by Len Rogers

Created on: April 17, 2008

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The company secretary, called the meeting to order, read aloud the formal notice of the annual general meeting, and introduced the chairman. The chairman, young, dynamic-looking, stood up and addressed the shareholders in clipped, confident tones.

"We have had a good year; I might add, a significantly important year," he announced, "and as a result of our staff at every level, having embraced the marketing concept, we can truly say that now, we are a real, marketing-oriented organisation." He emphasised the words, 'real' and 'marketing'. Clearing his throat, he continued

"All this has been at considerable effort and expense over the past twelve months, and your board has to advise you that this year there is no money available for distribution as dividends. However, in becoming a thoroughly marketing-oriented company, we have created a record number of customers and, as you will appreciate, this is the real purpose of business."

The shareholders were very appreciative of the efforts of the directors and unanimously passed a motion to this effect coupling with it a motion to vote the whole board out of office.

THE PURPOSE OF BUSINESS
In altruistic terms, modern marketing proclaims that the real purpose of business is to find customers and that profit is used to measure success in this venture.

Tell that to the shareholders, the tax inspector, the bank, or worse, the spouse, and you're on a loser. If you don't make money, you won't stay in business.

Despite this, marooned on a desert island with little hope of an early rescue, substantial money in the bank or cash in hand is of no practical use whatsoever. Water, food, the means of making fire, a radio, a boat, all would be immeasurably more valuable. Money as an end in itself has no value, it is useless; of less value than even the Zimbabwean dollar, which in mid-April 2008, required Z$50,000,000 to purchase a couple of toilet rolls. You can't wear money, drink it or eat it. Left on its own it does absolutely nothing. In itself, it offers you no security, it won't keep you healthy, it is no cure for any ailment; you can't live with it, but you can't live without it. However, leave it lying around without protection and it quickly goes walk-about never to return.

In business, it is little more than a lubricant. It oils the wheels of commerce; it keeps industry turning; it facilitates exchanges and greases palms. It is to companies what lubricating oil is to a motorcar. If your car runs out of

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