Research

Original scholarship
in service of the Kingdom.

CGT Research Institute produces peer-quality research, original frameworks, and openly licensed intellectual property — all in service of Christian entrepreneurs and the communities they serve.

Doctoral Dissertation

Business as Ministry in the US Rural Midwest for the Common Good
Dr. Eric Z.M. Ma · Biola University, Cook School of Intercultural Studies · Doctor of Intercultural Studies (DIS) · 2024
Research Summary
This dissertation examined how Christian entrepreneurs in the US rural Midwest integrate faith, business practice, and the common good in their organizational life. Using a constructivist qualitative methodology, Dr. Ma conducted fieldwork across 14 sites, engaging 33 participants through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis — coded using Dedoose and interpreted through the lens of BaM theology, missiological practice, and organizational management theory.
The research produced the original Common Good Treasure (CGT) framework — defining four interdependent capitals (Spiritual, Social, Intellectual, Financial) — and led directly to the development of the CGTA assessment instrument, the 4×4 Business Ocean Matrix, the Capital Flow System, and the Nautical System. These frameworks form the foundation of the entire Business as Ministry series and the BaM Harbor.
Institution
Biola University
Cook School of Intercultural Studies
Methodology
Constructivist qualitative · 14 sites · 33 participants · Dedoose analysis
Year & Degree
2024 · Doctor of Intercultural Studies (DIS)
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Intellectual Property Portfolio

Ten original IP specifications developed from the dissertation research — each a distinct literary work filed with the US Copyright Office. Together they form the complete technical and conceptual architecture of the BaM ecosystem.

IP 1
Common Good Treasure (CGT) Framework
The foundational theological-managerial operating model defining four interdependent capitals — Spiritual (Rudder), Social (Adhesive), Intellectual (Engine), Financial (Fuel) — and their ecological interdependency, theological grounding, and organizational applications.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 2
CGTA Framework
The full assessment system, interpretive framework, and diagnostic logic for the Common Good Treasure Assessment — including scoring architecture, interpretive banding, profile shapes, longitudinal comparison rules, and narrative meaning-making logic.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 3
CGTA Item Bank
The complete 16-item assessment instrument — four items per capital domain, evidence prompts, reverse-scored items, and field-tested administration guidelines for individual, team, and longitudinal use.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 4
CGTA Scoring Rules
Technical definition of item scoring, reverse-coding, domain means, composite index, interpretive banding (Emergent / Developing / Mature / Exemplary), vessel archetypes, MDC thresholds, and longitudinal change evaluation standards.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 5
CGTA Radar Definitions
Structural, interpretive, and technical framework for the four-axis radar chart — axis definitions, polygon logic, balanced band system, profile shapes, and multi-timepoint longitudinal layering rules.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 6
CGTA Matrix Placement Algorithm
The analytical method for transforming CGTA scores into sea placement — including the weighted KOI and VCC indices, 11-sector industry weight coefficients, four-band classification, confidence grading, borderline rules, and mixed-methods corroboration requirements.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 7
Capital Flow System
Diagnostic, narrative, and longitudinal interpretation framework for how the four CGT capitals move over time — statepoints, directional vectors, MDC thresholds, seven named movement patterns, and imbalance/constraint logic.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 8
Business Ocean
Narrative, taxonomic, and color-coded expansion of the BaM Ocean Matrix — naming and describing all 16 seas with their characteristic moral, relational, operational, and theological pressures, color vocabulary, and interpretive movement logic.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 9
Ocean Matrix
Full conceptual, taxonomic, and interpretive framework for the 4×4 Business Ocean Matrix — defining the four philosophical weathers (Jungle, Exchange, Moral Concern, Gratitude) and four business-model geologies (SWM, ST, CG, BaM) and their 16 intersecting seas.
Released under CC BY 4.0
IP 10
Nautical System
The full metaphorical, narrative, and integrative framework unifying every BaM system — the vessel, ocean, weather, geology, treasure, rudder, adhesive, engine, fuel, and nautical chart — with a 12-stage organizational discipleship narrative sequence.
Released under CC BY 4.0

Open Frameworks — License & Attribution

The Common Good Treasure (CGT) and the Business as Ministry (BaM) Framework Suite
by Dr. Eric Z.M. Ma · CGT Research Institute, LLC

The ten BaM frameworks below are released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share and adapt them for any purpose, including commercially, provided you give appropriate credit, link to the license, and indicate any changes.

License summary  ·  Full legal text

How to attribute

“The Common Good Treasure / Business as Ministry frameworks by Dr. Eric Z.M. Ma, CGT Research Institute, LLC, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: https://www.cgt-ri.com/research”

If you adapt a framework, please also note that changes were made — e.g., “Adapted from the CGTA Framework by Dr. Eric Z.M. Ma (CC BY 4.0).”

What the license covers

The CC BY 4.0 license applies to these ten frameworks — their definitions, structures, scoring logic, narratives, and theological grounding:

  1. The Common Good Treasure (CGT) Framework — the foundational model of four interdependent capitals (Spiritual, Social, Intellectual, Financial).
  2. CGTA Framework — the assessment system, interpretive framework, and diagnostic logic.
  3. CGTA Item Bank — the 16-item assessment instrument.
  4. CGTA Scoring Rules — item scoring, indices, banding, and longitudinal change criteria.
  5. CGTA Radar Definitions — the four-axis radar visualization framework.
  6. CGTA Matrix Placement Algorithm — placement of scores within the Business Ocean Matrix.
  7. Capital Flow System — longitudinal interpretation of capital movement over time.
  8. Business Ocean — the narrative and taxonomic description of the sixteen seas.
  9. Ocean Matrix — the 4×4 framework of philosophical weathers and business-model geologies.
  10. Nautical System — the integrating metaphor and twelve-stage discipleship narrative.

What it does not cover

  • The text, structure, and narrative of the book Algorithms of Amazing Grace: Prayer Is the Source Code (© 2026 CGT Research Institute, LLC; all rights reserved).
  • The “CGT Research Institute” and “BaM Harbor” names, logos, and trademarks.
  • The software and source code of the BaM Harbor AI agents, governed by separate license terms.

CC BY 4.0 does not grant trademark or endorsement rights. Attribution must not imply endorsement by Dr. Ma or CGT Research Institute, LLC.

Why these frameworks are open

These frameworks represent eleven years of original scholarship. They are released freely as a response to grace freely received — so that any researcher, practitioner, educator, or Kingdom builder may use and build upon them without barrier. The author retains copyright in the specific expression of each work and grants this open license as the fullest exercise of that stewardship, not its surrender.

“Freely you received; freely give.” — Matthew 10:8

Research collaboration: cgt@cgt-ri.com  ·  © 2026 CGT Research Institute, LLC · Newark, Delaware, USA

Copyright & Filing Status

Intellectual Property Protection

WorkFiling DateStatus
Volume 1 — Business as MinistryDecember 2025Registered · USCO
Volume 2 — Shaping a Godly BusinessFebruary 2026Registration pending
Volume 3 — Godly Business FormationFebruary 2026Registration pending
IPs 1–10 (all ten specifications)February 2026Released · CC BY 4.0
Volume 4 — ServantShipForthcomingNot yet filed

All works are original literary works by Dr. Eric Z.M. Ma, assigned to CGT Research Institute, LLC. For research collaboration, contact cgt@cgt-ri.com.

© 2026 CGT Research Institute, LLC · Newark, Delaware, USA · cgt@cgt-ri.com · BaM Harbor

Book volumes © CGT Research Institute, LLC ·
The 10 BaM frameworks released under CC BY 4.0 · cgt-ri.com/research

Soli Deo Gloria