*6. Higher Purpose, Humanistic Values, and Sense of Meaning for Work and in Product*

The notion of aesthetics goes far beyond style and sensory pleasures, reaching deep into the human psyche. It elevates the mind, affects beliefs, represents our values and defines our actions through life. In the same vein, the integration of the artist way into management has impact beyond strategies, processes and skills training. Art thrusts a human-centered perspective on technology and business. For example, the artists' ability to bring the "human component" into the development of technology is credited as E.A.T. program's essential contribution to Nokia Bell Labs. Consumers today expect not just utility from their purchases, but also identity and alignment with their personal values. "Products and experiences that evoke wonder, joy, hope, and happiness, or help personal expression, can connect with consumers on a deeper level and command a premium" [8]. Artful exploration and aesthetic design are crucial to satisfy these needs. The needs for positive emotion and value alignment are also exhibited in the workforce, where employees and students want to engage in work that is innately human, meaningful, productive, and creatively fulfilling [2]. Furthermore, many consumers and younger-generation employees are keenly aware of the challenges the world faces, from environmental damage to rampant inequality, caused in part by corporate greed and catastrophic externalities. They demand greater accountability from the business world. There is a growing movement of entrepreneurs and intellectuals advocating for quadruple bottom line, adding purpose to the progressive triple bottom line of people, profit and planet [18,19]. This fourth organizational goal benefits the cultural and spiritual wellbeing of employees, customers and communities, in harmony with the environment. These frameworks help map the return on ABI investments, to broader bottom-line evaluations than narrow, near-term financial measures. Art has a unique role to play across all these value domains, but is probably the most prevalent in the fourth bottom line [8]. Art, in its essence, is an exploration of the human condition. As digital machines acquire more and more human-like cognitive intelligence, the profound question posed by art about what it is to be human will be ever more vital, for society and business alike. 

Together, this collection of outstanding articles reflects a New Renaissance movement towards the re-convergence of knowledge, a revival of humanness in the age of artificial intelligence and harmony between man and nature. The research, case studies and experiments demonstrate a rich, multidimensional relationship between art and business, be it artistic strategies and processes, artful leadership, or art thinking for radical innovation. Clearly, art is not just a beneficiary of corporate philanthropy. On a societal level, art is an active economic driver and an agent of change towards a more sustainable and equitable economy. For individual firms, art can be a strategic asset for innovation, a cultivator of a more creative, resourceful and passionate workforce, and an impactful investment in their ability to navigate complexity and transform. 

On a personal note, this Special Issue project has been an intensely gratifying experience for me. I was honored to have Professor Piero Formica and Dr. Claus Springborg join me in it. I am also grateful for the generous support from JOItmC editorial leadership and staff throughout the process. Integrating business and art is taking on more urgency today as the world undergoes the crucible of transformation, calling for fundamental changes in the way humans learn, create, and interrelate. This presents unprecedented challenges, as well as unprecedented opportunities. We are grateful for the intellectual and spiritual contributions authors have made to this project and we look forward to future collaborations in advancing the fundamental role of art and humanities, together with science and economy, in this crucial phase of human history. 

> **BeiBei Song**  *Special Issue Editor*
