I realized a while ago that in my whole career I’ve never worked for a for-profit corporation.
Recently I’ve been wondering if non-profit corporations could succeed in areas typically dominated by for-profit corporations. I’m in the U.S.
There are certainly plenty of non-profits functioning, employing people, and providing services to the public. Schools, Hospitals, public radio & TV, etc. But what areas are there where non-profits could exist and survive where they don’t currently?
That is exactly what I mean. Any company that currently turns a profit runs ‘economically’, i.e. output>input. That shouldn’t change when you alter the mission statement. Quite the contrary, if a company doesn’t have to hand out its surplus to shareholders, it can instead increase wages, lower prices, or invest to maintain/increase its capabilities.
You mentioned hospitals, which are mostly private in the US. Turning them non-profit would result in any combination of cheaper treatments, better working conditions for employees and more modern equipment. The primary objective would change from making a profit to helping people.
And even companies operating at a loss could become non-profit, if some actor (like the government) decides to finance it. (Think of welfare organizations)
edit: basically I am saying anything can be run as a non-profit. If it has a profit: great, that can be reinvested. No profit? Then you need someone (the state) to carry that non-profit.