Explores why most current initiatives for creating just workplaces don't have the desired impact; whether unjust workplaces are symptoms of a deeper disease; and how Relational Thinking addresses the challenge

1. Creating Just Workplaces:
Transforming Capitalism From Within
Prabhu Guptara
prabhusguptara@gmail.com

2. Structure of my presentation
A. Preliminary matters
B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequate
C. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!
D. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reform
E. Conclusion
2

3. Please note
• The intention of my presentation is to provoke you to think!!!

4. Structure of my presentation
A. Preliminary matters √
B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequate
C. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!
D. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reform
E. Conclusion
4

5. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business life

7. Big versus small
• 1,000,000 small companies employed 30 million people
• 90,000 big firms employed 45 million people

8. Small companies=30; big companies=500 workplaces
• If you had a chance of influencing only one company, it is obvious that the
bigger company is the better one to try to influence
• However, most of us, from the participant list, are involved in small
companies.
• So, however much inspiration and knowledge we gather, our chances of
impacting the workplace for the majority of the world’s workers is rather
small…
• …unless we can find a way of maximising our impact – and we will look at
that….

9. Berkshire Hathaway bigger than Hungary
Hungary's GDP: $128.96 billion
Berkshire Hathaway's Revenue: $136.19 billion
- Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011 6

10. General Electric bigger than New Zealand
New Zealand's GDP: $140.43 billion
GE's Revenue: $151.63 billion
Source: Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWnay7si

11. Exxon Mobil is bigger than Thailand
Thailand's GDP: $318.85 billion
Exxon Mobil's Revenue: $354.67 billion
Exxon Mobil the world's 30th biggest economy
Source: Fortune/CNN Money, IMF, http://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWrtUcHH

12. Walmart is bigger than Norway
Norway's GDP: $414.46 billion
Walmart's Revenue: $421.89 billion
Walmart the world's 25th biggest countrySource: Fortune/CNN Money, IMFhttp://www.businessinsider.com/25-corporations-bigger-tan-countries-2011-6?op=1#ixzz3EWulb0jL

14. $491 B
$478 B $476 B
$415 B
$331 B
$242 B
0
100
200
300
400
500
ExxonMobil Royal Dutch Shell Walmart Stores, Inc Austria Denmark Greece
Scale of Enterprise
Revenue of corporations and GDP of countries in Billions of US$, IMF, 2014

15. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business life, which
means that big companies have the greatest power and impact
2.Whether in small companies or in big
ones, such initiatives don’t take into
account the factor of levels of work and
influence

16. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means
that the big have the power and the greatest impact
2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into
account the factor of levels of work and influence
a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity)

17. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means
that the big have the power and the greatest impact
2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into
account the factor of levels of work and influence
a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity)
b. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productivity)

18. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means
that the big have the power and the greatest impact
2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into
account the factor of levels of work and influence
a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity
b. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productivity)
c. Corporate

19. Why the sorts of initiatives most of us represent
are not sufficient to create just workplaces globally:
1. They don’t take into account the hierarchy of business and political life, which means
that the big have the power and the greatest impact
2. Whether in small companies or in big ones, such initiatives don’t take into
account the factor of levels of work and influence
a. Individual (personal peace and prosperity
b. Teams at Work (harmony, creativity, productiveness)
c. Corporate
d. Global

20. Structure of my presentation
A. Some preliminary comments √
B. Why current initiatives are (mostly) inadequate √
C. Unjust Workplaces: a symptom of a deeper disease!
C. «Relational Thinking»: a movement for reform
E. Conclusion
20

21. Other symptoms
• Financial sector instability
• Already glaring Inequalities growing even further
• Shrinking provision of ‘public goods/ services’
• Environmental damage
• Imminent danger of war
• ………………………………………..
Are we in
Crisis?

23. Social Challenges
to the Global Order
• Demography
• Community deficit
• Migration
(c) Relational Research, 2014

24. The Demographic Challenge in Asia and Europe
Data from the CIA, 2014
2.07
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
2.2
Singapore Hong Kong Japan Italy Germany Switzerland China Self-sustaining
population
Number of children per adult woman (TFR)

25. Debt mountain
Sovereign Debt
Corporate Debt
Personal Debt

26. Disengaged Investors

27. (c) Relational Research, 2014
Disembodied welfare

28. Political Challenges
to the Global Order
• Disengaged voters
• Identity politics
• Size of multinationals
(c) Relational Research, 2014

29. 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%
UK
Netherlands
France
Average
Germany
Spain
Italy
Election turnout % in the 2014 European elections

31. The need for a revolution in thinking
Relational Research © 2013

32. A New Framework
Understanding of:
• Personal identity
• Work
• Poverty
• Development
• Technology
• Business
• Government

33. Relational Thinking
An Economic Strategy
• From debt to equity
• Engaged shareholders
• Relational companies
• Relational Ratings Agency
(c) Relational Research, 2014

34. Relational Companies
• From debt to equity in corporate finance
(through the tax system)
• Measurement of stakeholder relationships
• Relational Ratings Agency
• Relational Capital Reporting

35. Relational Finance
• Ethical basis of return to capital?
• Equity vs. debt
• Engaged investors
• Effective accountability

36. A New Slogan
• No investment without involvement
• No profit without participation
• No reward without responsibility

37. Responsible Government
• Money supply
• Regulation
• Foreign Affairs

38. Relational Welfare
• Rootedness
• Co-location of relatives
• Family Associations

39. The Coming
“Age of Relationships”
(c) Relational Research, 2014

41. Any movement, to be successful, must touch you
intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally…
and get you to act!
• Comprehensible
• Comprehensive
• Inspiring
• Persuasive (Strategy or overall plan)
• “Actionable”: tells you what you can contribute to the
movement today

42. The Relational Thinking Network:
a network of SECTORAL networks!
• Schools
• Companies
• Consultants
• Scientists
• Technologists
• Politicians
• Administrators
• Lawyers
• ….

43. The Relational Thinking Network:
a network of Regional networks!
• UK
• South Africa
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Australia
• USA
• (Switzerland)
• …………………….

44. Some Websites
• http://relationalthinking.net
• www.relationshipsfoundation.org
• www.relationalresearch.org
• www.relational-analytics.com
• www.relationalschools.org