The term ‘business’ can be understood as a commercial, industrial, or professional activity that implies the production of goods or services for selling and receiving something in return in the form of profit. Van Duzer (2012), in one of the Gospel and Culture Lecture series, talks about the connection between God and business and the importance of recognizing the business as a part of God’s creation. He gives an example of Adam, to whom God gifted Eve for the purpose of establishing a relationship between two and producing offspring (Van Duzer, 2012). Van Duzer (2012) describes it as a prototype for the modern business model where several agents are involved in a relationship for the sake of engaging in meaningful work. Moreover, the work in the bond implies the existence of benefit that Adam and Eve receive for their efforts, which solidifies the analogy between the biblical pair and the concept of business.
This unique business model of Adam and Eve demonstrates the essentiality of the concept of business to the Christian world. Van Duzer (2012) emphasizes that productivity can only be achieved through the relationship between Adam and Eve and not Adam and another Adam. Despite a slightly prejudiced sentiment, there is an assumption that the speaker used this analogy to express the difference between the contributors to the business. In other words, Adam and Eve possess different qualities, which amplify the mutual benefit of their collaborative work. Baye and Prince (2017) discuss the importance of understanding the qualitative and quantitative measures to ensure the venture’s profitability, reflecting Van Duzer’s arguments about the significance of the comprehensive look on business. Therefore, quantitative aspects of demand analysis, such as price, income, and cross-price elasticities of demand, represent one person from the biblical couple, while qualitative aspects represent the other.
In conclusion, the mutually beneficial relationship of Adam and Eve can be described as a prototype to the modern understanding of business. Therefore, business is just as natural as any other activity on earth, up to the complicated mathematical tools such as qualitative and quantitative techniques to measure demand. It implies that business is expected to be run ethically and with the purpose of serving God and other people.
Thank you for your discussion post, Joshua!
I agree with all of your points, especially about the importance of operating a business ethically. You have mentioned that the structure of an organization should offer benefits for both ends. I agree because by adapting environmentally ethical policies, a company’s profitability increases. According to Park et al. (2017), corporate responsibility increases customer loyalty, which, in turn, is positively associated with business success. In other words, a customer is more likely to consume products and services from a company with transparent and ethical goals.
Moreover, social and environmental responsibility attracts new employees interested in providing goods and services without sacrificing their moral principles. They are also more confident in trusting their employee because they will not be subjected to exploitation. Furthermore, corporate responsibility increases a company’s reputation on the market, which may attract new shareholders. Therefore, an ethically organized business can not only fulfill the needs of individuals and improve society; it also benefits the companies themselves. In conclusion, by only concentrating on how to increase profitability and maximize the return on shareholders, the company does not operate in accordance with biblical interpretation.
References
Baye, M. R., & Prince, J. (2017). Managerial economics and business strategy (9th ed.). Richard D. Irwin, Inc.
Park, E., Kim, K. J., & Kwon, S. J. (2017). Corporate social responsibility as a determinant of consumer loyalty: An examination of ethical standard, satisfaction, and trust. Journal of Business Research, 76, 8-13. Web.
Van Duzer, J. [Center for Faith & Work]. (2012). Why business matters to God [Video]. YouTube. Web.