INDIAN ETHOS

FOR

MANAGEMENT

What is Indian Ethos For Management?

It means application of principles of managementrevealed in our ancient wisdom described inUpanishades and Gita.The following basic principles of management areas per ancient Indian Wisdom and Insight :

1. Each Soul is a Potential God

A human being has a soul, a spark of Divine. The Divide resides in the heart of a person. The Divine means perfection in knowledge, wisdom and power. Therefore, a human being has immense potential power or energy for self-development. The partnership of God and Man can bring about extraordinary or miraculous result.

Indian wisdom indicates that productivity of human being is more important than plant capacity. Hence, management is helping ordinary people to produce extraordinary results.

2. Holistic Approach

Holistic approach in Management is based on spiritual principle of unity, oneness, non-dual or Advaita concept. Under this principle of unity, the universe is an undivided whole where every particle is connected with every other particle. Hence, entire Humanity is ONE. Management must recogniseOneness of Humanity. Respect the Divine in all beings.

3. Equal Importance to Subjectivity/ObjectivityIndian ethos for management distinguish subject and

object. Subject is subtle and intangible. Object is gross or concrete, and tangible or invisible. Human and ethical values or qualities such as courage, vision, social awareness, fearlessness and clear mind, truth, etc are subjective, subtle and intangible concept.

These represents divine wealth. Inner resource of human being are more powerful than external resources. Eg- Japan could prosper in industry, business and trade due to optimum utilisation of inner resources. Japan does not have coal, mineral and petrolieum. ‘Creator is subjective. Creation is objective’. Therefore, manager must develop third eye, the eye of vision, intuition, foresight and such other divine qualities or values. This is the essence of Indian ethos for management.

4. Karma Yoga (selfless work)

It is yoga of moral endeavour, self-less service to others. It brings about union of human being with the Divine. Work is done as workship to the Divine

in human beings who is also all pervading in the universe(which is just a projection of the Divine).

Gita evolves moral and ethical theory of human conduct and expounds the art of right living- the doctrine of duty with discipline and devotion without attachment to work and agency. Do your duty without ego and without calculations of gain or loss.

Let not the fruit of action motivate you. Let not the fruits divert your concentration on work. Pour your heart and soul in the performance of your assigned duty. Concentrate your attention only on your present job.

Why do I work?

1. For my own salvation and personal growth.2. For the good of the world. (Jagat Hitai, Jagat

Sukhai)‘The joy of action is the inner joy of selfless

service which helps him to rise above his little individual self by serving and respecting the Divine in all beings, seeing his own self in all living souls. The inner joy and the deeper sense of fulfilment, according to Indian ethos is the highest bliss and the goal of life as well as the motivation force.’

People who work only for money making get enslaved by the yearning getting more money by exploiting others (including nature), which also results in an utter, restlessness, tension, stress and strain, secret fear and total loss of peace. If persons work for money, profit and more profit, quality of work will be totally lost. Management will not be effective. Society will gain nothing.

QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

AND

WORK ETHIC

1. Why work? – To purify my mind and heart and to become wise. To provide public benefit.

2. What is work? – To nurture each other. My work is a for of yagna, sacrifice. I develop the spirit of sacrifice. It is a worship of the Divine.

3. How to work? – With the spirit of renunciation, i.e.. Tyag and to serve others. I must work without self-interest.

4. Spirits of work : Excellence in work. Perfection in work and quality of output.

INSIGHTS INTO INDIAN ETHOS

(MANAGEMENT: A SADHANA)

1. Management Attitude-

Top management must have firm belief in values-oriented holistic management of business. The management is called upon to meet expectations of all stakeholders, e.g., employees, customers, citizens and shareholders and fulfill the social responsibility. Profit is earned through service and satisfaction of all these interested parties.

2. Humanising the Organisation-

There are three aspects of humane organisation :1. Inter-personal relations2. Man-machine equation and3. Inner management- mental and spiritual.

An organisation can create best inter-personal relations based on promotion from within, equality, autonomy, self-esteem and fraternal affection. Unity, harmony and effective communication can assure team spirit and team work in an organisation.

3. Interiorising Management-

Self management: The manager is first a man and then a manager. The manager should first learn to manage and control himself. Without self-management and control, how can he manage and control others? The first need is to understand and know himself. This is a course in the subjective system of management.

