Riley Williamsbusiness

Short-term business goals lead to long-term damage

By: Riley Williams, SFU Student Capitalist economies have long since operated with short-term thinking, contributing to numerous negative social and environmental impacts. Short-termism and long-termism are two ends of a philosophical spectrum used to describe differing perspectives on which we base our decisions. Investigating our economic systems through this lens shows why companies prioritize short-term profits over long-term sustainability, and highlights areas for improvement. Long-termism is “not a single, fully worked-out perspective.” Rather, it is a group of perspectives tied together by the importance of safeguarding and optimizing humanity’s long-term future. Alternatively, short-termism is “an excessive focus on short-term results…

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