ABSTRACT
In the context of wicked problems such as changing the social contract, there are numerous points of view. In Of the Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau states: ' the social order is a sacred right which is the basis of all other rights. Obviously, as with any wicked problem, any number of perspectives might be brought to bear and issues raised. In part, what has happened is that the social contract that has existed between business and society, as well as between people and government/society, and the planet during the past century—and particularly since the early 1980s—is no longer working. The idea of a social contract, which as Keeley points out is metaphorical rather than literal, originally applied to the relationship between people and government. Making this transition means that leaders will need to step forward consistently—into the business and political arenas—and argue for a future-preserving and enhancing orientation towards business.
