I have been watching Star Trek for as long as I can remember. I never really thought of it as a source of business advice until recently. In the Star Trek world money is no longer used, at least not in the United Federation of Planets. There is no hunger or poverty and everyone does their job to further mankind.
However, other civilizations on other planets have money and the inhabitants even seek to make a profit. There are worlds that use barter as a way to get items that they need. Freighter ships move cargo from outpost to outpost; they do it for a profit – that profit is not usually in the form of money, but in the form of other cargo. Traders are not the only “businessmen” though, when you consider that the most business like race is the Ferengi who have an entire culture based on business, commerce and making a profit.
There is a lot to learn about business from these different cultures represented in the world of Star Trek. There is more to life than money. Yet I admit the idea of no poverty and no hunger is great.
In Star Trek, the Ferengi are a commerce governed race of aliens. Rather than laws, they live by the Rules of Acquisition, many of which are actually good, sound business advice. Most of the rules are sometimes a bit shady or what we would consider unethical; but I think there’s a lot to learn from each of them (according to Star Trek lore, the Ferengi have at least 286 rules).
Over the next few months we will boldly go where no business lesson has gone before. Be watching next week for the the Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #63: The Riskier the Road, the Greater the Profit. I look forward to your comments.