402 – Indian Ethos &

Business Ethics
 Syllabus
• Indian Ethos and Values : Its relevance at Workplace: Indian Ethos- Meaning,
Features, Need, Evolution, Relevance, Principles Practiced by Indian
Companies, Requisites, Elements, Role of Indian Ethos in Managerial Practices,
Triguna Theory-OSHA Model. Work Ethos meaning, dimensions of Work Ethos.
Values - Concepts, Values in business, Value system in work culture, and Values
of Indian Managers, Relevance of Value Based Management in Global Change;
Impact of values on Stakeholders; Trans-Cultural Human Values, Ethics v/s
Ethos, Eastern Management v/s Western Management. (8+1)
 Ethos: Definition
• According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “Ethos are the moral ideas and
attitudes that belong to a particular group or society”.
• Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines Ethos as “the set of beliefs, ideas,
etc. about social behaviour and relationship of a person or group”
• Indian Ethos is all about what can be termed as “national ethos”. Indian ethos refers to
the principles of self-management and governance of society, entity or a system by
wisdom as revealed and brought-forth by great scriptures like Veda, Upanishads, Gita,
Mahabharata, Bible and Quran.
• This wisdom evolved through the old practices of Indian mystics, philosophers and
religious ‘gurus’, and is now found to have profound implications for self-management
and good governance of a stormy society and business environment, or even a
politically divided world.
• Formally, the body of knowledge which derives its solutions from the rich and huge
Indian system of ethics (moral philosophy) is known as Indian Ethos in Management
(IEM).
 Indian Ethos- Meaning

• Ethos is a Greek word meaning ‘character’.

• Shrimad Bhagavadam (1.16.26-30) speaks about the qualities associated with a
‘pure being’: truthfulness, purity, compassion, forgiveness, self-satisfaction,
contentment, simplicity, steadiness of mind, control of the sense organs, austerity,
equality, tolerance, equanimity, faithfulness, experiential knowledge, detachment,
leadership, courage, illustrious personality, vigour, remembrance, independence,
skill, beauty, patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, love, integrity, endurance,
radiance, strength, lordship, profundity, mental stability, fidelity, fame, worthy of
reverence and humility. Indian ethos focuses on developing these qualities of an
individual.
 Continued…..

• Indian scriptures give examples of how people, with sincerity and

determination, were successful in transforming even their deep-rooted
character. For instance, Valmiki, the highway robber became a poet with
innate devotion, and Chandashoka (Ashoka, the terrible) became
Dharmashoka (Ashoka, the pious).
Indian Ethos and Values : Its relevance at
Workplace
• ‘The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the
intervenor’.
• The work ethos of India focuses on building this ‘interiority’.
• William C Miller, cofounder of the Global Dharma Center, says that the
spiritual purpose of work is to serve others, making a contribution to them,
and to the society that supports us.
• The fundamental psychological function of work is chittashuddhi – that is,
purifying the mind, of the dross of ego, greed, anger, impatience and so
on.
 How to use the abstract insights from
scriptural wisdom in day to day work life
• ‘Evidence of cultural values such as yogic spirituality, non-attachment,
interconnectedness with others, non-violence, tolerance, and a sense of duty’
in Indian managers.
• Epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata (which includes Bhagavad Gita) set
forth the foundational beliefs that tend to influence the cultural context of
India
• Only when an individual understands one’s own intentions, beliefs, thoughts
and feelings, he/she will be able to understand the outside world.
• Brian Arthur said, ‘Every profound innovation is based on an inward-bound
journey, on going to a deeper place where knowing comes to the surface’.
 Indian Ethos: Relevance

• Importance to Character: The Indian ethos gives much importance to

character not to the knowledge. It is the character, which is the real power
and wealth. ... Excellence at Work: According to Indian ethos, total quality
management can be assured through excellence at work, through self-
motivation and self-development.
 Indian Ethos-Features, Need

• The main features of Indian ethos are as follows:

