Bringing realism to management education: contributions from Catholic social thought.

"The time has come, for a new and deeper reflection on the nature of the economy and its purposes." --Pope John Paul II, New Year's Message (2000)

Abstract

Catholic social thought is based on the ideals of the Gospels, but it is also based on an interdisciplinary and realistic understanding of the nature of the human person, society, property and the purpose of business. As an ethical foundation for understanding the role of business in the life of the person and society, Catholic social thought forces an education in business to be more realistic than it typically is.

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Introduction: Is There a Catholic Perspective on Business?

Underlying the effort to bring the insights and perspective of the Catholic social thought (CST) tradition to the understanding of business is the assumption that a business education at a Catholic business school should in some manner be different from one received at a secular or non-Catholic college or university. Catholic colleges and universities do not exist so that Catholics can receive an education without having to interact with non-Catholics. This is not the purpose of such schools, nor is it the reality, as many Catholic colleges and universities have very high percentages of non-Catholics among their student population, often above 50%. The mission of all Catholic colleges and universities is to provide a "Catholic" education, but what exactly is a Catholic education, and specifically a Catholic business education? At one level this would mean the inclusion of the sacramental life of the Church in the overall university experience, as well as the other activities typically carried out by Campus Ministries.

At a deeper level, the significance and function of a Catholic education stems from the root meaning of "Catholic," that is a "universal" education, an education of the whole person. The mission of these institutions is to develop the person both intellectually and spiritually; to provide a morally-grounded and values-centered education. Although most business schools in the United Sates have mission statements that commit them to the promotion of "values" or a "values centered education," the grounding of such values is left up in the air. Adherence to the post modern outlook prevents them from asserting any substantial values, any higher authority, any bottom line on what is right and wrong. Thus they can talk of "values" as long as they do not mention any substantial or invariant "values." Though faith and reason are clearly distinguishable, they can never be fully separated. In the attempt to first delineate faith from reason (during the Enlightenment) and then the modern and postmodern effort to amputate faith from reason, modernity has lost both. (1)

In many ways, the Catholic social thought tradition is a movement in the opposite direction, combining faith and reason in an effort to understand economic and social issues. It is my contention that the Catholic social thought tradition brings more to the table than "values" or uniquely "Catholic" (or Jesuit, Augustinian, Dominican or Vincentian) "values." It offers a different "vision" of the role of business in contemporary society. Furthermore, this "vision" raises questions that typically do not get addressed in most business programs. CST does not offer an alternative economic or management theory. Instead it offers a perspective, a metaphysical foundation, upon which one can construct explanations of the economy and business. The purpose of this article is to explore how this alternative "vision" could influence and shape the management education at Catholic business schools, hopefully laying the foundations for future efforts in actually creating authentically Catholic perspectives on business.

What is the Catholic Social Thought Tradition? (2)

The Catholic social thought tradition has been described as "social wisdom based on: biblical insights; the tradition of the early writers of the church; scholastic philosophy; theological reflection; and the contemporary experience of the People of God struggling to live our faith in justice" [8:73]. The Vatican document on the Guidelines for the Study and Teaching of the Church's Social Doctrine in the Formation of Priests [ibid.], states that the development of CST is based on a three-step process: see, judge and act:

* Seeing is perception and study of real problems and their causes, the analysis of which, however, belongs to the human and social sciences.

* Judging is interpretation of that same reality in the light of the sources of social doctrine which determine the judgment pronounced with regard to social phenomena and their ethical implications. In this intermediate phase is found the function proper to the magisterium of the church which consists precisely in interpreting reality from the viewpoint of faith and offering "what it has of its own: a global view about man and humanity." Obviously in seeing and judging reality, the church is not and cannot be neutral because she cannot help but adapt to the scales of values enunciated in the Gospel. If, hypothetically speaking, she were to conform to other scales of values, her teaching would not be what it in fact is, but would be reduced to a biased philosophy or ideology.

* Acting is aimed at implementing these choices. It requires a real conversion, that inner transformation which is availability, openness and transparency to the purifying light of God.

Many feel that when the Church speaks out on economic or social issues it is overstepping its authority, going into fields where it lacks the necessary expertise. Furthermore, the Church exists mostly in pluralistic societies with adherents to many religious traditions, and often in countries where there is a strict separation between Church and State. Yet such a separation, at least in the context of the United States, does not mean that religious institutions and perspectives have no role in the public discourse. It means that the government has to stay out of the affairs of religious institutions. It is a freedom to worship, not a freedom from worshipers. While the earlier Papal encyclicals were directed to Catholics, more recently they have been directed to all people of good will.

There are many reasons the Church has entered the public discussion on economic and social issues. One is that the Church has always had the role of teacher, this being an essential aspect of its mission from the very beginning. As Pope John Paul II has written: "The teaching and spreading of her social doctrine are part of the Church's evangelizing mission. Since it is a doctrine aimed at guiding people's behavior, it consequently gives rise to a 'commitment to justice,' according to each individual's role, vocation and circumstances. The condemnation of evils and injustices is also part of that ministry of evangelization in the social field, which is an aspect of the Church's prophetic role" (13, Sollicitudo rei Socialis, 41). Thus the Church feels that part of its role is to promote social justice, not only in the hearts of Christians, but also in the structures that make up society. To do this it must engage the discussion and debate on these structures. Furthermore, these debates and discussions are at root moral and ethical debates. "Precisely on the questions frequently debated in moral theology today and with regard to which new tendencies and theories have developed, the Magisterium, in fidelity to Jesus Christ and in continuity with the Church's Tradition, senses more ungently the duty to offer its own discernment and teaching, in order to help man in his journey toward truth and freedom" (Veritatis Splendor, 27). (3)

The Church has a perspective to offer that is often excluded from most modern political and economic discourse, one that promotes the "authentic development of man and society that would respect and promote all the dimensions of the human person" (13, SRS 1). (4) It represents values that are important to the functioning of a peaceful and just society, but which are not promoted by the vested interests of the powerful, nor are the natural outcome of the "invisible hand" of the market. It speaks for the voiceless and powerless, demanding that their interests are promoted. It challenges those with power and wealth, pointing out that these come with responsibilities and obligations. The CST tradition is not just a litany of the evils of this world, of how we have come up short in our treatment of others and our care for the planet; it offers a guide to action. As John Paul II has noted: "The social doctrine has once more demonstrated its character as an application of the word of God to people's lives and the life of society, as well as to the earthly realities connected to them, offering 'principles of reflection,' 'criteria of judgment,' and 'directives for action'" (13, SRS 8).