Study Aims To Prove Corporate Values Can Drive Success, Improve Communities

LISLE, Ill., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every company worth its weight in smartphones touts it has a values-based corporate culture essential to its business but one university seeks to make them prove it.

Benedictine University's Center for Values-Driven Leadership (CVDL) will explore the relationship between corporate culture and business success in small to midsize organizations by conducting a three-year study of 30 companies. The study is co-conducted with Small Giants Community, a global group of company leaders that seek to define success not solely as profit but also based on community contributions, customer service and the creation and preservation of excellent workplace cultures.

The researchers are analyzing every business aspect of the companies studied and will publish findings for public review. But why would these companies want to allow researchers in and submit themselves to invasive analysis with the potential of uncovering an area with a negative assessment?

Study organizers say the best companies want to know the good with the bad.

"Good leaders want to know where they stand," said Jim Ludema, CVDL director and principal researcher.

The Return on Values initiative will take a close look at 30 companies that are industry leaders in profit, culture and values. These companies will be identified as part of the research. The initiative also includes a longitudinal survey research of 5,000 companies and the researchers will publish a list of the names of these companies, but will keep their survey results confidential.

The research hopes to benefit the public by giving entrepreneurs, leaders, business school faculty and policy makers clear guideposts for strengthening the economy by growing small and midsize companies through a values-driven approach, Ludema said. The ultimate benefit will be stronger businesses filled with happy employees, thriving communities and a stronger economy.

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