1) Divinity of human beings is not merely a notion but a truth which can be
experienced.
2) Indian ethos lays special emphasis on values be it human or ethical.
3) Indian ethos is based on Indian scripture and it provides eternal knowledge
 Indian Ethos-Features
• 1. Divinity of Human Being: Indian ethos focuses on the existence of human being as
truth. There is nothing more perfect than the supreme soul.
• 2. Balance or Equilibrium: Balance or equilibrium is a stable state of Indian thought,
i.e., balance between desire and desirelessness, spiritual and secular values,
subjective and materialistic world.
• 3. Balance of Personal and Work Life: Indian ethos focuses on the concept that if you
are good then the world is also good for you. So, every individual should have an
effective management and balance of personal and work life in the organisation.
• 4. Cosmic or Pure Consciousness: The divine element, which is an inner part of an
individual, is a part of cosmic or pure consciousness. It gives a base for mutual trust,
cooperative, teamwork and common good.
• 5. Importance to Character: The Indian ethos gives much importance to character not
to the knowledge. It is the character, which is the real power and wealth.
 FEATURES continued……
• 6. Whole-Man Approach: Indian ethos is based on Indian scripture like-Shruties (the direct
words of God) of Gita and Upanishad and Smruties ("that which is remembered“) of
Puranas. Indian thought provides the whole-man approach through knowledge of
creation, cosmos and internal relation between spiritual and materialistic life.
• 7. Work is Worship: Indian ethos works with the fact that all work is worthy and
honourable. ‘Work is worship’ is the guiding principle for all effort as advocated in the
Indian ethos.
• 8. Duty and Responsibility: Indian ethos rarely talks of rights and prevails ages. It always
emphasizes only on the duties and responsibilities of human beings.
• 9. Knowledge: Indian ethos deals with two types of knowledge:
• a) Knowledge of creation b)Knowledge of creator
• 10. Excellence at Work: According to Indian ethos, total quality management can be
assured through excellence at work, through self-motivation and self-development.
 Indian Ethos-Need
• Application of Indian Ethos to Management – Indian ethos provides that
“Business” need not be regarded evil, tainted and unethical. Business is sacred. It is a
matter of attitude, approach and level of management consciousness.
• Indian ethos is needed due to the following reasons:
• 1. Maintain Holistic Universe: Modern science has accepted that in this holistic universe, all
minds and matters are interconnected at a deeper level. The basic unity of life cannot be
broken. Love, sacrifice therefore emerges as the only means for a meaningful living. On
the basis of this holistic vision, Indians have developed work ethos of life. This helps in
living life to the fullest.
• 2. Elucidate Motivation: Concept of motivation can be explained holistically by Indian
ethos. Considering motivations as internal, every human being has the same divine
atman with immense potentialities within. Vedanta brings infinite expansions of the
mind, breaks down all the barriers and brings out the God in man. Motivation is to be
internal and not external. Such motivation involves the inner beauty and does not promote
any greed in an individual to have more and more in return for his work.
• 3. Welfare: Indian ethos teaches welfare of all (yagna spirit). “Atmano Moksharth Jagat Hitay Cha” (serve your
personal interest but do not forget others). This philosophy is needed in modern times.
• 4. Unique Work Culture: Indian ethos helps in development of unique work culture. Work is considered as duty or
Sadhana and there is no difference between Karma(work) and Dharma(religion). The term Dharma does not
indicate any particular religion. Dharma is a duty to be performed in a given situation. Thus, Dharma is possible
through Karma only.
• 5. Evenness of Mind: Indian ethos helps in evenness of mind. Means are equally important as the ends. Thus,
society’s acceptable values are to be followed in determining the objectives as well as in the process of
achieving these objectives.
• 6. Self-development: Integrated human personality of self-developed manager can assure best and competent
management of any enterprise, involving collective works and efforts. The refined or higher consciousness will
adopt holistic attitude. It will bring out the divine in man. It will achieve perfection or excellence in whatsoever
sector of work. One shall achieve peace, harmony and prosperity within and without, i.e., in the internal world
and in the external world simultaneously.
• 7. Provides Concentration: Vedanta(systematic presentation of teaching of the Upanishads.) provides the ways
and means of controlling the mind. It helps to concentrate, increase efficiency, productivity and prosperity. It is
not religion of resignation and retirement. One cannot renounce their actions.
• As the Gita says “You have to be a man of action, do not run away from your action
or Karma but the same should be according to your Dharma”. The second aspect, is
while doing the Karma; do not be tempted by worldly pleasures, materialism and
the results. One has to be man of action, working in a spirit of renunciation.
Renunciation does not mean living a life of isolation or living in a forest. One has to face
the world and should not run away from your action. Do not get attached to anything.
• 8. Establishes Value System: Many of the present ills are the results of decline in our
value system and loss of character. Forces of fierce competition in the technology
driven era of globalization have taken a heavy toll of traditional values. People need to
re-imbibe the sanatan values of honesty, integrity, compassion, care and cooperation.
There is again a need to establish conduct, based on truth and non-violence, peace, and
harmony. One needs to promote a secular ethos that entails ‘sarva-dharm-sama-
bhava’. That alone will promote enshrined in our ancient maxim of ‘Vasudhaiv
Kutumbakam’. That will be India’s unique contribution towards enrichment of content
of globalization which today has its focus only on trade and commerce.
 PRINCIPLES OF INDIAN ETHOS
•

1) Know Yourself:

Who are you? All of us are part of supreme power (GOD) & hence all of us have all
the divine qualities like integrity, patience, courage, loyalty, forgiveness, service
attitude i.e. mind so if you try to develop our self by improving our qualities we will
not only make our self happy but also the society be live in.

