RoundMap® isn’t just a framework; it’s a call to rethink how businesses grow, connect, and impact the world around them. Developed over a decade by someone who believes that business can be a catalyst for ethical prosperity, RoundMap challenges traditional, linear approaches, instead advocating for holistic, shared-value systems that bring long-term benefits to all stakeholders. But what drives its creator to pursue this vision? What inspired the creation of a model so intent on disrupting conventional business norms, and what comes next? Here, we present three bold questions that go to the heart of RoundMap’s purpose and its future.
These questions aren’t just about RoundMap—they’re about the future of ethical, impactful business:
- “What led you to create RoundMap? What fundamental gaps or challenges did you see that demanded a new approach?”
- “Is pursuing ethical prosperity a pathway to fairness, or does it mean embracing a different economic ideology?”
- “What’s next for RoundMap? How do we expand this framework and deepen its impact in a world that’s constantly evolving?”
1. "What led you to create RoundMap? What fundamental gaps or challenges did you see that demanded a new approach?"
When you developed RoundMap, it was clear that you saw something missing in conventional business practices—something that couldn’t be addressed by short-term strategies or linear frameworks. Was it a desire to break through the isolationism you observed in companies, or was it about building a system that could adapt to the complexities of today’s interconnected world? Perhaps, it was the realization that thriving in complexity requires more than just silos and isolated profits—it requires an orchestration of value that benefits all stakeholders. Share with us what sparked this journey and how RoundMap evolved as a solution to challenges that others had yet to address.
Edwin Korver: “RoundMap didn’t emerge just as a toolkit for business—it was born out of a pressing need to reframe how businesses approach success in a complex, interconnected world. Traditional business frameworks often focus on linear growth, profit maximization, and compartmentalized silos, each operating in isolation. But that model, while effective in the short term, lacks the adaptability, sustainability, and shared purpose necessary for long-term resilience and true prosperity.
I saw a fundamental gap: businesses were operating as isolated islands, disconnected not only from each other but also from the broader ecosystem of stakeholders they impact and depend on. This ‘corporate isolationism’ restricts potential for shared value creation, limits adaptability, and often leaves adverse impacts unaddressed. RoundMap was designed to break this pattern—by enabling organizations to think beyond silos, to build collaborative networks where value is shared, impact is amplified, and responsibilities are collectively shouldered.
The goal was to create a whole-system framework, one that aligns both internal strengths and external partnerships around a shared purpose. RoundMap bridges the divide between a business’s short-term goals and its long-term impact. It’s about orchestrating value in a way that honors both individual ambitions and collective responsibility, redefining prosperity as something ethical, impactful, and inclusive.”
2. "Is pursuing ethical prosperity a pathway to fairness, or does it mean embracing a different economic ideology?"
Some might see a focus on ethical prosperity as a step away from traditional business motives, perhaps even a nod toward an economic system that challenges capitalism itself. But is that really the case? For you, does ethical prosperity represent an evolution within the boundaries of capitalism, one that prioritizes shared impact without abandoning profit? Or does it call for a broader, even radical shift in how we measure business success? Let’s explore your vision for ethical prosperity—why it’s essential and how it redefines the core purpose of business.
Edwin Korver: “Ethical prosperity, as I envision it, isn’t a departure from capitalism; rather, it’s a purposeful evolution within it. Traditional business thinking often centers around profit as the primary metric of success, yet this approach can overlook the broader impact of our actions—on people, communities, and the planet. Ethical prosperity aims to expand the measure of success to include long-term, positive outcomes that serve a diverse network of stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Now, some might interpret this as veering towards a different economic ideology, one with principles that could resemble aspects of socialism. But ethical prosperity is distinct: it advocates for responsible growth, equitable profit distribution, and a commitment to sustainable impact, all within the framework of a free market. It doesn’t reject the importance of profit; instead, it views profit as a means to an end—a tool to fund and further shared goals rather than the goal itself.
In this way, ethical prosperity is less about changing the economic system and more about recalibrating the priorities within it. It seeks to demonstrate that capitalism can be a force for good when it’s guided by purpose and mutual responsibility. RoundMap is a response to this shift, providing the structure for businesses to achieve financial health while driving positive change. This approach redefines growth, not as a relentless pursuit of profits alone, but as a balanced journey toward a sustainable, fair, and impactful future.”
3. "What’s next for RoundMap? How do we expand this framework and deepen its impact in a world that’s constantly evolving?"
With a foundation built on whole-system thinking and stakeholder-driven success, RoundMap has set out a new standard. Yet, frameworks must evolve to remain impactful. As businesses increasingly face disruption, growing environmental concerns, and the call for responsible growth, what does the future hold for RoundMap? Is it about extending its reach to new industries, integrating more advanced decision-making tools, or perhaps, creating partnerships that embody this vision? Where do you see RoundMap going next, and how can it guide businesses to thrive ethically and sustainably in an unpredictable world?
Edwin Korver: “The journey of RoundMap is far from over. In fact, we’re only scratching the surface of what it can accomplish as businesses face increasing pressures to adapt, innovate, and act responsibly. The next steps involve amplifying RoundMap’s reach and its practical application. This means extending its framework across industries, scaling it in a way that allows diverse organizations to apply its principles—whether they’re small enterprises or multinational corporations.
Looking forward, the goal is to deepen RoundMap’s role as a guiding force, not just in shaping business strategies but in influencing how businesses approach their very reason for being. Part of this vision involves building partnerships, or shared value networks, where like-minded organizations come together to tackle large-scale challenges—such as environmental impact, social inequality, and sustainable development. These partnerships would form networks that leverage collective strengths to create and share value responsibly.
Moreover, RoundMap’s future includes integrating advanced decision-support tools, such as the RoundMap Agent, designed to provide leaders with real-time, holistic insights. This AI-driven platform would act as a cognitive partner in navigating complex challenges, offering data-backed guidance that keeps companies aligned with their ethical prosperity goals.
Ultimately, the expansion of RoundMap is about creating a ripple effect—a broader adoption of whole-system thinking that transforms not only individual organizations but the business ecosystem as a whole. By embracing the principles of RoundMap, businesses can adapt to change, generate long-term value, and foster an economy that thrives sustainably and equitably.”
“In every thing I want to grasp
Its very core.
In work, in searching for the path,
In heart’s uproar.
To see the essence of my days,
In every minute
To see its cause, its root, its base,
Its sacred meaning.
Perceiving constantly the hidden
Thread of fate
To live, to think, to love, to feel
And to create.
If I was able, I would write,
I’d try to fashion
The eight of lines, the eight of rhymes
On laws of passion,
On the unlawfulness and sins,
On runs and chases,
On palms and elbows, sudden somethings,
Chances, mazes.
I’d learn the passion’s rules and ways,
Its source and matter,
I would repeat its lovely names,
Each single letter.
I’d plant a verse as park to grow.
In verbs and nouns
Lime-trees would blossom in a row,
Aligning crowns.
I’d bring to verses scents and forms
Of mint and roses,
Spring meadows, bursts of thunderstorms,
Hay stacks and mosses.
This way Chopin in the old days
Composed, infusing
The breath of parks and groves and graves
Into his music.
The triumph — agony and play —
The top, the brink.
The tightened bow-string vibrates —
The living string.”
Russian poem by Boris Pasternak, Nobel Prize Winner
