my friend, and absorb everything that can be used to further your positive purpose, which includes understanding the mentality of those people and organisations who might have conflicting ambitions.
The ugliness of business?
Just because you are a business person does not mean you are greedy or bad. It will be up to you what type of Employee, Manager, and someday maybe a Business Owner you will be.
You will be the one to set the example and later on new staff may choose to follow your example.
Remember the %26quot;Change the world one person at a time%26quot;
saying? Well, that can be you!
Good luck on your studies and your career!
You don't have to be a bad person to succeed in business. You need to avoid being a soft touch, but that doesn't mean you can't treat your employees and clients fairly.
In fact, it would be beneficial to your business in the long run. You will be able to retain skilled employees and your clients will refer you to others.
I'm assuming you want to use your degree to start your own business, but of course you could work for someone else, and you might prefer to work for a charity. They are businesses too, and they need people like you.
