Kim Woods ONLY

The term egalitarianism describe the “social organization of peoples who have been empirically observed to practice a cultural ethos which encourages sharing, peaceful cooperation, and equality, while discouraging property accumulation, status-seeking, conflict, and authoritarianism” (Townsend, n.d.). In essence, a fancy synonym for kumbaya. The journal article I selected discusses how business must continue to look at corporate governance through the lens of theorist John Rawls (1999), but with a more rational approach

Neron (2015) makes the claim that an egalitarian marketplace can be just as dangerous as a hierarchical marketplace. “Business” since it term was coined, has long been faced with the charge that it fosters inequality. Many critic would argue that the current status of income distribution is unfair and unethical and that it must be changed. However, Neron (2015) concludes that a relationship approach egalitarianism is the best approach because it moves our society away from the hunter-gatherer mindset, and takes us into a marketplace where everyone contributes and receives equally based on outputs within the system in place. More so, since it can be difficult to explain to the masses why doctors make the same as sanitation workers. Both deal in health and safety and require certain skills, but one requires a higher level of critical analysis and decision-making. Additionally, not everyone can thrive in an egalitarian setting (Neron, 2015).

I do agree with Neron’s (2015) conclusion. In an egalitarianism company, managers don't have large offices with expensive furnishings. Instead, they work in efficient spaces that are identical to those that other workers use. Tony Hsieh, the CEO for Zappos, is famous for this type of workplace environment and it works. However, these companies also face problems as workers attempt to adapt to an egalitarian structure, especially if they come from backgrounds in traditional, hierarchical companies.

Neron, P. Y. (2015). Rethinking the very idea of egalitarian markets and corporations: Why relationships might matter more than distribution. Business Ethics Quarterly, 25(1), 93-124.

Rawls, John. 1999. A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.

Townsend, C. (n.d.). Egalitarianism, the evolution of. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/29417676/Egalitarianism_the_evolution_of