First published 2008
At the 2008 World Economic Forum in Davos, Bill Gates presents a bold challenge to the business world. The Microsoft founder and major philanthropist calls for corporations to weave social good directly into their profit-seeking operations. This proposal sparks intense debate among leading economists, business leaders, and thinkers. Michael Kinsley gathers over forty contributors to examine Gates's vision, including three Nobel Prize winners and two former cabinet members. Warren Buffett supports the concept while Lawrence Summers expresses concerns about companies pursuing multiple goals. Judge Richard Posner argues that charitable motives will weaken profit-driven enterprises, but journalist Martin Wolf counters that pure profit maximization lacks universal support. The collection explores whether altruistic companies can compete effectively and whether some altruism might actually fix market problems. These essays challenge standard economic thinking and map out how capitalism might evolve in our interconnected world.
Genres: business, economics, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: social-change
Period: 2008
336 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster