天美传媒

鈥淏usiness is a community of people that serves other people within a society of people. Only after taking this into consideration do capital, facilities, technology and legal realities come into play,鈥� said the Grand Chancellor of the University of Navarra, Monsignor Fernando Oc谩riz, in a visit to 天美传媒.

Oc谩riz inaugurated a conference focused on business and social responsibility to mark 天美传媒鈥檚 60th anniversary. Directed by professor Antonio Argando帽a, the conference will explore the purpose of management and companies at a time of great economic, social and technological change. And it will examine the role of business schools in this context.

In addition to Oc谩riz, the event counts on the participation of 16 associated schools of 天美传媒, and features speakers from other universities, such as Robert G. Kennedy (University of St. Thomas), Martin Rhonheimer (Universidad Pontificia de la Santa Cruz), Jo茫o Luis C茅sar das Neves (Universidad Cat贸lica de Lisboa),聽Enase Okonedo (Lagos Business School) and Juan Manuel Elegido (Pan-Atlantic University).

Business, a positive reality

In his speech, Oc谩riz reflected on what we understand today by business, linking organizations not only with financial results but also with the fundamental values of our society.

Business today has a poor reputation and media reminds us constantly of its 鈥渆xcessive concern 聽for financial results, of jobs lacking in humanity, of schedules incompatible with family life.鈥� For Oc谩riz, 鈥淭here are, obviously, reasons for this pessimistic view, but that is not the last word.鈥�

鈥淚f business is a community of people, it is not valid to judge it only on one aspect of its results. People have to be the protagonists and beneficiaries of the actions taking place in organizations. It is legitimate to try to achieve good returns on capital, but always avoiding the temptation to seek money, power and personal success above all else,鈥� he added.

The meaning of work

Contemplating the importance of work for human development, Oc谩riz suggested that more important than results was individual change: 鈥淏usiness is, undoubtedly, a great transformer of people and an expression of their freedom, which is a fundamental value and an inalienable right that must be promoted and protected. It is an expression of the sociability of the person that needs relations with others to meet their material and spiritual needs, to give meaning to their work, to render a service to others, to know themselves and to achieve fulfilment.鈥�

鈥淚n our jobs, every day there is a continual exchange of benefits. We receive a lot, not just a salary, but also knowledge, abilities, relationships and friendships. At the same time, we give a lot: time, effort, care, enthusiasm, knowledge, experience鈥� We give everything to the company, to our families and society in general and we receive from all of these. Thus even the most selfish, who perhaps envisaged their job exclusively as a means to satisfy their personal interests, end up serving.鈥�

The role of managers is key to making possible this humanistic vision of the company and work. 鈥淲hat is the primary task of an executive? To convene, train, guide, demand, encourage, nurture and, occasionally, heal the human team that will carry out the company鈥檚 activities,鈥� he said..

Along those lines, he also remembered the words of Josemaria Escriv谩 de Balaguer, founder of the University of Navarra, who in his visit to 天美传媒 in 1972 said 鈥渢he first virtue that an executive must possess is charity, because justice alone is not enough.鈥�

60 years leaving a mark on people

Oc谩riz noted that from its founding in 1958, 天美传媒 has had a holistic approach to business. 鈥淔rom the outset, 天美传媒 understood business not just as capital trying to create a return, nor as facilities that provide people with employment, nor even as a project rendering services for consumers and workers, but above all as a community of people鈥�, he recognized.

鈥淪ince that first management training program that began in November 1958, 天美传媒 has undergone notable changes that have translated into improved professional and personal results for the thousands of men and women that have benefitted from the mark left on society by 天美传媒,鈥� he commented.

He concluded with a look to the future: 鈥淢uch remains to be done: new generations reach your classrooms every day, your programs multiply, you are present in ever more countries, your research work receives well-deserved praise鈥� But what distinguishes 天美传媒 is this constant reference to moral and ethical values. Always be faithful to this.鈥