Can West Michigans morals help region economically?
By Matt Vande Bunte, The Grand Rapids Press March 05, 2010, 5:34PM Consultants were puzzled why Zondervan’s West Michigan warehouse outperformed others in the publishing industry.GRAND RAPIDS — An ongoing battle over corporate consolidation brought an outside consultant with stopwatches into Zondervan’s local warehouse. And for the higher productivity found compared to distribution in New York, there was no explanation. Maureen Girkins wonders if her company’s Christian mission might have something to do with it. “They looked at me like I was absolutely crazy, but it demonstrated to me the whole ethic of this town,” the Zondervan president and CEO said Friday at Cornerstone University. “Our people have such a spirit of helping out. It’s a mission. It’s not a job.” Girkins took part in a discussion of how West Michigan morals might elevate the economy from its present state, which panelists agreed was created in part by a lack of integrity on the job. Whether the ethics-fueled efficien
