New shoes, new... things

Yesterday I went out and bought a pair of Timberland's ultra light form-fitted shoes, my first pair of new shoes in about 2 years. My previous Timberland boots have been faithfully serving me until their soles were worn through. And I got thinking.

I have been thinking about businesses. More, I've been thinking about my own business, what it's going to be, how it's going to be created, and how it's going to fit into the coming new age. I believe honestly that we as a human race are entering a new age. It might not be as dramatic or sudden as some advocates claim, but something is in the works.

So the new business paradigm of people like John Mackey came to mind. Corporate social responsibility. Hmm. OK, I can deal with that. I don't see why corporations should be granted some magical high throne above every other organisaton on the planet and be totally disconnected everything but their profits.

But it's a bit much, right now. I haven't a clue how to run a business. I don't even know yet what it's going to do. Slowly though I'm being convinced that it really doesn't matter what the business does, it's the way that business is done which matters. A well run company making ball bearings is going to be a better bet than a highly strung mercurial hi-tech company with dubious management.

So, the question in my mind is: Have the fundamentals of running a business changed with the coming new age? If so, what has changed, and what needs to be rethought? What remains the same, which principles remain sound for a business even now?