Generating holistic wealth: A framework for leading positive change at the intersection of business and society

Our world increasingly functions at a global and interconnected level where business acts as a fundamental linking and organizing mechanism. How business organizations behave strongly influences our social perceptions and experiences of well-being, economically, physiologically, spiritually, and as creators of legacy for generations to come. This study builds a thematic framework, using grounded theory methodology, about the process of leading positive change at the intersection of business and society towards the generation of holistic wealth, which extends far beyond financial profit to include relational wealth, social justice, and sustainable ecological practices.; The study draws on interviews from the pilot phase of a world inquiry, Business as an Agent of World Benefit (BAWB). The inquiry began in our era of turbulent economic times and war torn global affairs. Anchored in the action research philosophy of appreciative inquiry, the project seeks to lift up stories and visions of hope about innovative business, practices that create a better future of society for all, and that embody theories and practices of making and sustaining positive change. A thematic framework is derived from the insights of an initial sampling of people leading positive change.; The framework articulates a particular worldview the sample shared of interconnected natural systems, holistic wealth that seeks and attributes value beyond financial profit, and multi-generational perspective of relevant time. The study also revealed that people become disposed to positive change through internal and external awakenings, events that interrupt ones ability to make meaning from daily status quo and therefore expand ones mental schema to include the three-fold worldview. The common themes in awakenings suggest the possibility exists to teach positive change leadership. Finally, change leadership occurs at both individual and collective levels of analysis. Implications are drawn for what matters for business, as well as future research, for understanding the interactive dynamics between peoples' moral development, organizational positive change behavior, and societies, including impact of religion and culture on business ethics, anticipatory economic theory and creating epidemics of social change.