2) Individual development

3) Self Management & Self Development

• 4) Holistic Approach To Life:
We should behave in same way of manner which we expect from others.
Efficiency & effectiveness in an organization will increase only when there is co-
operation team spirit & positive energy in employees.
5) Sewa Or Service Attitude:
The person should have altitude of service providing & at the same time have happy
face i.e. smile on face.eg: organization should be service oriented & not profit
oriented, provide best possible service to your entire customer.
“Where the mind is without fear” – Ravindranath Tagore.
6) Self Sacrifice:
Self sacrifice refers to sacrifice of self ego. We should be ready to sacrifice for others.
7) Team Spirit:
Treat work as YAJNA – together i.e. T- Together E- Everyone, A- Achieves, M- More.
8) Present Moment:
Think only about
a) What is there in front of you at present?
b) We cannot change the past or predict future.
c) So have total focus & dedication present in situation.
d) Do not take unnecessary stress of work, take it as a play.
• 9) Perfection In Work:
Bhagwad Gita emphasizes on while doing your present duty we should use our judgment & perform
with utmost concentration. Do work without expecting what will be the result.
“Do the works for the sake of your organization, result will follow automatically”
10) Self Motivation:
No one can encourage us for long. Nobody can encourage us more than our self. “Work should be
worship”. If we love the work we do it will bring happiness & effectiveness. “Do what you love to do
and love what you are doing”
11) Ends Do Not Justify Means:
Process to achieve ends what you earn does not tell how you earn. While earning a profit a business
man should be careful that he follows the ethics and does not harm to the rights to stakeholders.
12) Creator & Creation:
Creator is Subjective
Creation is Objective
Ethics & values are subjective quality i.e. They cannot be seen but felt. Inputs & resources required
for production are Objective i.e. they can be seen or felt. If management pays attention to both this
quality & mixes them properly it would be best form of management.
• 13) Day To Day A Balance Life:
Indian believes in spiritual power. Spirituality helps us to treat everyone equally,
respect, love them and understand each other. In India hence there is a fine blend
of spirituality with materialism. Bhagwad Gita says “Attachment is the root cause
of all the problems”
14) Bliss (Ananda): Happiness of Soul.
One should be equanimous i.e. accept pleasure and pain joys and sorrows is a part
of life.
Dharma – Righteousness
Artha – Money
Kama – Work
Moksha – Freedom
These are 4 Purusharthas (goals or aims of a human life). But while searching for
Artha & kama one should be careful. Follow dharma (rightness) so that one can
attain moksha (freedom from any salvation) which will make one blissful
15) Dignity of Work:
Dignity of work is much important as far as Indian ethos is concerned. No work is
great or small. Each work whether it is a peon’s job or General Manager’s job, is of
equal importance, worthy & honorable. It lays stress on “Sarvabhutastha Atmanam
Sarvabhutani Chatmani” (सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानन चात्मनन। )which means to treat
all as equals.
 Indian Ethos: Evolution
• The silent ideas and thoughts of Indian Ethos in Management revealed by Indian’s
ancient scriptures are:
• 1. Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitaya Cha: All work is an opportunity for doing well
to the world and thus gaining materially and spiritually in our lives.
• 2. Archet Dana Manabhyam: Worship people not only with material things but also
by showing respect to their enterprising divinity within.
• 3. Atmana Vindyate Viryam: Strength and inspiration for excelling in work comes
from the Divine, God within, through prayer, spiritual reading and unselfish work.
 Indian Ethos: Evolution
• 4. Yogah Karmashu Kaushalam, Samatvam Yoga Uchyate: He who works
with calm and even mind achieves the most.
• 5. Yadishi Bhavana Yasya Siddhi Bhavati Tadrishi: As we think, so we
succeed, so we become. Attention to means, ensure the end.
• 6. Parasparam Bhavatantah Shreyah Param Bhavapsyathah: By mutual
cooperation, respect and fellow felling, all of us enjoy the highest good
both material and spiritual.
• 7. Tesham Sukhm Tesham Shanti Shaswati: Infinite happiness and infinite
peace come to them who see the Divine in all beings.
• 8. Paraspar Devo Bhava: Regard the other person as a divine being. All of
us have the same consciousness though our packages and containers are
different.
 Principles Practiced by Indian Companies
• Following are the few basic principles of Indian ethos management:
• 1. Immense potential, energy and talents for perfection, as a human being has the spirit
within his heart.
• 2. Holistic approach indicating unity between the Divine (the Divine means perfection in
knowledge, wisdom and power), individual self and the universe.
• 3. Subtle, intangible subject and gross tangible objects are equally important. One must
develop one’s third eye, Jnana Chakshu, the eye of wisdom, visions, insight and foresight.
• 4. Inner resources are much more powerful than outer resources. Divine virtues are inner
resources. Capital, materials and plant and machinery are outer resources.
• 5. Karma yoga (selfless work) offers double benefits, private benefit in the form of self-
purification and public benefit.
• 6. Yogah karmasu kaushalam, which means excellence at work through self motivation and
self development with devotion and without attachment.
• 7. Cooperation is a powerful instrument for team work and success in any enterprise
involving collective work.
 Indian Ethos: Requisites
• 1. Management Attitude: Top management having firm belief in value-oriented holistic
management. Profit is earned through service and satisfaction of all stakeholders –
employees, customers, shareholders and citizens. Fulfillment of social responsibility must
be ensured.
• 2. Humanising the Organisation: Looking at the three aspects of humane organisations,
i.e., inter personal relations, man-machine equation where man is the prime concern and
inner management through mental and spiritual growth of individuals.
• 3. Interiorising Management: self management or management by consciousness. When
the soul manages the other four members of the human being, namely, the body, mind,
intellect and the heart, the conflict these four have amongst themselves can be resolved.
This is called management by 3.consciousness. The objective of self management is to first
know and manage oneself and then manage others.
• 4. Self-Introspection: Embark upon self-study, self analysis and self-criticism to locate areas
of friction and disharmony, a self examination of one’s own feelings, thoughts, emotions,
sensations and passions and a desire to reduce and subdue the ego.
 Indian Ethos: Requisites

