This new book challenges the notion that business is, or can ever be, 'apolitical'. It argues that politics - the visible reflection of social values and cultural trends - shapes the environment in which business operates. More and more people are becoming politicised in the sense that they have strong views about how our societies should function - and the role that business must play. Socio-political issues increasingly affect purchasing decisions with the marketplace becoming one way in which citizens express their political identity - the rise of what some have called 'political consumerism'. Markets themselves are politically constructed, and investors increasingly focus on corporations' political positions - be they environmental or societal.
Drawing upon extensive research and case studies, this book weaves together socio-political trends with business purpose, strategy and operations. From why businesses exist at all, to the importance of diversity, and what a company stands for, both culturally and politically, The New Political Capitalism dissects the new opportunities available for those businesses that can develop effective political antennae.