Zingermans Perpetual Purpose Trust

Posted: January 28, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: economics | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Ari’s Top 5—A Perpetual Purpose Trust

A revolution is to create new truths about human beings and society. There is no proof really that the road you are taking is the “true” one. 
You have to make it true.m

While the phrase “giving away the store” is usually used to connote poor negotiation skills, in our case, “giving away the store” is actually a big, big win.

It’s an uncommon, but wholly uplifting, way to handle the long-term succession of the organization that remains true to the way we’ve tried to manage the business since we opened all the way back in 1982. 

…make businesses into community-based organizations that have the legal and financial structure that honors their people, their purpose, and their place

It is designed to stay grounded in the community, to benefit the people who work in it, and to give some sense of security that the organization will stay true to our long-standing Guiding Principles and Mission Statement.

In Search of Social Capitalism 

Posted: November 3, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: economics, News | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

Social capital is a form of economic and cultural capital in which social networks are central, transactions are marked by reciprocity, trust, and cooperation, and market agents produce goods and services not mainly for themselves, but for a common good. –  Wikipedia

Since the dawn of modernity, economic debate has centered on who owns the means of production. Capitalists argued private greed led to greater innovation and efficiency, while Socialists claimed state ownership was necessary to ensure the resulting gains were distributed equitably.

We believe in both ends, but disagree with both means. We propose reviving the term “Social Capitalism” to describe a system where private capital is voluntarily employed to benefit society, for which producers are entitled to receive a market-determined profit.The role of government is then primarily to ensure a level playing field, and hold actors accountable for their promises. Read the rest of this entry »