IT 
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Tethinking Wealth Creation and Distribution in the Jubilee:
A Double Challenge for Catholic Social Thougth and Management Education
Universidad Iberoamericana, Puebla, Mexico
July 12-14, 2000
General Description:
We are always faced with the dynamic questions of what is wealth, how is it created, and how is it distributed? These questions of wealth creation and distribution, insofar as they affect the human subject, challenge the Church and the Catholic university to respond in new and creative ways. It has been argued that Catholic social thought has under-emphasized the role of wealth creation within the enterprise neglecting an important dimension of human work. It has also been argued that Catholic business schools have under-emphasized the role of wealth distribution neglecting a critical responsibility of its mission. It is fitting that on the occasion of the Jubilee, we gather to reexamine the role of business organizations in wealth creation and distribution so as to develop further Catholic social thought within management education at Catholic universities.
Paper Topics:
In light of this dual challenge, we seek papers that focus on the following four areas:
1) Wealth Creation:
What is wealth and how is it created? What theological, philosophical, economic and managerial concepts and insights can be brought to bear to better understand the nature of wealth as it relates to entrepreneurship, creativity, the role of knowledge, risk taking, competition, virtues, financialization of assets, and so forth? What policies and practices manifest a business' commitment to wealth creation while at the same time fostering a just distribution of wealth? Given the increasing global interdependence in the world, what activities would foster wealth creation that would contribute to the common good, especially those in developing countries?
2) Wealth Distribution:
What theological, philosophical, economic and managerial resources can be brought to bear to better understand the nature of distribution as it relates to property, capital ownership, wages, knowledge and training, financial markets, and so forth? What policies and practices manifest a business' commitment to a just distribution of incomes and wealth while at the same time fostering wealth creation? Given the increasing global interdependence in the world, what activities would foster wealth distribution that would contribute to the common good, especially those in developing countries?
3) Curriculum and Pedagogical Materials on Wealth Distribution and Creation:
What role do business schools at Catholic universities have in educating responsible managers concerning wealth creation and distribution and what role does Catholic social thought play in this education? What are the implications for teaching finance, economics, human resources, entrepreneurship and other business disciplines if principles of common use, option for the poor and the virtues of justice and solidarity are taken seriously concerning wealth distribution and creation? What role can service learning play in integrating Catholic social thought and wealth distribution in the business curriculum?
4) Other Issues:
How does the global integration of financial and consumer markets affect the creation and distribution of wealth and incomes, particularly for the developing world? What questions do the principle of subsidiarity raise for global capitalism? Does the principle of solidarity require that market outcomes be evaluated by standards other than profitability? Is there increasing income and wealth inequity? If so what are the causes and what role can business play in creating a more just distribution?
Please send a two-page proposal of your paper by November 1, 1999 to:
Michael J. Naughton
John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought
#57P University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit St. Paul, MN 55105 USA
or e-mail to
or fax to ++1 651-962-5710
Advisory Committee:
Charles Clark and Michael Naughton (co-chairs),
Ramiro Bernal Cuevas, Manuel Rodriguez, Xavier Enriquez (hosts),
Gabriel Codina S.J., Patricio Crichigno, Robert Kennedy, Johan Verstraeten, Jeanne Buckeye, Dennis McCann, Peter John Opio, Helen Alford O.P., Lee Tavis, Ernest Pierucci, Paul Dembinski, Mary Muary, Jean-Loup Dherse, Edwin Epstein, Thomas Bausch, Bill Toth, Michael Stebbins, Sandra Gooding, Louis Xavier S.J.
The following institutions are sponsors to the 2000 symposium:
John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas (US), College of Business Administration St. John's University (US), Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico), Institute for Work at Seton Hall University (US), International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS), Uganda Martyrs University (Uganda), ILADES (Chile), Loyola Institute of Business Administration (India), Loyola College of Baltimore (US), Financial Monitoring Centre (Switzerland), John F. Henning Institute and the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary's College of California (US), University of St. Thomas' Graduate School of Business (US).
To view the papers from past symposia please visit our web page:
http://www.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/cst/mgmt/research.htm
The symposium will preceed the International Association of Jesuit Business Schools,
which runs from July 9-12th, 2000.
Acceptance or rejection of proposals will be given by December 1, 1999.
