Achieving Growth

Our primary objective is to help people grow. Much of our work is in developing countries.

Our notion of growth is not based on per-capita GDP (gross domestic product) as the primary metric. We do not consider Western lifestyles and the power of consumption to be the best measure of personal growth.

We recognize that spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth is the basis of personal fulfillment. Continual achievement and increasing the ability to appreciate one's family, community, and environment are the objectives of development.

The susceptibility to radical change, whether from health, environment, or socio-economic causes, generates fear and undermines personal growth.

Within the Framework of Local Culture

Cultural values play a strong role in achieving personal fulfillment.

We believe that development must occur within the framework of local culture.

At the same time, we do not believe that culture should remain frozen or closed. Culture grows and adapts to its physical and social environment without losing its identity. We do not accept the proposition that change destroys culture. A child changes dramatically in every respect as he or she grows into adulthood, yet his or her core identity is preserved. In the same way, there is no obligation for a culture to cling to values or practices that were adapted to an older environmental or social context.

Cultural transformation and growth must be intelligent. Change should be undertaken at a pace that allows intelligent accommodation to the core values that define a culture.

Strategy and Tools

Local cultures need powerful tools for communication and organization in order to achieve sustainable success. Our goal is to apply the tools of information technology in such a way as to strengthen rather and erode local culture.

We recognize that members of the local community must learn to use these tools effectively. As participants in a cultural development programs, we are sensitive to the issue of technology transfer. We recognize that our goal is to transfer technology and not to "adopt" the cultures we work with.

Developing Cultural Assets

Information content represents a growing proportion of the value of many products and services in today's markets. A brand name can represent greater value than the objects or services it is applied to.

We believe that local culture represents an increasing value in the marketplace as globalization simultaneously diminishes differences and facilitates communication.

Cultural value can be attached to a range of physical products and services. Properly developed as a brand, the cultural value can greatly increase the market value of the product without increasing costs of production or environmental or social impact.

Specialty Products in Global Markets

Specialty products generally represent the highest levels of quality in the market. We seek to associate cultural values with the highest levels of quality. There are cases, of course, where mass commodities may be linked to cultural brands to their mutual benefit. Our goal is to establish brand with the highest level of quality and then use that recognition to pull through a price premium on related commodities.