about this areaThe Overview area contains articles and essays that address the fundamental characteristics and underpinnings of Human Capital Sustainability (HCS).
These articles and essays are contributed by members of the HCS editorial team. To respond to the ideas presented in an article, click the Respond link at the bottom of that article. |
what is human capital sustainability?Paul Kordis, September 2008 Broadly defined, human capital sustainability involves anything that enhances people’s quality of life and their ability to contribute to the greater good. The notion of human capital has been used in more narrow ways and often indicates that which occurs outside of the workplace that impacts the skills, knowledge, well being, and attitude that people bring to the workplace. The concept of human capital sustainability includes this more narrowly defined aspect of human capital, but is much more inclusive of any system, artifact, or institution in the greater environment that positively impacts people regardless of their specific contribution to the workplace. Lately some businesses have begun to expand their efforts to both promote and reap the benefits of a triple bottom line – profit, social responsibility, and environmental responsibility. Human capital sustainability also overlaps and is mutually influenced by efforts to support environmental, social, and economic vitality. Spiritual, emotional, ethical, and political well being are also important aspects of human capital sustainability. why use the word “capital” with respect to people?For one simple reason, many people do not understand the real meaning of the word capital and the distinction is an important one to make. We have become accustomed to the term “human resource,” but the word “resource” is far more degrading to the human spirit than one might at first suspect. People are not fungible and inexhaustible resources that can be spent, used up, and easily replaced as some sort of human income. Resources are used. Capital, on the other hand, is protected, cherished, developed, and grown. One invests in capital. For example, a person’s house is typically part of their capital, something that they pay for with the income that they get from expending their resources. Therefore, it would be unwise to break off portions of one’s house in exchange for a dinner out or a nice vacation. A home is something to be treated with care and protected and developed and improved upon because it is a valuable asset. It isn’t something to be dismantled and used up and parceled out like income. Yet this is how natural capital (the environment) and human capital (people) have been treated – as inexhaustible, replaceable, interchangeable resources that can and should be used up as fast as possible. Therefore, in order to move humanity forward this practice must change and one of the most powerful catalysts for change is language. The words “human capital sustainability” reinforce the need to see people differently as something to be cherished, appreciated, developed, nurtured, and protected – as having unique and intrinsic value and potential that can be realized to everyone’s benefit, but only under the right conditions. why are the “right” conditions so important?Decades ago Philip Zimbardo demonstrated the powerful effect of environment on people’s behavior. (If you wish to read more about this a good place to start is http://www.zimbardo.com.) He created a faux prison and randomly assigned students to play either the role of guards or prisoners. After only a few days the guards, many of them social activists for peace and love in their student persona, began demonstrating the behaviors we have recently come to associate with Abu Ghraib. His conclusion was that really good people can behave very badly if put in the wrong situation. But the converse can also be true, as demonstrated by the Truth and Reconciliation efforts in South Africa which began shortly after apartheid was abolished (see http://www.doj.gov.za/trc/). Therefore our institutions, artifacts, and systems are indeed very powerful influences on people’s behavior. This does not negate the need for personal responsibility or the opportunity for personal choice. But it does emphasize the need for social responsibility as a much needed method for balancing human behavior. In this light the “right” conditions for promoting human capital sustainability include changes in the external environment which induce positive changes in the internal environment (mind), and changes in the internal environment which induce positive changes in the external environment. (Autocatalysis and cross-catalysis are also important, but will be covered in more detail in another section.) Respond to this article. Next article: Why is Human Capital Sustainability Important Now? |
founderPaul L. Kordis, PhD advisorsJames H. Banning, PhD Gary Geroy, PhD Ed Goodman, P.E., MSCE Bruce Hall, PhD M.L. Johnson, EdD, PhD David T. Moran, PhD Beverly Title, PhD
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