Volume 11.2

Asking questions may at first sight seem an odd way to exercise leadership, but Peter Shaw, who has plenty of experience of leadership, opens this issue by drawing our attention to Jesus’ use of questions. He shows that they can be both challenging and constructive.
Entrepreneurs and leadership feature in two of our book reviews this time. Richard J. Goossen examines Bill Bolton’s Grove Booklet on encouraging entrepreurship within the churches, and an inspiring work by Ian Bradley on the Victorian enlightened entrepreneurs. Tim Harle meanwhile reviews two books on leadership by Peter Shaw himself, in which surprising leadership values such as forgiveness and healing are matched by practical wisdom and a quiet faith.
In a major article on ethics, Robin McKenzie challenges conventional approaches to manufacturing ethics. He suggests that the traditional deductive approach from first principles is insufficient, and needs to be combined with the newer inductive methods, but also with a story-telling (narrative) method. The article springs from his own personal experiences in manufacturing industry and his subsequent theological reflections.
Patrick Gerard questions the market in high top executive pay, which he
thinks is based on a view that this is the only way to stimulate high performance. He offers an alternative approach based on rediscovery of the ethos of fiduciary duty, which can claim a Christian heritage.
Anita Roddick’s unusual style of business is commended by Peter Heslam, who recalls her sometimes abrasive but provocative attitude. Inspired by the Victorian Quakers, Roddick proved that morality and business acumen can go hand in hand.
Two further book reviews round off this substantial issue. Eve Poole considers the angry Wilf Wilde, and concludes that one might agree with him that Mark’s gospel challenges global capitalism, but disagree with his suggested shareholding legal solution. David Jensen’s article on the Eucharist featured in our previous issue, and Sally Orwin reviews his book on the theology of work. She finds the theology itself of great value, but feels the practical outworkings Jensen offers are limited.