Ancient India Has Management Lessons to Offer
In the contemporary period, the term management is
generally identified with business, especially those that belong to the corporate
sector. Management courses are mostly the business management courses that deal
with the functioning of the mega and multinational corporations. The management
schools and the universities that run these courses in our country prescribe
foreign books, teach theories developed by the foreigners in their countries,
follow their methodologies and discuss their case studies.
Meanwhile we have been witnessing the large scale
failure of the western corporate systems, especially in the last few years. Mega US corporations that were playing
dominant roles at the global levels such as Enron and WorldCom failed due to the
unethical practices of the top management, resulting in the loss of billions of
dollars to the stakeholders during the previous decade.
Subsequently over the
years there have been repeated instances of fraud, greed and mismanagement in
the corporate sector across the globe. Hence a strong sense of distrust and
anger has come to prevail against the management systems and practices of the
corporate sector. The “Occupy Wall Street” and protests of similar nature in different
parts of the world, particularly the US, are the results of the simmering
discontent of the majority who remain mute spectators in a world dominated by
the corporate interests.
As a result the subject of management itself has come
under criticism from different quarters. The subjects taught, the contents of
the courses, the attitude and approach of the institutions involved in
providing education and the subjects that are not covered in the syllabi are among
the reasons cited for its poor record.
Critics note that modern management suffers from several problems.
Looking at everything from the point of unrestrained competition, cultivating a
narrow approach that aims for maximization of profits at any cost, creating a
world that glorifies the consumerist tendencies causing enormous damage to the personal,
social and the environmental interests and negating the basic principles of life
are some of the most serious issues that are shaking the very foundations of modern
management.
The basic reason for the sorry state of affairs is the
narrow western theories and approaches. They view management as separate from all
those that surround it. As a result it is
viewed as a separate discipline that functions on its own. But there are people
involved, there are societies, states and a whole lot of formal and informal
institutions that are closely connected with each other. Unfortunately the
modern management does not factor these aspects into consideration. Hence the
world, and particularly the west that remains as the thought leader even today,
does not know what to do.
In this respect, India, and the rest of the world as
well, can learn from the ancient Indian management thoughts and practices.
India had well-functioning economic and business systems since the ancient
periods. As a result the Indian economy could remain prosperous for hundreds of
years remaining as the most sustainable economic power in the world. India was also
dominating the international business since the ancient periods. How was this
possible? There must have been superior
management systems.
After the western world began to dominate the
international scene during the modern period, we see their systems and
approaches failing often within a century of their ‘successful functioning’. Countries
emerge stronger, remain powerful at the top for a few decades and then go down
under their own weights. They did not have the capacity to manage their successes,
as most of their successes are not due to inherent strengths.
But India was handling her successes effectively for
several centuries, till the alien forces began to disturb the native functioning. India was not just a prosperous nation; by
all accounts it was a very peaceful society, even while engaged in making
pioneering contributions in diverse fields of life. Problems must have been
there, as they are part of life; but the society must have developed mechanisms
to overcome or at least minimize them. Otherwise
how could the nation maintain peace amidst material prosperity and superior
achievements?
The history of the world shows that successful
societies, especially the richer ones, faced serious problems and succumbed to
them. How did India escape from such calamities? The answer lies in her native
management systems. Ancient India created systems that enabled people to grow
inward, even when growth was taking place outside. There were necessary soft
wares and hard wares in place in the society as part of its overall
functioning. People were attuned to imbibe them as they grew and matured.
India did not look at management as a separate
discipline. It was considered as part and parcel of one’s life, beginning from
the management of one’s self and extending beyond to all the different aspects
of life. Human beings have the pivotal role in all the activities of life. Hence
all types of management depend on them. So they should be prepared to manage
all the different activities under the sun. As a result the lessons of
management started with them. Once human
beings are taught to practice management for them, other things become easy.
Ancient India developed necessary systems so that
people started ‘learning management’ from a young age. Management thoughts were inculcated through
sayings, stories, songs, teachings, texts, practices and all possible modes. As
a result management thoughts and practices required for one’s life went into
the minds of people from different directions. Apart from the management of
self, people acquired the required knowledge and skills in the fields related
to life such as family, vocation and society.
Families and societies prepared people for businesses
with training and skills provided through the informal and formal mechanisms
created by it. People were prepared for governance at different levels through
practices and training. Ethics, values and good conduct guided all activities
of life. Codes of conduct were developed for specialized fields and vocations.
With the result, management came to them naturally.
People were taught to manage different activities at
the personal and the larger levels in the overall interests of the society by
following basic principles. There were systems developed by the society and the
state to monitor people and punish the wrong-doers. Since management began at
the level of the self and there were codes and guidelines at different levels,
much of the problems should have been
reduced. When people are guided by higher instincts, the society and the
institutions that surround them will be driven by broader thinking.
Management is an all-encompassing subject. It should
start from the self. It has organic relationships with the family, society and
other institutions that are connected with lives. At this time when its scope
has been reduced to mere money making at the cost of all other things, we
cannot expect anything more. In this connection ancient India has a lot of
lessons to offer for the shift that is urgently required.
( Yuva Bharati,
Vol.39, No.12, Vivekananda Kendra, Chennai, July 2012)
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