Global Business Leader, Shawn Vij Talks About Conscious Capitalism as a New Movement for India Inc.
29 February 2020
Vij states that increasing toxicity in corporate arenas and in our personal lives got him thinking and ultimately resulted in sharing insights through his book. Conscious Capitalism, what he writes about, is a concept that asks you to think beyond profit maximization and to confront yourself and the company about the real purpose of conducting business and addressing the greater good.
Endorsing the book, The Dalai Lama, said, “As long as we are unable to pay equal importance to inner moral values and ethics as we do to material development, the world will continue to face problems into the future. That is why, for many years, I have been making concerted effort to promote inner human values everywhere I go. I am happy to learn that Shawn Vij, who has an extensive background in corporate business, shares my concern for these issues, and has written this book, Moral Fiber, to help more people learn how to incorporate universal moral values and secular ethics into our education system as well as in corporate business. Inspired by his own experiences as well as those of other key leaders in business and leading academia, he shares with us how compassion, gratitude, and wisdom open our inner door, unlocking a more purposeful life and career.”
Unlike most books in this segment that cite examples only of international MNCs, this book closely reflects on Indian and homegrown companies like the TATA Group, Mahindra and Mahindra and the Aditya Birla Group too. Talking about corporate consciousness he elucidates how these companies are evolving from being family-owned businesses to professionally managed conglomerates that function on ‘trusteeship’, a key concept of Conscious Capitalism. Not every company is perfect but Vij argues there is definitely a shift in thinking given the significant rise of millennials in India.
Vij was inspired to write ‘Moral Fiber’ after a “universal crossing” with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In this book, Vij shares his “awakening” with hard-won insights on ethical business practices and how they can be leveraged for personal and professional growth. He even talks to industry leaders and includes -powerful research from academics who share their insights to help the aspiring business leaders of the country.
The book is not just a personal journey but a practical guide, filled with tips, tales, and tools to identify and eliminate toxic behaviour and motivators. Moral Fiber is the ultimate guidebook on how to create a thriving business and career while staying true to who you are and what you believe. Taking an innovative and secular approach to business ethics the book shows how living our values unlocks a more purposeful life and career.
About the author
Shawn Vij is an accomplished business leader who has over 25 years of Industry and Consulting experience. He has worked in various leadership positions for Ford Motor Company, Ernst & Young, VISA, Deloitte Consulting, Microsoft, and Intel Corporation. He holds an MBA from Purdue University, an MS in Engineering from the University of Michigan and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University. Shawn was raised in the Midwest and now resides in the Pacific Northwest. His new book– ‘Moral Fiber: A Practical Guide to Living Our Values’ was just released in India by Wiley Publishing.