• 5. Brain-Stilling: For rational and enduring decisions, silent mind is a

necessity. A perfect Mounum (calm mind enjoying tranquility ) is necessary.
Brain-stilling or meditative silence is the most reliable method to discover
solutions to problems which seem to be difficult to tackle by reason and
intellect, because through this, one can come into contact with the inner
mind or higher consciousness, called Chetana.
• 6. Stepping-back (for a While): Never decide anything, never speak a word
and never throw yourself into action without stepping-back. The stepping-
back from a situation for a while enables one to control and master a
situation.
 Indian Ethos: Requisites
• 7. Self-Dynamizing Meditation: A dynamic meditation helps in transformation
of lower consciousness into higher consciousness and hence is called
transforming meditation. Through meditation, one reaches a higher level of
consciousness with a silent and calm mind, which offers guidance in the form
of intuitions to tackle a multitude of problems. This is called consciousness
approach to management
• 8. Role of Intuition: Intuition is the act of coming to direct knowledge or
certainty without reasoning or inferring. It is immediate cognition by the
inner mind and when fully developed, is efficient and effective for taking
prompt and sound decisions. Intuition skills enable one to cope with
confidence the fluctuating environment and rapid changes. Faith is a
prerequisite to develop and realize the power of intuition
 Indian Ethos: Elements
• Three elements of Indian ethos are as follows:
• 1. Focus on the permanent: In real life fashions change, concepts change, situations
change, environments change, however, certain things do not change. These are the
values of the good, truth and beautiful. The recent experience in the 90s and the
early part of this century shows, that the world is re-discovering the principle of
‘honesty is the best policy’. After all, honesty is linked to truth and that is the first
principle which perhaps underlines human existence. In these days, the operational
word for integrity is corporate governance. Corporate governance has two
elements. Transparency, which helps to fix accountability, which in turn highlights
that accountability, is for the shareholders and stakeholders. Transparency and
accountability are nothing but exercises in integrity and ensuring that clever
financial engineering or window dressing do not mislead the investing public. If
there is a crisis today, whether in the Indian capital market or the U.S. market, it is
the crisis of confidence of the investors in the business enterprises. It is therefore
found that one of the central elements of Indian ethos, namely, the focus on truth
and integrity is also eminently relevant in the business context.
 Indian Ethos: Elements
• 2. Quest for Perfection: It has been immortalised in the shloka: “Om
poornamada poornamidam poornathpurana mudachyate poornasya
poornamadaya poornameva vashistate”
• Out of perfection comes perfection. This quest for perfection ultimately, is the
quest for quality. When it comes to quality, the concepts like total quality
management, etc., have only once again underlined this principle of the fact
that quality products and services cannot come out of an organisation unless
the principle of quality pervades every function of that organisation. This all
pervasive quality is also reflected in the shloka of Vallabhacharya, who found
that every aspect of Lord Krishna was beautiful: “Adharam madhuram
vadhanam madhuram Nayanam madhuram hasitam madhuram Hridayam
madhuram gamanam madhuram Madhurathipathe akhilam madhuram” All
pervasive sense of sweetness and elegance is not only the reflection of quality
but also of excellence. In any management today, this ultimate focus on
excellence can never be lost. Thus, it is found that this aspect of Indian ethos is
also not only relevant to India but globally.
 Indian Ethos: Elements

• 3. Joy in Performing One’s Function: It was Deming who said that ’quality’
is the pride, which an artisan takes in his craft. It is the pride which an artist
takes in his art. If one is enjoying what one is doing, automatically, he is
bound to do extremely well; and while excellence becomes a by-product
or a spin of the benefit of happiness, it also leads to success. After all, every
excellent organisation has excellent morale. Excellence, in terms of
enjoyment through doing is the third aspect of Indian ethos. It is found that
this aspect is not only restricted to India, but is universally applicable
 Role of Indian Ethos in Managerial Practices

• 1. Creates strong relation: Organizations following Indian ethos consider

humanity as supreme. This provides a strong bond with internal as well as
external customers, resulting in an improved performance.
• 2. Inward considerations: Indian ethos focuses on ‘if a person is good then
the whole world is good’. Any organization which follows the above ethical
thought automatically get converted into an ethical organization with less
conflicts and hindrances.
• 3. Avoids unethical aspects: As Indian ethos is a principle derived from
Upanishads, Bhagwat Gita and Puranas, where the performance is always
ethical
• 4. Balanced values: Indian ethos promotes a person to live a life of
materialism and spirituality by maintaining a balance between spiritual
values and secular values.
 Role of Indian Ethos in Managerial Practices
• 5. Improves performance: Indian ethos impacts the performance of business
by emphasizing on the concept like sacrificing individual desires in favour
of social benefits, preferring long-term benefits.
• 6. Improves quality: Self-motivation and self-development helps a lot in
development of business and its quality
• 7. Helps in problem solving
• 8. Develops self-reliability
• Indian Ethos in Management refers to the values and practices that the
culture of India (Bharatheeya Sanskriti) can contribute to service, leadership
and management.
• These values and practices are rooted in Sanathana Dharma (the eternal
essence), and have been influenced by various strands of Indian philosophy.
 OSHA Model.
• The roots of the "OSHA" model can be traced to Sankhya philosophy.
• The expression "OSHA" forms a basis for a conceptual framework that encompasses
the essential elements of a person’s nature.
• The individual letters of this word identify these elements.
• In the word "OSHA“ :
• 1. the first letter O stands for oneness with the "nature". An individual who attains this
level, finds himself in oneness with the "Giver Of Divine-energy". This is the level,
wherein a man becomes Boddhisattava. Yearning for oneness
and gaining advancement, (Yoga) is considered essential to achieve this level. This, in
turn leads to a fuller understanding of spiritual ABC i.e. Atma-Brahman Connection.
• 2. Further, in OSHA, S stands for spiritual guna (substance-attribute),
• 3. H for human guna and
• 4. A for "animal guna", of an individual. While an individual’s behaviour is guided by the
dominance of a specific guna, the highest aim is the transcendence of all gunas and
thereby achieve oneness with the "nature", i.e. liberation from the bondages of all
gunas. This is the stage of nirvana.
• This view of a person’s nature finds its echoes in the Sankhya thought system, and
"OSHA" is the key mantra of this system.
OSHA Model
 Triguna Theory
• In this philosophy, prakriti (nature) is characterised by existence of three gunas
(substance - attributes), namely sattava (essence), rajas (energy) and tamas
(inertia). The sattava, refers to purity, and illumination and it binds one to bliss.
• The concept of Triguna has been utilized to explain the concept of personality in
modern era as well.
• All human beings are combinations of the three gunas and therefore these three
features together promote different kinds of personalities based on the dominance
of one or the other Gunas. Each personality can be deduced based on his/her mode
of worship, the type of food consumed and other activities of everyday life.
• Triguna theory has its roots in Bhagvadgeeta
(chapter 17).
• Bhagvadgeeta is one of the most important
books of Indian philosophy.
• Triguna theory is a composite framework of
tri-dimensional personality to aid the
understanding of the mental make-up of the
person.
the term guna refers to the inherent energy
or tendency with which ‘prakriti’ is created
and with which human mind functions.
The individual is vital collection of powerful
energies which drives people to work.
The dynamism of prakriti is due to the
continuous flux of three qualities(gunas):
i) sattva (balanced),
ii) rajas (passionate),
iii) tamas (dull).
These three gunas in different
proportions influence the
mental & intellectual caliber
of every individual. Guna
indicates the attitude
with which human mind
functions.

