Dorr Speaks at Sr. Marie Augusta Neal, SND Lecture
October 12, 2007
Donal Dorr, an Irish missionary priest and former consultant to the Pontifical Commission on Justice and Peace, spoke at the Sister Marie Augusta Neal, SND Lecture on October 4th. A well-respected consultant for leadership and management teams, Dorr discussed "Ethics in the World of Business" with an audience in the Janet M. Daley Library Lecture Hall. Analyzing behavioral patterns within the business realm, Dorr addressed how the business world is viewed as having its own accepted practices and codes of behavior and how this different world and its values can affect the everyday lives of those involved.
"It is like a world cut off from the wider world…but I would argue that it should not be cut off," he said.
"There is a gap between the reality of how business people are and what the ethics of the business world demands of them. When they leave that world they are different people with different values. Ethics in the business world seem to be based too much on self-interest."
Using examples from his travels all over the world, Dorr described his thoughts on how to improve ethical standards in businesses, referencing how the more simplistic open-air markets still found in many foreign countries provide great examples of ethical behavior. Important factors in any business transaction, such as searching for "good prices" from both the buyer and seller's standpoints and mutual respect between both parties are simple actions that are many times overlooked in today's corporate world.
"There are human relationships there that are not entirely mercenary and calculating," said Dorr. "There is a kind of game [you are] playing that is not just about breaking them down in price. It is about establishing a relationship with them - a type of relationship you have in everyday life."
Taking a look at the role of spirituality and religion in business, Dorr explained that while each individual may have a different meaning for the word "spirituality," everyone views it as a means of motivation.
"In the United States business world there is a great demand for spiritual nourishment," he said. "And by in large this comes from a non-denominational Evangical Christianity. It gives peace of mind and security to people... it provides inspiration and energy to people [as well]."