Holistic Sustainability: Local Culture And
Global Business—a Unique Opportunity
Author(s)
M. B. Neace
Abstract
This paper discusses the role of global enterprises and local culture as primary
inputs to attain long-term sustainable development. Several models are discussed
showing that today’s linear business systems are overly anthropocentric,
disconnective, and monolithic in their approach to sustainable development. A
business philosophy inclusive of local socio-culture stakeholders respecting their
diversity and creativeness as vital constituents to the attainment of sustainable
development is proposed. The discussion parallels the UN Global Compact.
Broadening business planning to include local stakeholders, incorporating the
precautionary principle, and knowledge sharing in a holistic manner with local
stakeholders can lead to sustainable communities. The models presented
demonstrate this holistic business stratagem.
1 Introduction
Today, the linear economic reductionist modus operandi is one that extracts
resources from Earth, converts them into products and services, and returns the
residue (wastes) back to the biosphere (Figure 1). Figure 1 also suggests how this
linear system can be modified toward a sustainable paradigm for business and
local communities by also including the diversity, creativeness, and wisdom of
local culture. Until recently, little thought was given to the impact of the linearreductionist
processes, particularly from a holistic perspective, on Planet Earth.
All sectors of the global society have and are contributing to this ever-increasing
problem. There is now substantial evidence that Planet Earth is not capable of
sustaining the continued pace of technological-economic activity it has
experienced over the past five decades, and we are losing the battle [30].
This paper offers a holistic schema with several models that address the
environmental issue from a business perspective. I contend that adoption of a
Keywords
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