Fourth Wave

This prediction of a benevolent role for corporations in 21st-century society synthesizes recent academic thinking (some 500 titles are listed in a bibliography) to suggest that a ``fourth wave'' integrating life and social responsibility will transcend the agricultural, industrial and cultural interdependency waves of human development. Former DuPont executive Maynard and Mehrtens ( Earthkeeping ) envision big-business leadership in such areas as environmental ``health of the planet'' and whole-life concerns for employees (who will become part-owners) and their families in a ``community model'' business structure of ``shared vision, principles and values.'' While citing signs of such progress and mandating much more, the authors never quite identify the forces which are expected to convert a competitive, profit-seeking, hierarchical institution--the corporation--into a democratic, ``intuitive'' and ``biopolitical'' social instrument. ( June )