Last week we looked at a couple of examples of individuals engaged in the
process of enterprise symbiosis. This week we will look more at the traditional
concept of enterprise, that dealing with our work enterprise whether that be
corporate, as an independent business owner, or an employee.
Western command and control enterprises are, in essence, of the extractive
nature. To say it a different way, they are mining companies. They may not take
minerals from the earth but they extract their wealth from other sources of
resources. For ten years I ran a company that manufactured gold mining
equipment. A common saying in the gold mining business is, "A gold mine is
a hole you pour money into." If you pour in just a little more money you
will hit the mother lode and all your problems will cease. The internet dotcoms
are examples of extractive businesses designed to mine money from people who
use the internet. Just like most precious metals projects, most will just end
up being dry holes. More traditional businesses look at all aspects of their
business to extract wealth. That may be the employees and/or the customers,
suppliers and business partners. Wealth is built on the backs of these sources
of human capital. If you feel you are being used as an earth mover, to move a
ton of dirt to extract less than an ounce of gold you probably work for such an
organization. Because according to the Bible we were created to be gardeners,
it is no wonder you are sometimes distressed and depressed. Many times getting
back to what you were created to do, in the way you were created to do it, is
the only solution to this complex problem.
To find a natural example of this quarrying form of enterprise, you need only
look at the conifer trees. Firs, pine and spruce being the example. The central
trunk is the most important aspect of the tree. It is the part that man finds
of value. From the trunks of conifer trees we build our houses and other
structures, symbolizing also our business morphology. In the recent antitrust
case with Microsoft both the government and Microsoft were truly arguing about
the structure of the central trunk of the corporation. Microsoft arguing that
without maintaining this viable trunk infrastructure the core of the company
would be severely impacted in its continued ability to grow. The business
hierarchy must be maintained at all cost.
Except for some small family and organic farms, we really no longer find
examples of agrarian enterprise symbiosis. For most modern agribusiness is
truly just an agrarian method of mining the wealth of the soil, with little
understanding of the symbiotic process. No matter what it costs, just pour in
more money and charge the customers more and we get richer and to hell with
every one else. Perhaps however, the saddest examples come from the health care
industry and the church. HMO's and related service providers are now more
interested in the bottom line than providing compassionate health care. TBN and
other church organization raise money from the sheep by shearing the sheep of
some of their financial wool to build another trunk infrastructure, with the
concept of winning souls for Jesus, adapting extractive enterprise to God's
agrarian work. I have just come to realize that one of the reasons for the
failure of my mining adventure, was that it essentially used an agrarian model
in a truly extractive business. I still think that it could work, but not
without fully understanding and utilizing the symbiosis model.
Fruit and nut deciduous trees are the natural examples of a symbiotic
enterprise, or the centerless enterprise, we discussed in earlier weeks. The
trunk is not all that important compared to the branches and the fruit. The
orchardist, prunes the branches to produce more branches and more and better
fruit. But beyond that the harvest is beyond the control of management. The
Lord, or if you prefer nature provides the increase. Where in a typical
corporate environment with the application of more capital (human or financial)
can bring a discernible increase, cause and effect, in the symbiotic enterprise
more capital may reduce or eliminate the crop entirely. This can of course also
effect the true quality of the fruit the husbandman was trying to secure.
Before we continue also remember it is generally from deciduous trees where we
secure our most beautiful wood, but it is from the conifers where we harvest
our structural framing resources.
The Bible is a book of agrarian enterprise symbiosis. It has virtually
nothing to say about building a hierarchy for man's endeavors. Perhaps God knew
that we could do this all right by ourselves, or perhaps he new no matter what
He said we would go our own way no matter God's plan. In any event, the
centerless enterprise has concepts of spirituality and faith that a modern
corporate structure cannot stand. Agrarian enterprise must be built on plowing,
sowing, fertilizing and waiting for the harvest in season. The seasons cannot
be rushed by more and bigger applications of capital.
In Genesis Chapter 2:10-12 we find the first mention of agrarian and
extracted resource enterprises: Now a river went
out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four
riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon, it is the one which skirts the
whole land of Havilah were there is gold. And the gold of that land is good.
Bdellium (a gum resin) and the onyx stone are there.
Most of the leaders of the Biblical line leading from Adam to Jesus were
from agrarian stock. Long times with the herds gave Moses and David the ability
to lead God's people well. We now substitute many formal years of 'book
learnin' and wonder why there is no true leadership in any of our enterprise.
If we truly want to understand our role in enterprise symbiosis, we must spend
some time with the Good Book and herding of flocks in the wilderness or things
will continue to loose there footing in the real world and we will be left with
nothing but shallow meaningless self seeking and serving enterprise. Before the
whole thing collapses under its own weight.
Over the last week things sure got a whole lot more complicated, well beyond
my ability to put the pieces together in the right order at the right time, but
I strongly feel that this path is the one which I should follow. The gentleman
I called last week about the property did not return my call and I called him
again Monday to see what was going on. As I send this, I still have not heard a
thing from him. I also ran across another ranch with more agricultural
potential and about the same size for a whole lot less money. But if it were to
be used for a retreat center some buildings would have to be build or a
different scope would have to be determined. Continued intercessory prayer is
requested.