Dominance of guna
determines the
individual’s personality.
1. It is the ‘spiritual quality’.
2. Steady, calm mind. Non-violent, has inherent desire
to be good & caring.
3. Capable of vast knowing & deep understanding.
4. Work done as a duty without expecting for fruits.
5. Free from attachment to objects.
6. Not affected by success or failure.
7. Non-egoistic, firm, enthusiastic.
• Clear understanding of desirable & undesirable,
dutiful & undutiful actions.
• Free from doubts. Control on self.
• Pure mind.
• Not hurting others.
• Forgiveness, wisdom & faith.
• Help needy people.
• Pays homage to divine & spiritual values.
• Pray god without expecting fruits.
• Respect elders.
• Rajas guna is nothing but the “active quality”. Rajas guna in people drives more
passion and desire in them, which may subsequently lead to greed, activity, taking
up work, and restlessness. People with rajas-dominant personality are full of
attachment and a desire to get rewarded for their actions. Due to the dominance of
self-interest in these individuals, they have a distorted picture of what’s right and
what’s wrong. These individuals refrain from detachment and abandonment.
Enthusiasm, interest, and activity are some of the attributes of this guna.
• Qualities in a Rajas personality:
• Enthusiasm
• Interest
• Activity & work driven
• Restlessness
• Desire
• Greed
It is an ‘active quality’.
Greed, restlessness.
Desire to acquire things and attachment to
acquired things.
Rajas guna binds person to bodily activities and
selfish interest.
Thrust for more and more.
Filled with joy in success and sorrows in
failures.
Do good activities for gain of respect, fame,
money, etc.
Help others for self-gains.
Full of desires, passions and attachments.
Goal oriented.
Distorted picture of right or wrong.
Bold, authoritative.
• Tamas guna is essentially the “material quality”. Tamas arises from hopes and illusions, and it makes people
prone to qualities such as ambiguity, idleness, fantasy, and persistence. Some common characteristics
of Tamas-dominant people include cautiousness, apprehensiveness, and tendency to seek
revenge. Tamasic guna also suggests disillusionment and cynicism.
• In people with tamasic guna, happiness is short-lived and usually originates and ends in self-delusion. One
positive quality of tamas personality is their willingness to work very hard. On the other hand, one limitation
of tamas personality is easy attachment to possessions and self-centred tendencies.
• Each Guna gives certain typical qualities to the person, based on which an individual can be classified as
belonging to that particular Guna type. Ayurveda describes seven classifications of human personalities based
on combinations of these Gunas and their dominance with respect to each other.
• The Trigunas are thus the foundation for all existence. They are contained in balance by Prakruti (nature).
When this balance is disturbed, there is an interaction of the gunas, which eventually endangers the evolution
of the universe.
• Qualities in a Tamas personality:
• Cautiousness
• Apprehension
• Revengeful
• Materialistic
It is the ‘material quality’.
Arises from hope and illusions.
Attachment to myth, immorality and rest.
Revengeful, win by demolishing others.
Actions are directed for their own welfare.
No consistency of purpose, brilliance of
thought, tenderness of emotions.
• Views world as if it exists for him alone.
• Narrow and limited vision.
• Careless and irresponsible actions because of
some delusory misconception of the goal.
• E.g. smoking, drinking, etc.
• No self control, stubborn, arrogant.
• Creates disputes and quarrels.
• Wrong judgment of ethical and non-ethical.
These three types of personalities are
explained in bhagvadgeeta.
Apart from these we see combination of
these gunas in people.
A careful study of guna provides the
capacity of detecting within ourselves the
most powerful tendency that rises up to rule
our mental life at any given moment. A true
knowledge of gunas helps to meet subjective
problems more effectively.
Characteristics and effects of Gunas
Values
 Values - Meaning
• ‘Value’ evolved from the Latin word valere, which means to be strong or to be of worth. So our
values are what we hold to be ‘of strong worth’ to us, what is most important to us.
• From a sociological perspective, Dictionary.com refers to values as ‘the ideals, customs,
institutions, etc. of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard’.
• The American Heritage Dictionary refers to values as ‘A principle, standard, or quality considered
worthwhile or desirable’.
• A broad definition of values, derived from an insight into ancient India’s psycho-philosophical
wisdom literature is: “Values are states of feelings/emotions that underpin the content of a
choice/decision and determine the manner of using the intellect/reason for justifying and
implementing that choice/decision”
• Human Values is the sum total of qualities like truthfulness, integrity, gratitude, humbleness,
forgiveness, patience, transparence, charitableness, simplicity, etc.
• Human Values make a person Antarmukhi (interiorized) while skills will make him more and more
Bahirmukhi (exteriorized). Human values transcend moral, ethical and spiritual values.
• Character is the foundation of values. The sequence being:
Character -> Values -> Attitudes -> Behaviour
 Thoughts on values
• “Certainly we should take care not to make intellect our God. Intellect has,
of course, powerful muscles but no personality. It cannot lead. It can only
serve. It is not fastidious about its choice of leaders (Mind or Soul). The
intellect has a sharp eye for tools and methods but is blind to Ends and
Values”. – Albert Einstein
• “It is already becoming clear that a chapter which had a western beginning
in business management will have to have an Indian ending, when the world
adopts rich thoughts of Indian ethos and wisdom, if it is not to end in the
self-destruction of the human race”. – Arnold Toynbee, Nobel Laureate
 Values-Concepts
• Milton Rokeach, a social psychologist, is one of the researchers often quoted in
literature related to values. Rokeach spoke about terminal values and instrumental
values.
• Terminal values refer to desirable end-states of existence; these are the goals that
an individual would like to achieve in his/her lifetime.
• Terminal values vary among different groups of people in different cultures. Some
examples of terminal values include true friendship, mature love, self-respect,
happiness, inner harmony, equality, freedom, pleasure, social recognition, wisdom,
salvation, family security, national security, a sense of accomplishment, a world of
beauty, a world at peace, a comfortable life and an exciting life.
• Instrumental values refer to preferable modes of behavior. Examples of
instrumental values include being cheerful, ambitious, loving, clean, self-controlled,
capable, courageous, polite, honest, imaginative, independent, intellectual, broad-
minded, logical, obedient, helpful, responsible and forgiving.
 Values
• Values, that people ascribe to, can be universal. Their manifestation may
be in various forms and rituals. In Japan, humility is expressed by bowing to
others. In India, it may be expressed by touching the feet of elders and the
respected.
• Gratitude to a higher power is a value seen across cultures. Many people in
India partake of their food as a sacred ritual, by chanting the
Brahmaarpanam mantra and offering the food to the Divine.
• In western countries, the same value may be expressed in the ritual of
thanking the Lord before the meal (saying ‘grace’). There can also be rituals
associated with a specific locality – desacharam lokacharam. It is said that
human values can be grouped in three aspects: pure thoughts, pure
words and pure deeds – all three being in harmony with one another.
• a Samskara, a certain discipline, is a pre-requisite to higher knowledge.
Thus, anyone seeking to move towards higher levels of knowledge has to
cultivate samskara, a certain discipline. Seers of this land say that only
discovery and assimilation of values prepare the mind for the higher truths.
 Values in Business
• There can be numerous reasons why value-based life/business is necessary.
Business organisations like Bajaj, Bengal Chemicals, Godrej, Shri Ram
Group, Tata, and Walchand Hirachand among others, which were
established during the pre-independent era, went beyond the value of profit
motive and focused on values like national self-respect.
• Legend has it that the patriotic fervor of Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, on
being denied entry to the Watson’s Hotel (Indians were not allowed in the
hotel), resulted in the creation of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903.
• In the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama says, ‘Janani janmabhoomischa
swargaadapi gareeyasi’ (Mother and Motherland are greater than heaven).
Values
 Values

