Michael Strong on Social Responsibility in Business, Peace & Prosperity

Michael Strong, Chief Visionary Officer of Flow, joins Dennis McCuistion, host of the McCuistion Program, from Las Vegas, PBS Channel 10, during the Freedom Fest conference held there each summer. Flow is a non-profit organization started 5 years ago with John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods. Flow focuses on liberating the entrepreneurial spirit for good and believes entrepreneurship and business can solve global problems. Mr. Strong cites companies from Whole Foods to Southwest Airlines that have a mission of doing good and tells us that there is a market driven demand for companies to incorporate social responsibility in their corporate mission.

Mr. Strong advises that non-profits be more entrepreneurial and tells us the strict charity model is now becoming more entrepreneurial in its focus as charities realize that the  old way of ” begging,” is no longer a  productive model  for  accomplishing  the organization’s mission.

Adapting external social responsibility agendas seldom work. Missions that comes from within and that are congruent with the organization’s values offer  more efficacy.  Missions that coincide with the organization’s  are naturally  more effective. In addition, “do-gooder” missions often positively affect the bottom line.

Michael Strong began his entrepreneurial career as an anti-capitalist. While at  the University of Chicago, he became increasingly convinced that the best way to make a positive impact in society was through business. He believes  that the market can in fact  create prosperity and peace.

Strong furthers the discussion on social responsibility in business by addressing the value of property rights in relation to poverty alleviation.  Also included in this segment are Strong’s views on environmentalism, political allegiance, regulatory agencies and the effect of unemployment rates of young men on peace.

If you’d like to learn more of Michael Strong’s thoughts and view points regarding social responsibility in business, peace and prosperity, you can visit his blog. If you’d like to become more involved with what Flow is doing, please visit the website to learn more.

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11.09.08 – 1720