Role of management and insights from

Indian practices and ethos

Dr. Kamaljit Singh

 What is Indian Ethos
For Management?

It means application of
principles of management
revealed in our ancient
wisdom described in
Upanishades and Gita.
 Ethos establishes a moral and ethical framework
for managerial practices.

Role And It guides decision-making processes and sets

priorities based on core values.
Significance
Of Ethos In Ethos promotes responsible leadership and
encourages ethical behavior.

Managerial It fosters a positive work culture, enhancing

Practices employee engagement and productivity.

Ethos attracts and retains talented employees,

contributing to organizational success.
 Management Is Culture
Bound
• Management practices are influenced by the
cultural context in which they operate.
• Cultural values and beliefs shape managerial
styles and approaches.
• Cultural norms impact how managers structure
work, motivate employees, and establish
relationships.
• Organizational structures may vary across
cultures based on cultural preferences.
• Cross-cultural understanding is important for
effective management in diverse settings.
 Basic Principles
There are six basic principles which are
derived from our holy books and are applied
in today’s management world. They are:
• Each soul is a potential of God.
• Holistic Approach.
• Equal importance to subjectivity &
objectivity.
• Karma Yoga.
• Yoga It Karntasu Kaushalam
• Co-operation
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 relations
2. Man-machine equation and
3. 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
emphasized 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.
• Centralization of authority is
meant to diffuse and decentralize
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.
Management guided by mind only, led away by ego and desire. Management by consciousness , power beyond
2.Guidance Soulless management. mind i.e. soul. Interiorised Management

3.Emphasis Worker development. Management of others, Profit maximisation Development of Man Intergrated Growth Harmony,
, Human being only lip sympathy Happiness and Health, Management of self.

4.Tools Men, Machines, Materials and Methods as

Conscious
Partners- all having consciousness whether
5 Ms as Resources- men, money, materials, machines, markets. manifested or dormant. Information and intuition for
Science & Technology. Information for decision making. decisions.
5.Problem-
Solving Conflict resolution by negotiation, Conflicts resolution through integration and
comprise, arbitration liquidation of synthesis on stressing superordinate common
difference only for a temporary period. No goals so that enduring harmony and unity is
reference to higher consciousness. assured. Self- introspection, stepping back aids
for solution.

6.Decision making Brain- storming(Round the table approach) Brain-stilling(Room of silence)

/.Development Physical, Vital and Mental only. Soul or Integrated Development. Whole man approach
Process Spirit ignored. Material development only breath control and meditation emphasised.
even at the cost of man and nature. Human Enrichment and Total quality.

8.Approach External Behaviour Mental, Material, Noble Attitudes, Inner guidance, Team spirit,
Selfish only, Soulless. Total harmony, Global
Happy Learning