• R K Pachuri, Chairman of IPCC – India, land of ancient civilization wisdom

guides actions, Philosophy ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ meaning, Universe
one family, global efforts for protecting global commons
 Values v/s Skills
• 1. To ‘become’, we need values. To ‘do’, we need skills.
• 2. ‘Becoming’ (needing values) must precede ‘doing’ (needing skills). Values should
act as the basis of the skills acquired.
• 3. Values are the means of perfection. Skills must have sound system of values as
the base. Otherwise, one can manipulate skills for ulterior motives.
• 4. Values are internal, dealing with internal development of a person, purifying
mind and heart. Skills on the other hand only make a person proficient. Values are
the means of perfection of personality.
• 5. The field of values is governed by union, holism and relatedness. More often than
not, skills are used to bring about division, fragmentation and separation.
• 6. Values bring about excellence and universal good. Skills see us through
mechanics of management.
• 7. Skills are not enduring, values are.
• 8. Skills change with passage of time. Policy is flexible, principles and values are
not. We have permanent fundamental values. “Skills must pass through the
corridors of values and the corridors have to be kept not dark and untidy, but well
lit and clean.”
Skill – Value Matrix
 PANCHA KOSHAS AND HUMAN VALUES
• Vedanta speaks about the five sheaths – Pancha Koshas – that cover the atma (the self), and
constitute the human being. Noa Belling said, ‘According to the kosha system in Yogic
philosophy, the nature of being human encompasses physical and psychological aspects that
function as one holistic system. The system refers to these different aspects as layers of
subjective experience. Layers range from the dense physical body to the more subtle levels of
emotions, mind and spirit.
• Psychology refers to the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our being. Together, all
aspects make up our subjective experience of being alive.
• Enlisted here are the five sheaths, described from the grosser to the subtler:
• 1. Annamaya kosha or the sheath of physical self, named from the fact that it is nourished by
food. This self undergoes changes and dies a physical death.
• 2. Pranamaya kosha or the sheath of vital air. Prana is the vital principle or the life-force that
vitalizes and holds together the body and the mind. As long as this vital principle exists in the
organisms, life continues.
• 3. Manomaya kosha or the sheath of mind-stuff.
• 4. Vijnanamaya kosha or the sheath of intellect/wisdom.
• 5. Anandamaya kosha or the sheath of bliss. It is also referred to as the causal body or karana
sarira.
 Values in business

• Business values can be:

