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Report of Workshop 'Culture oriented Economies' by Gilbert Lenssen

I. Participants

II. Objectives of the Workshop

  1. To practice a model for an interdisciplinary dialogue between economists, natural scientists, politicians and managers in search for the new paradigms for culture oriented economies.
  2. Thereby applying a broad definition of culture comprising the arts, aesthetics, values, ethics and historical heritage.
  3. To analyse the causes of the inability of mainstream economics to give adequate answers to the main problems facing our economies and societies and to identify ways to increase the capacity for problem solving in economic thinking and acting.
  4. To discuss possible actions to foster European future oriented economic policy initiatives.

III. Prejudices of the Workshop (presented by the chairman)

  1. The group supports the platform of cultural diversity, incorporated in the statement by the Flemish government on the 'Europe of Cultures'.
  2. The group sees less value in applying conventional techniques of economic policy for the development of culture oriented economies. Instead, a fundamental review of the paradigms of mainstream (mechanistic) economics of the Atlantic tradition seems unavoidable.

Following paradigm shifts need consideration:

3. The group shares a (European) vision for a renewal of management theory and practice which is

This vision promotes the need for a European approach to management which is clearly distinct from American and East Asian 'models'.

IV. Process of the Workshop

Leading themes for the process awareness of the group in conducting the workshop:

"The vertical gives meaning to the horizontal line",

Le Corbusier, quoted by Leonce Bekemans

"Discussion is about tearing thoughts apart, dialogue is about bringing us and our thoughts together",

David Bohm, Physicist

Short individual presentations were made, followed by question and debate.

Individual commitments and initiatives were stated at the end of the workshop to stress the importance of self responsibility and action to bring about the vision of a culturally oriented economy for Europe.

V. Individual presentations

The full texts of the supporting essays are in the main section of this workshop. What follows are summaries of the main points made during the presentation and by other participants during the debate.

1. Louis Baeck: The revival of the Mediterranean tradition in economic thought

2. Anastassios Karayiannis: Critique of mechanistic economics

3. Franz Moser: Paradigm shifts in the natural sciences

4. Pierre Guillet de Monthoux: Art and management, or how can art and aesthetics contribute to a necessary revolution in business management?

5. Kris Rogiers: Cultural diversity and capital structures for regional economies

6. William A. Adam: Centre of Enterprise and the need for regional venture capital

7. Leonce Bekemans participated in the debate, but did not make a separate presentation. He presented a paper in the plenum of the seminar: In search for a new synthesis between the newly emerging societal paradigm and concrete action programmes to safeguard cultural diversity.

8. Gilbert Lenssen acted as a chairman and did not present his paper: Paradigm shift in economic science and in management: methodological, historical, cultural and ontological aspects of the transformation of economic thought.

VI. Personal actions

Following individual commitments were expressed by the participants:

Louis Baeck

Anastassios Karayianinnis

Franz Moser

Pierre Guillet de Monthoux

Kris Rogiers

William A. Adam

Leonce Bekemans

Gilbert Lenssen

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