About
41
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Introduction
Gábor Kovács is an associate professor at the Business Ethics Center of the Corvinus University of Budapest. He completed his PhD studies in 2017. He received his master’s degree in Buddhist studies. He did his undergraduate studies in economics and management. His research interests include Buddhist economics, business spirituality, Gross National Happiness, and business ethics in the Anthropocene.
Current institution
Additional affiliations
June 2018 - present
Position
- Professor (Assistant)
Description
- Teaching: business ethics, economy and religion, progressive business models. Researching: business ethics, business spirituality, Buddhist economics
Education
September 2010 - September 2017
September 2005 - June 2010
September 1998 - February 2003
Publications
Publications (41)
This paper introduces Catholic Social Teaching-inspired (CST-inspired) work organization based on a qualitative explorative study conducted with 11 Catholic business leaders from Hungary. The schematic model of CST-inspired work organization suggests that this alternative form of work organization (AFWO) is based on adhering to the principles of hu...
The paper interprets and comparatively analyzes the economic conceptions of Christianity and Buddhism and their representative business models. The paper contributes to the business and society literature by showing the relevance and applicability of Christian and Buddhist business models in the Anthropocene era. The paper argues that Christianity...
The purpose of this paper is to depict how entrepreneurs improve community vitality in the economic, social and environmental dimensions. The paper joins the conversation of business spirituality as the study participants were Sri Lankan Buddhist entrepreneurs from the emerging venture context (i.e. from enterprises which are less than 1–10 years o...
Today most countries and cities follow policies that strive for competitiveness, economic growth, and wealth creation. However, this uncritical pursuit of mainstream economic dictates is producing considerable “ills” in the Anthropocene, including climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and national and global inequalities. The curre...
A „buddhista ökonómia” kifejezést Ernst Friedrich Schumacher angol közgazdász alkotta meg az 1960-as évek végén. Úgy érvelt, hogy a buddhista életfilozófia gazdaságban történő alkalmazása megszüntetheti a modern nyugati közgazdaságtan metafizikai vakságát (metaphysical blindness) – azt a materialista logikát, amely szerint mindennek az értékét azza...
A kötet átfogó képet igyekszik nyújtani a világvallások gazdasági koncepcióiról és a hozzájuk kapcsolódó gazdasági és management modellekről. Inspiráló hazai és nemzetközi példákon keresztül sokoldalúan mutja be a gazdasági spiritualitás teremtő erejét. A jelenkori ökológiai, társadalmi és etikai válság olyan megoldásokat követel, amelyek túlmutatn...
A tanulmány egy magyarországi minta elemzésével mutatja be a keresztény vállalkozók értékorientációját. A keresztény vállalkozóknál megjelenő legfontosabb értékek
az igazság, az emberi méltóság, a közjó, a szubszidiaritás, a szolidaritás, a felelősség,
a szabadság, a testvériség, az igazságosság, a felebaráti szeretet és a mértékletesség.
Ezek közü...
The ultimate goal of Buddhist life is to reach enlightenment and put an end to suffering. From this perspective, the goal of human life can be defined as inner development – that is, ethical and spiritual growth that requires only a minimum level of material comfort (food, clothes, shelter, education, and medicine). This paper introduces principles...
A "Magyar buddhisták" kötet interjúkat tartalmaz a hazai buddhizmus jeles képviselőivel. A beszélgetőpartnerek a következők: Farkas Pál (A Tan Kapuja Buddhista Főiskola), Pressing Lajos (Buddhista Misszió Árya Maitreya Mandala Egyházközösség), Mireisz László (A Tan Kapuja Buddhista Egyház), Csöpel Láma (Magyarországi Karma-Kagyüpa Közösség), Dobosy...
This chapter gives an overview of the spiritually inspired business practices of Buddhist and Christian entrepreneurs, and their general reflections about business spirituality. Buddhist and Christian entrepreneurs consider their spiritual value commitment as a positive element in business. Their spiritual value orientations give them a competitive...
This chapter clarifies the basic concepts of the book. A “value” is defined as an abstract ideal which organizes systems of action as standards for consistent behavior. The relevant economics and management literature are reviewed to introduce the multifaceted concept of “spirituality.” A standardized and substantive definition of spirituality cann...
