In William D. Guth and Renato Tagiuri’s article “Personal Values and Corporate Strategy”, the authors argue that corporate strategies are influenced just as much by personal values as they are by financial and market forces. This idea resonates with me because I have seen this firsthand through the way my family chooses to operate our family business. As funeral home owners and directors, my family does not just measure success by profit but also by showing care, compassion, and trust to grieving families. Running a business by valuing integrity, empathy, and kindness goes a long way and helps build consumer relationships. This directly reflects the point that Guth and Tagiuri are conveying through taking an ethical approach to doing what is “right” for long-term success.

Additionally, I have seen this method being used in other companies such as Patagonia. Patagonia positions itself as an ethical company that focuses on environmental and social responsibility through many outlets such as its “Worn to Wear” program that encourages customers to trade in old items or have them repaired as opposed to accumulating more waste. I have learned about this program through a presentation I watched during another class that showed clips and insight into Patagonia’s strategies.

In personal business opportunities as well as when analyzing the business tactics of other ethical brands or corporations I will incorporate ideas from this article to instill my values into my work. I agree with the article that you can only have so much success in business without having morals that build relationships with other companies and consumers.

Guth, William D., and Renato Tagiuri. “Personal Values and Corporate Strategy.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 43, no. 5, Sept. 1965, pp. 123–132. Harvard Business Publishing.