ABSTRACT
The link between finance and morality has been broken. At the same time, evidence of the Anthropocene has shown that humanity needs to change its habits, markets and institutions and make purpose and sustainability central to business. Having played a part in social and planetary destruction, the accounting and finance science lacks the tools and language for paradigm change. Its experts also lack integrity and wisdom – technocracy has overwhelmed the discipline. Even culture is being measured in a technocratic way. In this introductory chapter, we explain what has gone wrong and why, and show how diverse cultures and communities have been living and practising a sustainable approach for hundreds and thousands of years. The solutions have been hiding in plain sight – and there is a track record too. These are explained briefly and elaborated in detail in future chapters on tradition, community, experience and purpose. A timely and radical approach to inclusive finance leadership is revealed through case studies and true stories, opening a whole new diverse vista of finance wisdom, research and teaching for future scholars.