4. Self-introspection-

We have to embark upon self-study, self analysis and self criticism to locate areas of friction and disharmony. We should prepare a balance sheet of our own strengths and weaknesses. our mind and heart may indicate weak spots.

By regular introspection we would find out solution to problem so that the concerned parts of our being can be persuaded and guided to play the desired role.

5. By-stilling (Decision-making in silence)-The western management resorts to brain-storming,

i.e., loud thinking by managers for decisions to solve management problems. The Indian insight advocates a better alternative in the form of brain-stilling. For rational and enduring decisions, silent mind is a much more effective medium to get sound and lasting solution to all management problems.

By this method the manager and his employees come into contacts with the inner mind or higher consciousness for arriving at proper solution to their problems.

6. Stepping back (for a while)-

The stepping back or drawing back into yourself is another device of learning to go deep within and look; you can remain quiet and call on the inner consciousness force and wait for a while for an answer. Then you know exactly what to do. Remember therefore, that you cannot receive the answer before you are very peaceful.

The stepping back from a situation for a while enables you to control and even master the situation. When you have a problem to solve, when you are caught in a difficulty, try this method. ‘Never decide anything, never speak a word, never throw yourself into action without stepping-back.’

7. Self-dynamising Meditation-

A dynamic meditation is meditation of transforming of lower consciousness into higher consciousness. Hence we call it transforming meditation. It opens the third eye of wisdom through insight.

Through meditation, in a silent and calm mind, you are able to contact this centre or higher conciousness. This is called consciousness approach to management, a process of ‘within to without’ management. The management and workers must have absolute faith or trust on the Supreme’s Infinite Power. Our inner being has the true knowledge. It says, “ I know, I cannot give reasons, but I know.”

8. Role of Intuitions in Management-

Intuitions is the act of coming to direct knowledge or certainty without reasoning or inferring. It is immediate cognition by inner mind through inspiration, instant awareness, the little voice, within you which you hear when your mind is silent, i.e., thoughtless. Fully developed intuition is efficient for taking prompt and sound decisions. It is fast and accurate.

CONCLUSION

In the scheme of management as per Indian ethos, the inner mind and the inner aspects of man are emphasised and the inner being has to develop for manifestation in the physical. In the management process consciousness is the approach, harmony is the tool and perfection is the aim.

Centralisation of authority is meant to diffuse and decentralise functions and the power to perform them.

MANAGEMENT TODAY

AND

TOMORROW

ITEMS Management(Oriented by Science and

technology, Western Approach)

Management(Oriented by

Values and adopting holistic

approach, Indian and

Eastern)

1.Belief Production, Productivity, profit at any

cost.

Material gain, with belief in

achieving human and social

welfare also.

2.Guidance Management guided by mind only, led

away by ego and desire. Soulless

management.

Management by consciousness

, power beyond mind i.e. soul.

Interiorised Management

3.Emphasi

s

Worker development. Management of

others , Profit maximisation , Human

being only lip sympathy

Development of Man

Intergrated Growth Harmony,

Happiness and Health,

Management of self.

4.Tools 5 Ms as Resources- men, money,

materials, machines, markets. Science &

Technology. Information for decision

making.

Men, Machines, Materials and

Methods as Conscious

Partners- all having

consciousness whether

manifested or dormant.

Information and intuition for

decisions. Ethics and values

combined with skills.

5.Problem-

Solving

Conflict resolution by

negotiation, comprise, arbitration

liquidation of difference only for

a temporary period. No

reference to higher

consciousness.

Conflicts resolution through

integration and synthesis on

stressing superordinate common

goals so that enduring harmony

and unity is assured. Self-

introspection, stepping back aids

for solution.

6.Decision

making

Brain- storming(Round the table

approach)

Brain-stilling(Room of silence)

7.Development

process

Physical, Vital and Mental only.

Soul or Spirit ignored. Material

development only even at the

cost of man and nature.

Integrated Development. Whole

man approach breath control and

meditation emphasised. Human

Enrichment and Total quality.

8.Approach External Behaviour Mental,

Material, Selfish only, Soulless.

Noble Attitudes, Inner guidance,

Team spirit, Total harmony, Global

good.