The different aspects of the crisis, its solutions, and any new development that the future may bring (…) require new efforts of holistic understanding and a new humanistic synthesis.
Benedictus XVI, Encyclical ‘Caritas in veritate’ (June 29, 2009, n. 21).

The theme of this Symposium is related with the precedent 15th Symposium, in which we discussed on “Business and Management: Towards More Human Models and Practices”. Now, the new Encyclical-Letter «Caritas in Veritate» (Love in the Truth) by Pope Benedictus XVI (29 June, 2009) arises new challenges for re-thinking economic activities so that all relevant dimensions of such activity are considered, including economic results and impact on people.
 
The aim of this symposium is just to advance in achieving a holistic understanding of business and a new humanistic synthesis between technical and ethical aspects of business. Some tracts connected with this topic are proposed (see below). However, any related research is welcomed, from both conceptual and empirical perspective.

On May 1st, 2010, full papers presented will be available in the symposium website by using a password which will be facilitated after registration. One year later and for a period of five years these papers will be of free access, except in the case of explicit negation from the authors. 

A collection of selected papers will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Business Ethics. This selection will consider both the quality and the proximity with the topic of the symposium.

1. Holistic and Humanistic View of Business
Why and how a holistic understanding of business? Re-thinking conceptual foundations of business. Alternatives to management theories based on the separation between economic and ethical decisions. What philosophical and ethical approaches can be appropriate for a sound humanistic view of business?

2. Humanistic Management in Practice
Problems and prospects in humanistic management. Developing humanistic organizational cultures. Practices of humanistic and efficient management. Leading organizations which favor an integral human development.

3. Integral Human Development in Business
To what extend business activity can contribute to an integral human development? What is the influence of virtues and an integral human development in decision-making? Can job design and work organization foster integral human development of employees?

4.Technology at the Service of Human Development
What specific problems and possibilities posit information technologies? How can technology contribute or make difficult human development? How to use with responsibility new technologies without preventing integral human development?

5. Gratuitousness, beyond Justice in Business
Gratuitousness relates to the logic of gift. However, traditionally business has not considered such logic. Can business be understood extending the economic logic (commutative justice) with gratuitousness? What theoretical foundations, experiences o cases studies can be provided regarding gratuitousness in business?

6. Holistic and Humanistic View in Business Education
How to integrate a holistic understanding of business and a new humanistic view into the business education curriculum. 

7. Business Challenges Posed by the Encyclical ‘Caritas in veritate’
The Encyclical ‘Charitas in veritas’ contains a number of challenges for business and management, apart from some already included in the previous tracts. Among them, achieving a decent work, a responsible consumption, acting with responsibility over nature and human ecology, the concept of business ethics and corporate social responsibility, the role of benefits, new forms of enterprises, economy of communion-based firms, delocalization of plants, responsibility for stakeholders, managing globalization, and natural moral law in a global world.

• The official language of the Symposium is English. A few papers in Spanish would be accepted.
  
• Please, send proposals using the proposal submission system available on the website of the Symposium.
  
• All of these personal details and information should be submitted following the instructions as indicated on the web site of the Symposium in submitting the proposals.
  
• We suggest using Times New Roman 12 point font and a line spacing of 1.5 lines. Place no line between each paragraph. Title pages are not necessary. Employ endnotes, place page numbers in the lower right corner, and use the style guidelines of the Journal of Business Ethics for paper style and references.
  

• The conference will be organized around plenary sessions, roundtable discussions, sessions on paper presentations of original research, and business practice workshops. In a few cases, visual presentations (posters) may also be permitted.

• Each presentation will last 25 min. including discussion. All rooms for paper presentation sessions will be equipped with a computer and a projector.

• A computer room with Internet access will be available during the Symposium.

• Previous editions in this series of symposia (see: www.iese.edu/PreviousSymposium) have been attended by more than 100 people, including academics and executives from various countries. They have been marked by thoughtful discussion and useful interchange of ideas on the specific topic of each symposium.
  

Research Events Unit - IESE Business School - Av. Pearson, 21 - 08034 Barcelona
Phone (34) 93 253 42 00 - Fax (34) 93 253 43 43
e-mail: 16symposium@iese.edu
Updated information: www.iese.edu/16symposium