Thematic Integration of Faith, Learning and Business

One of the top questions one should ask in order to best synthesize the key concepts in the strategic allocation of financial resources can be found in the centrality of faith in business. As Sandi Krakowski, the owner of several multi-million businesses, explains that when she coaches other entrepreneurs she advises, “No matter who they were, I'd encourage them to just have faith that they would reach the right people if serving became their focus more than selling, if loving their customer became the path to profits rather than obsessing about ROI. The highest ROI in this generation is relationship, so I'd encourage them to dig deep. Then I'd tell them to have faith” (2014). This demonstrates that one of the most important questions would be “How can I serve my customers/clients?” When business leaders force themselves to zero in on such a question and to focus on what really matters, they will then have to better prioritize financial resources. If helping clients and forging a strong relationship with them is the biggest priority, then maybe a business needs to hire more customer service representatives and support team members. In a similar fashion, another really important question to ask would be “how can this business make the world a better place, in our own way?” For some businesses, this is a tougher question to ask, as the business might seem like it caters to human vices, such as alcohol companies. Or the company might manufacture luxury items that very few can afford, such as $30,000 handbags. All companies have the ability to make the world a better place, and have an obligation to navigate financial resources in that direction—be it through worthy donations or setting up scholarships for underprivileged kids.

Another question a business might ask themselves is “how well do I understand the needs of my employees and am I meeting them?” (Lipman, 2015) One is only as strong as one’s weakest link, or one could say, one’s business is only as strong as one’s most disgruntled employee. A company that does not honor their workers and their needs sets themself up for disloyalty, resentment and mediocrity. A company that thinks of worker happiness first and allocates financial resources in that direction is likely to continue to evolve over time. Another question to ask oneself, as a business leader is “Am I a good collaborator?” Collaboration is at the heart of innovation and creativity and is one of the elements that helps to drive business forward. Carving out time to hire outside professionals who can breathe fresh life into your business costs money, but ultimately it’s an investment that will allow your company to reap both financial and developmental rewards. For example, bringing in outside animators, graphic designers, marketers, calligraphers or any sort of outside expert can help force you to work with others in ways you haven’t before. Budgeting for such an endeavor is important.

Another question one can ask oneself in business, particularly if one is dealing with an ethical conundrum is “What would my mom think of this decision? “ (Brox, 2014). While this question is somewhat in jest, it does highlight an important aspect of many business decisions: can one relay them to the people that matter in our lives? Do they make one feel ashamed? Does such a decision reflect one’s core values? This is important because in business it can sometimes be tempting to take a shortcut that might have dubious ethical content, or to take the low road rather than the high road, simply because everyone else is doing it. Checking in with such a question might mean that one has to spend more money to deal with an issue or fix a problem or invest in a solution, but allocating finances in such a direction might be the only option.

The strategic allocation of financial resources is crucial for the advancement of God’s purposes for business on earth. If it were a different, more perfect world, one would just give all one’s earnings to the poor. But such a notion simply isn’t practical and won’t allow one to carry on God’s greater objectives for his servants. As the Bible says, “so be as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. But be on your guard against men” (Matthew 10:16, New King James). As the Keller text demonstrated, it’s important to balance brand equity against customer equity when determining the strategic allocation of financial resources (Leone et al., 2006). The ultimate goal of any business is to be of service according to faith-based philosophies. In many ways, one can say that the company Google is one that has truly embodied this notion in every aspect of the business. Google emerged as a “new animal” in the tech industry, and its initial function was a simple act of service: helping people find things on the Internet. Google has fully embodied that image of the helper company, by providing free searches, free email, free storage, free drives and a host of other free services to anyone who wants them. By providing excellence to consumers, they were easily able to forge a strong amount of consumer loyalty, and loyalty that came in droves. This made the company very valuable to advertisers, something that essentially made Google, the billion-dollar company that it is today.

One can use a company like Google as a compelling case study to demonstrate the strategic allocation of resources in order to further God’s purpose through business. The secret to their success is that Google started with a heart full of service, asking questions like—how can we make the world a better place? How can we make the consumer experience of the Internet a more positive one? How can we encourage more people to use the valuable resource by providing ease and intuitive usage and comfort? Essentially Google became an online friend to so many, and that was something the company harnessed to essentially forge trust and loyalty, something Keller alluded to many times. This is a winning example of how a heart full of service and incorporating service as one of one’s core values can ensure lasting, immense long-term success.

Google also allocated financial resources to reinvest into their company so that they could create a winning corporate culture, and create a place that their team members truly enjoy being. The company created a workplace that people feel comfortable in, which is laidback and they receive, “ Unlimited free gourmet food and snacks; complementary massages; on-site daycares; and free fitness classes and gym memberships” and these just a few of the perks of working at Google. This strategy not only created greater productivity and excellence within the company, but it’s helped to create a situation where employees vie for a job at Google. This means the company now has the luxury of picking the best and brightest of all possible applicants. This strategy, through the smartest and most humane allocation of company resources, has led to even more profitability and success for the company. Furthermore, the company works hard to select leaders that inspire their star staff members so that their bright talent feels engaged and challenged, a dynamic that will lead directly to their own increased productivity to the benefit of the company (Vozza, 2017).

Google, of course, is not the only company to use faith-based pillars and philosophies to guide the direction their company takes via the strategic allocation of resources in achieving God’s purpose for the planet. Other companies that are guided by faith-based tenets include Tyson, Forever 21, Marriott Hotels, Alaska Airlines and In ‘N’ Out, with some of them even going so far as to print scripture verses on some of their products. Faith-based companies often embody the objectives stated in the Bible, reflecting the need to serve others and engage in loving service to the world, doing one’s part to make it a better place. When that is a company’s mission, funds are strategically allocated to make certain that particular priorities are met (Torry, 2017). For example, a company might spend less money on marketing and more money on employee healthcare, knowing that God or their higher power will be there to help bridge the gap between their fantastic product or service and creating exposure. Faith in God or a higher power means that one has a greater sense of the bigger picture and what’s important right now (Torry, 2017). Such companies don’t feel as pressured to spend so much of their budget on social media marketers or on analysts in order to progress forward. They can focus instead on excellent service and an excellent product and know that their faith will carry them through any challenges that might arise.