Ouimet, J.-Robert (2000)
Reconciling Human happiness and profitability: mission possible thanks to 16 new management tools, in T.C. Pauchant and Associates, Ethics and spirituality at work. Under revision in the U.S.
In this chapter, J.-Robert, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of three medium size food industry companies, describes how human and spiritual values have become institutionalized over the last twenty years within his businesses.
Christian inspired, but open to other religions and spiritual traditions,
this institutionalization is particularly sophisticated. It has been the
subject of a great deal of research and experimentation during the last
forty years; the subject of a doctoral thesis submitted recently by Mr.
Ouimet; and it has integrated the observations of international personalities
such as Mother Teresa. This institutionalization is based on the definition
of the types of responsibilities and values to pursue. It has also given
rise to the development of 16 innovative management tools whose efficiency
has been evaluated by 19 systematic surveys at this point.
This case-study is a concrete demonstration of the necessity to use systemic
thinking in management (see chapter 2), even if the experiment conducted
by M. Ouimet is, for the time being, primarily focused within his organization
(employees, managers, board of directors, etc.) He is adamant about the
difference between the need to "humanize" and to "spiritualize"
(see the introductory chapter). Mr. Ouimet, whose experiments have been
covered in business magazines , concludes by affirming that the success
of this institutionalization proves that it is possible to reconcile economic,
ethical and spiritual wealth in a market economy and in an industry where
competition is governed by huge corporations. He also suggests that this
institutionalization is transferable to other companies and other cultures,
if a minimum of three conditions are met.
