“I’m very happy to announce that… I’ve published another book!  It’s titled  ‘ The Company, a Community of People ,’ and its subtitle is  ‘Corporate Culture for a New Era .’ It’s published by Plataforma Editorial, and it was suggested by its President, Jordi Nadal, whom I must thank for kindly encouraging me to write it. As I explain in the Prologue, it was originally going to be called  ‘Leading is Serving ,’ but in the end, the idea of ​​the company as a community of people prevailed.” This is how Antonio Argandoña’s blog post announcing his new book began.

The title accurately reflects its content, he continued, and those of you who have followed me over the past few years will find many ideas expressed in previous publications and, of course, on  this blog .  It has 331 pages, 16 chapters, and an epilogue. It begins with the theory of  human action in business  as shared action (chapters 2 and 3), and includes topics such as the  purpose  of the company (chapter 4), the company and  profit  (5),  dimensions  of the company and  business models  (6 to 8),   company  culture (9), management  (10),  ethics  of the manager and the company (11 and 12),  social responsibility  (13 and 14),  work  in the company (15), a brief  history  of the company (16), and an epilogue aimed at young people considering a career in human organizations.

To lead is to serve.  Business is service. Business is a community of people who serve other people while simultaneously satisfying their own personal needs .

In the book, we discover that Professor Argandoña favors the definition of a company given by a manager with many years of experience,  Giovanni Angelli  :  “A company is made up of people with different histories, different cultures, different inclinations, different aspirations, different jobs… And all these people, of different ages and cultures, with different jobs, have to perform the miracle of working together so that the company’s results are appropriate. Today and tomorrow. Because a company is a living entity, with  a vocation for continuity , and it is people, not machines, technology, or capital, who guide the company throughout its life. The continuity of the organization requires profitability.” 

The purpose or mission is the  company’s reason  for being, its ultimate goal, what those who manage and work there want it to be.  (…) The purpose is the contribution the company makes to society through its members, “the people in the house.” It is not a desire regarding its relative position compared to other companies. (…)

What is the benefit that should be maximized?

“What is not justifiable,” says Professor Argandoña, “is that the company should be managed to  always obtain  the  maximum  possible profit, nor that it should be managed according to the  exclusive interest  of its owners (…) Profit is like breathing, if you cannot breathe you cannot live, but a person’s mission is not to breathe.”

The important thing is that managers make their decisions always taking into account the three relevant dimensions:  effectiveness  or  profitability , necessary in an economic activity;  attractiveness , so that people always feel welcome and have the opportunity to develop; and  consistency  or  unity , so that learning is always positive (…)

A key factor in facilitating the fulfillment of a company’s mission is fostering a climate of trust among its members.  Building trust requires  exemplary  actions from managers:  professional competence in service to the company; helping other managers and employees develop as individuals;  humility to acknowledge their limitations and shortcomings;  acting with fairness, strength, courage, composure, and generosity; conveying to employees the idea that they are working on something larger than themselves;  cultivating empathy; demonstrating creativity to overcome challenges and adapt to new circumstances; and the ability to get things done.

What qualities should a manager possess as a professional?  For the task of diagnosis,  they will need  objectivity ; for setting objectives,  magnanimity and ambition —also ambition for the position if it is service-oriented—and  boldness or a willingness to take risks ; and for leading themselves and others,  strength and perseverance.  An  excellent manager  must be an  ethical manager  , and if they are not ethical, they will not be a good manager.

This book is aimed at company directors, people who have decided to embark on the project of creating or managing a company, all the workers of an organization and Business Administration students interested in the creation and keys to the success of a company, in these pages the  author  guides us on the path of the  good company :  ethical ,  responsible ,  sustainable  and  profitable .