This chapter includes a comparative analysis of Buddhist and Christian value orientations in business. The comparison takes place at the level of value dimensions, represented by the irreducible core values of Buddhism and Christianity. The value orientations of Buddhist entrepreneurs are described by four core values: interconnectedness, mindfulne...
The concluding chapter reviews the key findings of the book and discusses their implications. It identifies the limitations of the work, introduces the generalizability of the findings, and highlights some future research opportunities. The cases of Buddhist and Christian entrepreneurs testify that a spiritual value orientation can contribute to re...
This chapter provides an overview of business spirituality (known also as workplace spirituality or faith at work). The history of business ethics testifies that introducing ethics as a managerial tool into business eventuates a paradox. The ethics management paradox asserts that the instrumental use of ethics undermines intrinsic moral commitment...
This chapter introduces the relevant Buddhist values for business by reviewing the conceptions of Buddhist economics (inter alia, the work of Schumacher, Pryor, Payutto, Inoue, Welford, Daniels, Nelson, Magnuson, Puntasen, Zsolnai, and Brown). Before all, the corresponding teachings of Buddhism are summarized. Buddhist economics reflects the plural...
This chapter summarizes the relevant Christian values for business by analyzing the social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church (Catholic Social Teaching). The fundamental principles and values of Catholic Social Teaching form a personalist approach to economics. The chapter also includes a review of the Vocation of the Business Leader, a booklet...
This chapter investigates the relationship between spirituality and materialism in business. First, it is argued that Buddhist and Christian entrepreneurs do not consider the cultivation of profit to be the ultimate goal of doing business. “Beyond-profit” entrepreneurs focus on their own and employees’ personal development, or on promoting the miss...
This chapter focuses on a case study of an example of spiritually driven entrepreneurship and spiritual leadership in practice that involves MrSale, a Hungarian fashion retail company. The business activities of MrSale are determined by the value orientation of the owner, whose Buddhist meditation practice plays a major role in shaping and executin...
The planet is now in a new epoch of its history, the Anthropocene, in which humanity exerts enormous impact on planetary processes. Human activities put a huge pressure on the earth system’s structure and functioning with detrimental consequences.
A decisive part of the socio-economic system beside production and distribution is consumption. In the...
The paper analyzes the way a spiritual value orientation influences entrepreneurs to develop a caring attitude in business. It presents the results of an explorative study about Christian and Buddhist entrepreneurs working in Hungary. Christian and Buddhist entrepreneurs have different ontological beliefs. Christianity is an anthropocentric traditi...
A tanulmány a gazdaság „jéghegy” modellje alapján jellemzi az üzleti vállalkozásokat (business enterprise) és a közösségi gazdaságot (community economy), valamint bemutatja a spiritualitás szerepét mindkét területen; elemzi a spiritualitásnak az üzleti és menedzsmenttudományokra, valamint az üzleti gyakorlatra kifejtett hatását; végül két nemzetköz...
Kutatásom a keresztény, illetve a buddhista értékek iránt elkötelezett magyar vállalkozók értékorientációjának kvalitatív vizsgálata. Dolgozatomban feltártam, hogy a résztvevő vállalkozók mely spirituális értékeket valósítják meg az üzleti életben, és hogyan közvetítik ezeket az értékeket szervezeteik működésében. Kutatásomban kvalitatív módszerek...
Kutatásom a keresztény, illetve a buddhista értékek iránt elkötelezett magyar vállalkozók értékorientációjának kvalitatív vizsgálata. Dolgozatomban feltártam, hogy a résztvevő vállalkozók mely spirituális értékeket valósítják meg az üzleti életben, és hogyan közvetítik ezeket az értékeket szervezeteik működésében. Kutatásomban kvalitatív módszerek...
The summary of the thesis includes the results of a qualitative research of Hungarian entrepreneurs, who are committed towards Christian and Buddhist values. Christian and Buddhist value-orientations are investigated and compared by qualitative methods. It introduces the core operating values of spiritually value-oriented entrepreneurs.
