College of Business professors publish article in national Christian business journal
Lipscomb professors revisit the purpose of business in newly published study
Judson Chaudoin |
Two professors in Lipscomb’s College of Business have recently been published in the Journal of Biblical Integration in Business.
Joseph Bamber, clinical professor of marketing, and Andy Borchers, professor and associate dean, wanted to help their students, as well as company owners, to make a positive change using their places of work as they developed their study — “Revisiting the Purpose of Business” published in the journal in October.
“The cornerstone idea of the article is ‘How can we see business as part of our calling?” Borchers said. “We examined that idea not only from a societal standpoint, but also a Christian perspective.”
Bamber noted two common challenges that entrepreneurs face when starting a business.
“Often believers will start a business or work somewhere and wonder what am I doing this for — is it just to make money,” explained Bamber. “But they know there is a bigger purpose, they just don’t know how to identify it. Then, there are also great-hearted people who are in social justice or environmental scenes and that business is the cause of problems in the world.”
The idea for the study came from classroom conversations with students about how to view businesses as “agents for positive change to bring about a cleaner earth or to respect God’s creation,” said Borchers. In their research, the pair presents an idea that a business’s purpose is not solely to increase profits but rather is used as a part of one’s calling to serve the Lord. The authors proposed “…the purpose of business is not simply limited to the economic gains of business owners. Rather, businesses also have deeper spiritual purposes.”
The article begins by noting many scriptural references that tie into business. Bamber and Borchers narrowed these verses into three main categories: Create Value, Care for People and Tend the Earth. Using these values, Bamber created a holistic business scorecard as a tool for businesses to gage themselves. He compares the ideology of several well-known business authors such as, John Elkington and Milton Friedman, using this scorecard.
The professors wrap up their article discussing the opportunities that a free market economy affords to businesses, such as, innovating new, environmentally friendly practices. They conclude that “We are called to view business as a part of our higher calling” and that “As believers, Christians have a duty to pursue a higher calling of business as an instrument of healing and redemption.”
Borchers said he encourages business leaders to read the article and “pick up on the scorecard and learn from that.”
As 2020 comes to a close, the authors hope this article will provide a reminder that we are on earth for a greater purpose and that whatever business one is a part of to use it as a way to glorify the Lord.
Read the full article, “Revisiting the Purpose of Business."
— Video produced by Davis Brown, College of Business