Résumé Nous défendons dans cet article une conceptualisation de l’entreprise comme communauté qui rompt avec le paradigme utilitariste. C’est dans sa capacité à créer du mieux, au travers du projet qui la fait exister, que l’entreprise peut contribuer à la fois au bien commun et à la réalisation personnelle des hommes qui la constituent. Cette vision invite à reconnaître la dimension intrinsèquement politique de toute entreprise, à théoriser de manière autre la gouvernance et finalement à reprendre la question de la démocratie en entreprise.

PurposeThe paper is a viewpoint about Thorstein Bunde Veblen (1857‐1929) a known yet misunderstood author, as much appreciated as criticised. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of Veblen's work whilst providing a few keys to his writing and showing the interest of his work for the business and society field of researches.Design/methodology/approachIt starts by presenting Veblen's body of work. Then it turns to a general evaluation of Veblen's work. It finishes with a discussion of Veblen's possible contributions to the business and society field.FindingsFinds that Veblen's work is an attempt to understand the fundamentals of the functioning and evolution of societies and economies and that in many respects he placed great emphasis on the relations between the work of business and society.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications may be theoretical since this paper is an invitation to renew the standard way of studying the business and society field.Originality/valueThis may be seen as a new approach to Veblen's work.

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