Title: If not growth, then what?

Authors: Michael L. McIntyre; Steven A. Murphy; Bernard Funston

Addresses: Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B5, Canada. ' Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B5, Canada. ' Northern Canada Consulting, 7 Wedgewood Court, Ottawa, Ontario K1B 4B6, Canada

Abstract: This paper examines the misalignment between growth expectations of economic models and the finite capacity of the planet to sustain such growth. We utilise public data to illustrate that resources required to sustain human life are being degraded to a point that should warrant collective action. In examining a range of economic growth scenarios, we posit a growth-equity frontier that constrains human kind's choices, and caution that discussions around growth rates require a fundamental shift in how human kind views economic success, productivity and human happiness.

Keywords: economic growth; corporate governance; sustainability; sustainable development; economic success; productivity; human happiness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBGE.2012.047537

International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 2012 Vol.7 No.2, pp.96 - 117

Published online: 26 Jun 2012 *

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