The thesis includes a qualitative research of Hungarian entrepreneurs, who are committed towards Christian and Buddhist values. Christian and Buddhist value-orientations are investigated and compared by qualitative methods. It introduces the core operating values of spiritually value-oriented entrepreneurs.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the core operating values of Catholic and Buddhist entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is an empirical investigation of the value-orientations of Catholic and Buddhist entrepreneurs in Hungary. By applying qualitative content analysis, document analysis and qualitative...
A buddhizmus egy átfogó vallási-filozófiai hagyomány, melynek célja a boldogtalanság és a szenvedés megszüntetése. Alapértékei lehetővé teszik, hogy hozzájáruljon az üzleti életben felmerülő etikai kérdések megválaszolásához, az egyéni, szervezeti, társadalmi és környezeti problémák megoldásához, továbbá a fenntarthatóság megvalósításához. A buddhi...
Mindfulness and non-violence are both traditional Indian virtues originated from the Middle Ages and developed through the centuries by the various teaching and practice of Buddhism. Their equally crucial role in practicing spirituality and leading people’s worldly life was inevitable. In the modern times a shift of importance between them has take...
Economic growth is massively idolized in our modern world. Nothing is too much for the achievement of this goal, and its long-term effects are frequently ignored. The paper explores the Buddhist spiritual orientation to nature and interprets sustainability from the Buddhist point of view. It describes Buddhist virtues that could be helpful in solvi...
The chapter depicts the potential place of the spirit of non-violence and the spirit of peace in social affairs and economic circumstances. It deals with the approach of Mahatma Gandhi to non-violence and the approach of Saint Francis of Assisi to noble poverty, simplicity and peace as one of the great inspirations to Gandhi. These two concepts are...
BOOK REVIEW of Soulful corporations – a values-based perspective on corporate social responsibility, by S. Shah and V.E. Ramamoorthy, New Delhi, Heidelberg, New York, Dordrecht, London, Springer, 2015, 608 pp., €85.59 (hardback), ISBN 978-81-322-1274-4; ISBN 978-81-322-1275-1 (eBook)
Western anthropocentric worldview has raised human beings from nature, and made them the dominant species over others and over the whole planet. This philosophy ended up in massive environmental crises, as in today’s world, modern societies are wholly detached from nature and “doing their businesses” in unsustainable ways – the consumption-based hu...
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore adaptable Buddhist teachings in economic circumstances, and provide a firm theoretical foundation for a possible Buddhist management approach. It aims to show that the application of Buddhist practical wisdom is contributing to achieve more beneficial economic outcome and management practices.
Desi...
This paper presents the Buddhist approach to the conceptions of sustainability and development. It deals with the interpretation of the United Nation’s (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from a Buddhist perspective. It examines the conception of sustainable development, the background of the MDGs. Furhermore, it draws up the Buddhist solution...
This paper aims to explore the evolution of Buddhist economics, which was introduced by Ernst Friedrich Schumacher in the early 1970s. It tries to demonstrate various major and minor thoughts, notions and interpretations from numerous Western and Eastern scholars and Buddhist thinkers, concentrated especially on the subject of microeconomics.
There are three main characteristics of each worldly phenomenon according to the Buddhist philosophy. These are: (i) impermanence; (ii) suffering; and (iii) non-self. Everything has its origination, (its existence or sustenance) and its cessation. The clinging to the sustenance of phenomena is a kind of suffering in Buddhism – it is not praised, es...
Nowadays massive economization can be experienced in every segment of the societies all over the world. Many parts of the social network are getting privatized, and getting out of the control of the governments. Marketization is a process in which social services and common goods are becoming private services and private goods. The end result of th...
Az alábbi elemzés az Európai Társadalmak Összehasonlító Vizsgálata 2010/11. (5. hullám) vallásosságra vonatkozó kérdéseinek vizsgálata.
A Boldogság és gazdaság - A buddhista közgazdaságtan eszméi című könyvben előforduló buddhista szakkifejezések és fogalmak magyarázata.
Magyar nyelvű könyvrecenzió a Business within Limits – Deep Ecology and Buddhist Economics című könyvhöz (Zsolnai, L. & Ims K. J. (eds.) [2006]: Business within Limits. Deep Ecology and Buddhist Economics. Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern).
