Common Stereotypes of the For-Profit World
Those
in the ivory tower as well as those working in the "real
world" surrounding it have often looked upon each other
with disdain - the product of both real differences between
the two and a lack of mutual understanding.
If
you are contemplating work outside of the academy - either
out of desire or necessity - and are filled with mild dread
at the prospect, it is worth your time to consider whether
your conceptions of the outside world (including the business
world) are accurate. Like many employers' stereotypes
of PhDs, those held by academics about the for-profit
world deserve examination - and often rejection. The business
world is a highly diverse place, and it is quite likely some
enterprise within in can accommodate your occupational requirements.
People in
the business world have no social consciousness or moral backbone.
While
business theorists are interested in making companies more
successful and success is often measured in terms of profits,
many of their basic concerns are social and political, grounded
in a desire to further the humane treatment of people and
the growth of democracy. For example, the influential management
theorist Peter
Drucker held business to a high standard when he argued
that ''free enterprise cannot be justified as being good for
business, it can be justified only as being good for society.''
Charles
Handy, Peter
Senge, Rosabeth
Moss Kanter, and Paul
Hawken are just a few other writers who set equally high
standards. While not everyone working in the business world
may aspire to such ideals, you can look for people (and companies)
who do.
Business people care
about money to the exclusion of everything else (intellectual
concerns, moral issues, etc.).
-
Fundamentally,
business is about profit, because without it there is
no business. But most successful businesses incorporate
intellectual rigor, ethical concerns, and humane treatment
of their employees into their enterprises.
-
However,
particularly with regard to intellectual and theoretical
issues, business people respond to different kinds of
pressures than academics and therefore can take different
approaches. Analysis and theorizing in a business context
must respond to the real-world pragmatic needs of the
business and to the time pressure imposed by an audience
(customers) that can't wait and competiton that won't.
-
While
ex-academics find they have to adapt to the different
rhythms of the business world, many report that they find
the prompt feedback of real-world implementation to be
just as intellectually stimulating as their academic work.
People in the
for-profit world march to the rhythm of the corporate machine.
They live in a world devoid of ideas and are incapable of
creative or even independent thought.
-
The
business world is a large and diverse place that encompasses
(originally) small, ethically-minded enterprises like
Ben & Jerry's as well as large corporations like GE,
Exxon, and IBM. Just as work environments and cultures
can differ between disciplines or between different institutions,
so there is little cultural uniformity in the business
world. You may find some business cultures to be a poor
match with your interests and values, but it is reasonably
likely that others exist that would match your requirements.
-
Some
businesses may have strongly hierarchical organizations,
and this may mean that those at the bottom of the organizational
structure have little opportunity for creative action.
However, many companies recognize that the creativity
and independence of their employees is fundamental to
their success. For example, 3M encourages its employees
to spend some portion of every work week fiddling with
new ideas, some of which may eventually turn into new
products.
- Of
course, the academy - though it strives for originality
- is certainly not immune to lemming-like behavior in the
face of a popular new theory. It is certainly not unknown
for an academic to embrace a particular approach or to theorize
conservatively knowing his or her tenure review is approaching.
Alternatively, how often have young academics been told
that they should cast their research in a particular manner
in order to appeal to the market?
Business
people want to shape the world (i.e., manipulate people into
buying their products) rather than understand it.
- Businesses
that rely on manipulation or deceit to sell their products
are likely to be short-lived, particularly as the internet
provides the opportunity for consumers to share information
about deceitful practices widely. Good sales people want
to develop long-term relationships with customers by presenting
them with products that they actually do need, thereby encouraging
them to return to buy again when the time comes. In order
to do so, it is crucial to understand both the needs of
the customer as well as his or her experience with the product
after purchase. In other words, the business person who
does not understand the world will not do business for long.
People in
the business world are aggressive and obnoxious.
- Business
cultures and academic cultures are different, as Jennifer
Stone Gonzalez discovered. In some instances, a business
environment may be more competitive, and communication between
employees (who must work together) may be more direct and
apparently confrontational than that between academics (who
can often avoid their colleagues if they wish). These differences
may be difficult to get used to, but one History PhD now
working at Intel reports that she finds the directness and
honesty displayed by her colleagues to be refreshing after
the cloak-and-dagger politics of her department.
Resources
about company cultures...
Resources for researching companies:
- The
100 best companies to work for (Fortune.com)
- *Hal
Morgan & Kerry Tucker, Companies that care (New
York, 1991). D3 1991
- Susan
Cohn, Green at work: Finding a business career that works
for the environment (Washington, DC, 1995). (Held in
UNDERGRADUATE
library)
- The
best companies for women (Women's Wire)
- *Baila
Zeitz & Lorraine Dusky, The Best Companies for Women
(New York, 1988). D1988
- *Ed
Mickens, The 100 best companies for gay men & lesbians
(Pocket Books, 1994). D1994
- *Daniel
Baker, Cracking the Corporate Closet: the 200 best (and
worst) companies to work for... (New York, 1995). D3
1995
- The
best companies for minorities (Fortune.com)
- *Lawrence
Graham, The best companies for minorities (New York,
1993). D3 1993
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