“Service for Mutual Profit"

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 172, 16 April 1932, Page 18

“Service for Mutual Profit"

TFT T E often the expression: ‘Business is Business’; and 1 V / ,hat soun,ls an ol, vious Platitude, at first thought a harm A / less 01)0 ‘ But is Ear fron] that ’ because > iu its im PlicaV V lions and applications, that cynical maxim has proved an excuse for a deplorable disregard of truth, honesty ami humanity iu business, for a demoralising and entirely false distinction between honour in business life and honour in private life," said Sir Francis Goodcnough. C.8.E., at the north of England Education Conference at Not tingbam. “The phrase. ’Business is Business.’ acts as an anaesthetic on some consciences, enabling the possessor to adopt sharp practices; to ’sail near the wind’: to give short measure in quantity or in quality of service: to act, indeed, in the shop or counting-house as he would never dream of acting on the cricket field, on the golf links, or in daily relation with his friends. Such are they who regard business as a daily warfare between buyer and seller, with caveat emptor as the battle cry of the seller. “But. as understood by the most truly successful men in it, business is not a- warfare between buyer and seller, not a contest betwen men out to best one another, but a form of mutual service based on divine law—on the Golden Rule of ’Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye

even so unio them’; and business so understood is therefore as honourable as any of the other branches of public service which we call professions. “If. then, for ‘Business is Business’ we substitute ‘Business is Service for Mutual Profit.' wo begin to visualise a career for which education can do much to prepare boys and girls before any question of specifically vocational education of training arises. If, further, we realise that commerce is first and last a question of human relationships, the dealing of men with men—with customers, employees, colleagues, competitors and is, furthermore, a great and fine game, a joyous adventure, a service to the community that calls for leadership, organisation, judgment, skill, energy ami devotion Io principle and to duty: we see it to be clearly a calling in which conduct must be based upon the highest principles, and which therefore demands, and is worthy of, education on the highest plane. Commerce is seen, to be a career which, while being interesting, exciting and adventurous on the one hand, can be. on the other, worthy and honourable, as well as profitable. “Men of commerce need initiative, courage, industry, persevei mice, sympathy, ami. above all. enthusiasm. The man who cannot get enthusiastic ■ibout his business or about his profession has no business to be in it. even so unto them’-, and business os understood Is therefore ns honourable