# Navigating Business Dilemmas: Purpose, Hustle, and Automation
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The CEO's Dilemma
In today's corporate landscape, leaders are grappling with a multitude of opposing forces. They are required to leverage data while still trusting their instincts. Additionally, they must balance the need for efficiency with the cultivation of a workplace that fosters trust and creativity. Executives are tasked with ensuring immediate profits while keeping an eye on the long-term repercussions of their decisions, often acting as "civic CEOs" responsible for guiding "woke brands." This balancing act, which some might describe as ambidexterity and others as disarray, can lead to a confusing mix of messages and conflicting narratives.
During the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, over 3,000 leaders confronted these dual agendas regarding the role of business in society. A candid conversation about these issues would facilitate progress.
Purpose Washing: The Taxation Debate
The first major conflict lies in the belief that businesses can address global challenges through corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, and philanthropic efforts. Critics argue this is merely a superficial and ineffective attempt to rectify past mistakes. Prominent voices, such as Anand Giridharadas in his influential book Winners Take All, contend that today’s powerful figures in tech and finance are keen to solve the world’s problems—provided it does not jeopardize their own wealth and influence. He describes Davos as a gathering for those who have contributed to societal issues.
Although Giridharadas was absent, his ally Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian and author of Utopia for Realists, raised eyebrows at the event. He likened Davos to a conference for firefighters that fails to mention water. In a discussion titled “The Cost of Inequality,” he provocatively stated, “It’s about taxes, taxes, taxes,” challenging an audience that likely prefers to discuss collaborative efforts to enhance business’s social footprint.
In another panel, billionaire Michael Dell responded to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s suggestion of a 70% tax rate for high earners by stating he preferred philanthropic efforts over government taxation. His assertion drew a measured rebuttal from MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson, who pointed out that America’s economic success during the 1950s to 1970s was closely linked to higher tax rates.
Calls for increased taxes on billionaires are not new; Warren Buffett has long advocated for the wealthy to contribute more. Ocasio-Cortez, however, has transformed the mainstream dialogue. While the U.S. economy boasts low unemployment and significant job creation, Oxfam International’s Winnie Byanyima reminded attendees that many new jobs are precarious, emphasizing the importance of job quality and dignity.
Hustle Culture: The Push for Productivity
In response to these challenges, companies often promote the re-humanization of the workplace. The term “human” is frequently employed, from the concept of the "human network" to the "human brand." However, distinguishing genuine efforts from public relations tactics can be challenging. For instance, Microsoft has made strides to align its policies with human-centered values, with CEO Satya Nadella backing the European GDPR regulations at Davos.
Yet, there is a growing skepticism about whether the encouragement to "love what you do" is merely a tactic to exploit workers’ intrinsic motivations. This can lead to a "hustle culture" that ultimately detracts from employee satisfaction, as highlighted by Dan Lyons in his critique of Silicon Valley work environments in Lab Rats. Economist David Graeber also argues that many jobs have lost their social value, dubbing them "bullshit jobs" meant only to sustain the illusion of productivity. Bregman cited a study showing that 21% of professionals in sales and marketing see their roles as socially useless, compared to none among librarians.
Despite this, companies continue to seek heightened creativity and productivity from their workforce, often using people analytics tools to optimize not just technical skills but also emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships among employees. In this era of Digital Taylorism, workers are left with a stark choice: adapt to become akin to intelligent machines or face replacement.
Automation: A Future Without Routine Work
As automation advances, there is a significant amount of ambiguous rhetoric surrounding corporate responsibility. Are CEOs who fully embrace automation cynical, or are those who profess to prioritize purpose while sacrificing it for short-term profits more disingenuous? Terms like “digital ethics” and “human-centered A.I.” often mask the reality that many CEOs are keen on automating any process that can be streamlined.
Reports indicate that business leaders present sharply differing narratives in public versus private discussions. Richard Liu, founder of JD.com, envisions a future of complete automation, while Foxconn has plans to automate 80% of its workforce within the next decade. A 2017 Deloitte survey found that 53% of companies were already employing machines for tasks once handled by humans, a figure projected to rise to 72% soon.
According to A.I. investor Kai-Fu Lee, there is no future for workers engaged in routine jobs. The motivations for CEOs to retain human labor primarily stem from the need for innovation—an area still dominated by human creativity—and a desire to avoid social unrest stemming from a disintegrating social contract.
At Davos, billionaire investor Seth A. Klarman expressed concern in a letter to his stakeholders, cautioning that “business as usual” is untenable amid increasing protests and societal tensions.