Business Quote by Charles Handy
“In a knowledge economy, a good business is a community with a purpose, not a piece of property.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Age of Unreason, 1997
A successful business thrives as a purpose‑driven community, not merely as an asset.
In simple terms: Businesses succeed when they serve a shared purpose.
Key Takeaway
Build purpose‑centered communities.
Themes
purpose
community
business ethics
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
business
When to use this quote
- startup culture
- corporate strategy
- community development
Key Concepts
social enterprise
stakeholder theory
value creation
Questions to Reflect On
- What purpose drives your organization?
- How can community values align with financial goals?
A Different Perspective
Focusing solely on purpose can overlook profit sustainability.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
