Conscious Business

This minor is built on the fundamental idea that business should look beyond ‘just’ maximising profit. Businesses should employ their enormous potential for a better world by taking full responsibility for the impact they have on people and the environment. This minor explores how conscious business can truly awaken the potential within the economy by working towards a regenerative and inclusive world.

Some of the classes that will be offered are:
• The art of happiness
• Identity marketing
• Economy of meaning
• Communicating with purpose

In today’s world most businesses still operate in an economic system (capitalism) in which the means of production of goods and services are privately owned and operated for a profit. Capitalism has been a key driver of the spectacular growth in GDP that most countries experienced and all the wonderful products that made our lives more comfortable and enjoyable. However, this focus on profit has also triggered some of the biggest social and planetary challenges of today.  The capitalist system with profit as its primary indicator for success is not sustainable and needs to be reviewed.

As believers in an ‘economy of meaning’ we feel that the impact on people and planet should be an integral part of what we call ‘success’.

Students that choose this minor will:
• learn how to make use of tools and models available to a ‘marketer of meaning’ in order to gain an in-depth understanding of an organisation’s ‘raison d’ être’;
• experience how to use their strong points to create more meaningful organisations;
• improve their debating skills;
• learn how to translate an identity into a realistic brand promise and plan of action;
• learn that true value can only be created inside-out and based on inclusion;
• research and learn about ways to ‘measure’ consciousness;
• learn how to apply their knowledge and insights to real companies;
• have a lot of freedom to be creative and express their own personal viewpoints and ideas.

The minor focusses on 4 core competences. As a conscious business professional you will learn to be (more):
• Self-directing and self-conscious
• Critical, analytical and curious
• Expressive, argumentative and convincing
• Culturally and environmentally aware, responsible and unifying

Some of the activities and classes you will have are the following:
• Kick-off on location
• The art of happiness
• Identity marketing
• Economy of meaning
• Debating skills
• Excursions
• Guest lectures
• Writing a conscious business plan

The minor is open to all students in possession of their propaedeutic certificate, have a pro-active, open and positive attitude and show an intrinsic motivation to learn about themselves, their purpose in life and how this is connected to doing business in an economy of meaning.

Deliverables: Your personal identity, for example, will manifest itself in your own ‘Book of Life’ and Brand Passport and your take on the economy of meaning will be reflected in discussions and reviews.

Exams: Knowledge on theories and models related to Identity Marketing and Conscious Business will be tested in written and/or oral exams.

Project – report and presentation: The presentation of your conscious business plan will be your chance to demonstrate what you learned and convince your principal to actually realize your advice on how to become a conscious business.