The fourth wave: the spiritually-based firm

Alvin Toffler foretold the technological "third wave': in 1980. We suggest that there is an organizational fourth wave, the spirituality-based firm. T he movement toward spiritualizing the organization has apparently caught on and a number of highly diverse firms are attempting to instill a spiritual corporate culture. The intent of this paper is to explore basic attitudes and practices that appear to be essential for success in maintaining a spir itual corporate culture. Six key concepts have been selected based on our r eview of the literature, professional observations, and in-depth personal i nterviews with leaders of spiritually-based firms: honesty with self; artic ulation of the corporation's spiritually-based philosophy, mutual trust and honesty with others, commitment to quality and service commitment to emplo yees, and selection of personnel to match the corporation's spiritually-bas ed philosophy. As these key concepts are discussed specific examples of how these concepts are practiced within various firm are included.