• The principles you stand for personally – for example, integrity, perseverance,
determination, innovation, respect, passion and fair-mindedness
• The beliefs and attitudes you and your staff have in common in the workplace –
how people should behave, the way managers should act, how work should be
done, how staff should treat each other at work
• Your organization's standards of behavior – what is acceptable business practice.
From a customer viewpoint, values are the kind of service they can expect to get
when they deal with your business.
 Value system in work culture
• A value system needs to be adopted first. These imbibed values are easy to implement when the
employee understands them. They then get reflected in communication, decisions, processes,
procedures, and just about everywhere.
• Workplace values drive the attitudes and behaviors that you want to see within your team.
These values might include respecting others, keeping promises, showing personal
accountability, or providing excellent customer service.
• Whether as a leader or as an employee at any organization, the value system of any enterprise
can help navigate through daily dealings with people. A properly aligned value system can
provide not only short-term but also long-term benefits to a business. To implement such a value
system in any organization, one needs to work democratically with the team.
• The corporate motto of Kyocera, a Japanese company, is ‘Respect the divine and love people’. It
extends, ‘Preserve the spirit to work fairly and honorably, respecting people, our work, our
company and our global community.’ Furthermore, in its management rationale, Kyocera states:
‘To provide opportunities for the material and intellectual growth of all our employees, and
through our joint effort, contribute to the advancement of society and humankind.’
 Values
• There is a story about a king who once had a hurried breakfast and, in the hurry,
forgot to clean his face properly. Due to his haste, the king’s cheek carried a lump
of jam-spread. Unaware, the king rushed to the court and carried on with his daily
routine. While the ministers and others present in the court observe this, none
brought the jam spread to the king’s notice. The chief minister was afraid that the
king would get angry; the court jester thought that the king had applied it
intentionally in order to lighten the atmosphere; the army general perceived the
king was trying out some new sign codes. After the day’s work, the king returned
home to find the jam spread on his cheek and felt ashamed of his carelessness.
Next day, the king was careful. He made time for a good breakfast and ensured
that his face was cleaned properly. He reached the court only to find that all the
members, including the chief minister, court jester and army general, had jam
spread on their cheeks! Similarly, in organizations, whatever a manager or a
member of the senior management does, others try to imitate the same. This
being the case, it is necessary for the senior management to ensure that their
thoughts, words and deeds are worthy of emulation.
• Bhagavad Gita (3,21) says: Whatever is practised by noble personalities, those very
practices are followed by other people too. Whatever is the guiding principle of the
noble personalities, the world too adopts the same.
• When JRD Tata was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992, Tata employees
arranged a function where a gentle breeze was blowing inland from the
Arabian Sea. When JRD rose to speak he made the point: ‘An American
economist has predicted that in the next century India will be an economic
superpower. I don’t want India to be an economic superpower. I want India
to be a happy country.’
• Source: The Hindu,
www.hindu.com/2005/07/29/stories/2005072905991100.htm; accessed on
April 28, 2010
• However, in many organizations, a gap exists between the espoused values (values
that are professed, but not necessarily put into practice) and the integrated values
(values that are demonstrated and expressed in daily routine). It is up to the
manager/leader to ensure unity between espoused values and integrated values.
Mahabharata espouses the role of a leader and manager in good governance. To
create a kingdom where citizens are free from fear as well as violence is considered
to be the reason for the existence of a state.
• ‘Shanti Parva’ in Mahabharata extols the virtues that a king should possess.
Section 91.12 states, ‘The class that requires greatest protection of all is composed
of those who are weak, are poor, are exploited, are helpless, and are trampled
upon. It is to protect them from the strong that the king was created’ (Mathur,
2010).
• The values of Mahabharata also advocate impartiality and justice as values that a
leader-manager (king) should show in governance. The scriptures say that neither
mother, nor father, nor brother, nor wife, nor the son, nor the priest is above the
law, and if any of them transgress dharma, the king has to hold her/him
responsible.
 Jack Hawley, author of Reawakening the Spirit in Work: The Power of Dharmic Management,
speaks about nine qualities that a modern leader should have – being a sense-maker, being a
moral architect, being a steward of organization's values, being a leadership yogi, being a
servant, being a spiritual guide, being a whole-maker, being an optimist, and being a spiritual
warrior.
Hawley elaborates:
1. Be mostly concerned with your vision of the organization's reality, rather than just its goals
and objectives. Know that you are the sense-maker, the one who understands and conveys
the overall concept of the organization – its purpose and meaning, and why it’s in business.
2. Be mostly concerned with integrity and dharma (living one’s truth), rather than being
merely honest. Know that you are the moral architect, the leader of character, the one who
creates an environment saturated with integrity, who makes living by one’s inner truth
workable.
3. Be mostly concerned with establishing human values and basic virtue, rather than just
setting priorities. Know that you are the steward of the organization's values, the one who
creates the conditions for integrity to come forward, and keeps watch over it.
4. Be mostly concerned with your own peace of mind and depth of composure, rather than
just plans and strategies. Know that you are the leadership yogi, the one of calm,
determined action who generates the organization's state of mind.
5. Be mostly focused on the principle of giving, rather than merely getting your own
share. Know that you are the servant, the one who grasps the universal law behind
giving – that you always get what you give – the one who creates an overall aura of
helpfulness.
6. Be mostly concerned with the organization's energy, heart and spirit, instead of
only its performance. Know that you are the spiritual guide, the one who builds an
organization that liberates the very best in people.
7. Be mostly concerned with the organization's culture, its basic ‘personality’ – rather
than just its structure and manner of operating. Know that you are the whole-maker,
the one who at some high level of consciousness knows the basic oneness of all
beings and creates an overall sense of unity.
8. Be mostly concerned with showing gratitude and acknowledging successes,
instead of only correcting errors. Know that you are the optimist, the one who
incessantly recognizes the contributions of people and brings an overall mood of
cheerful optimism to the organization.
9. Be mostly concerned with establishing an overall air of conviction and assurance,
instead of being merely a problem solver and decision maker. Know that you are the
spiritual warrior, the one of courage who lives in constant, awareness of inner truth,
the one who fosters self-confidence and individuality.
• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has said in his autobiography, Wings of Fire, ‘We are all
born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire
and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.’ If we are aware that there is
a divine fire within us, then we will be aware of our personal values. If we are
aware of our personal values, then we will be committed to our work.
 Application of Values

