Abstract
Since the late 1900s the business world has been under increasing pressure to demonstrate responsible social behaviour and the pressure continues to grow. Today, the role of business in society is on the Boardroom agenda and at stake are corporate reputation, innovation, competitiveness and growth. It is a clarion call, that either, the CEO and the Board manage it or someone else will manage it for them. As we know that we cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them; therefore it is imperative that we look beyond the 20th century’s scientism and materialism dominated worldly ways for solutions. In view of the above, I believe that the ‘Indian Philosophy of Consciousness’ which focuses on practicing “better-worldliness” rather than “worldliness” and has developed over the past 4000 years has the potential to help business. Better worldliness is ‘a disposition towards life that is based on a Dharmic (righteous) way of conduct; a conduct with compassion and forbearance for fellow man, no matter what the nationality, or the colour of the skin, religion or caste.’ Society expects similar compassion and forbearance from business.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
As given out by Sir Sahabji Maharaj the 5th spiritual leader of Radhasoami Faith, Dayalbagh, Agra, India.
Rev. Prof. M.B. Lal is the founder of DEI (Deemed University) and the 7th spiritual leader of Radhasoami Faith Dayalbagh, Agra, India
References
Aurobindo, Sri. 1972. The Mother. Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram 25:11–12.
Aurobindo, Sri. 1991. Letters on Yoga, 234. Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust: Pondicherry.
Aurobindo, Sri. 2003. The Internal Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Method of Teaching and Practice, 3rd ed, 184. Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust: Puducherry.
Aurobindo, Sri. 2012. Letters on Yoga - 1, 394. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press.
Boulding, K.E. 1956. General Systems Theory: The Skeleton of Science. Management Science 2(3).
Capra, F. 1997. Encounter at the Edge of the New Paradigm, EnlightenNext Magazine. http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/j11/schumcapra.asp?page=1.
Curry, A., and J. Peck. 2014. The 21st Century Business: Planning for Success in a Changing World, The Futures Company. http://thefuturescompany.com.
FitzGerald, and Cormack. 2006. The Role of Business in Society – An Agenda for Action, published by Conference Board, Harvard University CSR Initiative and International Business Leaders Forum.
Gupta, S. et al. 2012. Workplace Spirituality & Indian Ethos. Purushartha IV(2).
Gupta, S. et al. 2013. Transforming Business to Perform in the 21st Century. Purushartha VI(1).
Handy, C. 2002. What’s a Business For? Harvard Business Review 49–55.
Henry, R.C. 2005. The Mental Universe. Nature 436: 29.
Kilmann, R.H. 2001. Quantum Organizations ‘A New Paradigm for Achieving Organizational Success and Personal Meaning. California: Davis-Black Publishing.
Korten, D.C. 1999. The Difference Between Money & Wealth: How Out-of-Control Speculation is Destroying Real Wealth, Business Ethics; January / February 1999; http://livingeconomiesforum.org/the-difference-between-money-and-wealth.
Kourie, C. 2006. The Turn To Spirituality. Acta Theologica Supplementum 8:2006. http://www.ajol.info/index.php/actat/article/viewFile/52310/40935.
Porter, M.E., and M.R. Kramer. 2011. Creating Shared Values. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value.
Radhakrishnan, S. 1914. The Ethics of Vedanta. International Journal of Ethics 24(2): 168–183.
Radin, D. 2012. Consciousness and the Double-Slit Interference Pattern: Six Experiments, Physics Essays. Published online, http://media.noetic.org/uploads/files/PhysicsEssays-Radin-DoubleSlit-2012.pdf.
Ranganathananda, S. 1987. Eternal Values for a Changing Society, 473–474. Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan: Mumbai.
Satsangi, P.S. 2006. Systems Movement: Autobiographical Retrospectives. International Journal of General Systems 35(2): 127–167.
Satsangi, P.S. 2012. Eastern Philosophy in the Tradition of Oriental Saints: An Interpretive Structural Model (ISM) Representation. The Dayalbagh Herald (e-Herald Daily), June 5, 2012, Agra, Dayalbagh Press & Publications.
Schwartz, T. 2013. Companies that Practice “Conscious Capitalism” Perform 10× Better. Harvard Business Review.
Speth, J.G. 2008. The Bridge at the Edge of the World. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Toffler, A. 1981. The Third Wave, 46. London: Pan Books Ltd.
Watts, G. 2010. Men May be Mortal but Man is Immortal, Bhavan Australia 8:(3)3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gupta, S. The ‘Indian Philosophy of Consciousness’ and its Relevance to 21st Century Business Management. Philosophy of Management 16, 35–54 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40926-016-0047-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40926-016-0047-5