• It was found that greater the experience of personal purpose and meaning
in one’s work, the greater the organization commitment of the individual
the lesser the intention of the individual to quit the organization the greater
the intrinsic work satisfaction of the individual the greater the job
involvement of the individual the greater the organization-based self-
esteem of the individual
Values of Indian Managers
Relevance of Value Based Management in
Global Change
Change: an inevitable process
 Impact of values on Stakeholders
• Investors prefer to invest in credible organizations, and they would like to
work with people who are trustworthy. Some investors would not like to be
in the realm of uncertainty. An organization that provides regular
operational feedback and honest reporting of its financials is more
appreciated by investors than an organization that does not follow such
practices.
• Trust among partners leading to quick business decisions and easier
implementation of those decisions;
• Governmental assistance;
• Increase in the employee morale;
• Consumer support;
• and Media goodwill.
 Trans-Cultural Human Values

Trans-cultural human values in Management Education: Multicultural

education has two view points: Assimilation or melting pot: In this,
small cultural people should give their original culture, identities,
language, values, behavior & communication styles & merge into the
predominant bigger culture.
Ethics
 Ethics

• Ethics is concerned with studying morality and applying reason to elucidate

specific rules and principles that determine right and wrong for any given situation.
• Morality is concerned with the norms, values and beliefs embedded in social
processes which define right and wrong for an individual or a community.
• Ethics as a field of study: Ethics is that branch of philosophy which is concerned
with moral human character & conduct. It prescribes mass moral principles that
define what ought to be.
• 2. Ethics is also studied as a Behavioral Pattern.
 ETHICS
‘Dushasan was disrobing Draupadi in the king’s court amidst great personages
such as Bheeshmacharya, Kripacharya and Dronacharya who were aware that it
was wrong. All wise men were aware that what was being done was an atrocious
act but all remained mute spectators.
It was only Vidura who gathered the courage to tell Bheeshma in no mistaken
terms, “You are a man who can discriminate between good and bad. Such a
noble person like you should not remain a silent spectator when such an
atrocious act was being perpetrated. Why do you just keep quiet?” Bheeshma
replied, “What can I do when the wicked people perpetrate such sub-human
acts.” To which, Vidura reacted thus: “No! The one who does, the one who
encourages, the one who watches, the one who acts as a mute/helpless witness,
and the one who does not express the disapproval in unequivocal terms despite
being aware that it is wrong – all are equally guilty.”
 ETHICS POLICY
• Ethics policy comprises internal policies pertaining to the way employees
and management of the company conduct themselves. These can be
referred to as ethics statements or ethics code. A highly generalised
language typically represents the former, while the latter may represent
specific mode of actions.
• Many organizations have developed an ethics policy that takes care of all
aspects of the organization’s operations, including the whistle-blowing
policy, gift policy, etc. An organisation believes that such policies will result
in increased awareness about ethical conduct. A strong corporate ethical
identity is positively related to high levels of stakeholder satisfaction, which,
in turn, has a positive influence on firm financial performance.
Ethics v/s Ethos
Eastern Management v/s Western Management
 Disadvantages of Western Management
• Western nations make the mistake of equating economic growth to social wellbeing.
• Western technology, products and know-how could help improve living conditions and better meet
basic needs in many cases. The difficult part will be gaining these benefits while avoiding the
environmental and social degradations that nearly always accompany western-style development
• western business models force companies to focus primarily on growth. To increase sales,
advertising is used to get people to buy products, often by making them feel inadequate without
the advertised product.
• In many cases, this type of advertising causes young people in developing countries to lose interest
in their values – values that have sustained these cultures for many years. As a result, young people
often move from villages to cities where they often do not find work or sustenance. Through this
process, advertising and western media can cause social degradation by divorcing a country from
its traditional values
• Through corruption, weak legal systems and intense economic pressure, countries often wind up
selling their resources for much less than market value. This infrastructure-debt-export cycle can
cause living conditions to worsen as economies shift from meeting internal needs to generating
foreign exchange through exports. In addition, this process frequently results in severe
environmental degradation and disruption of indigenous cultures
• In the US education system, children must attain the same set of knowledge (math, science,
english, etc.). A competitive grading system teaches children to see peers as obstacles to their
success (which weakens social skills). This system encourages conformity, rather than encouraging
children to find their own unique passions and interests, then build their lives upon them.
 DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING GROSS
NATIONAL HAPPINESS(GNH)
• To identify the preferred state of society and use this to guide selection of performance metrics.
• Determine which development actions would enhance social wellbeing and which would
degrade it
• Social goals should be established in great detail. The process would comprehensively look at all
tangible and intangible aspects of society. Goals would be established in areas including
education, health care, housing, clothing, food and nutrition, shelter, environmental and habitat
protection, parents spending time with and raising children, arts, business practices,
infrastructure, legal and regulatory issues, and reported levels of happiness.
• Spending much more time with parents children learn cultural values, social skills, and the
agricultural and other skills needed to sustain them over their lives.
Thanks!!!!