The Indian Philosophy of Consciousness & its Relevance to 21st Century Business Management

By: Sandeep Gupta, India

The 10th Philosophy of Management International Conference 2015,

Oxford, UK

11th July 2015

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Financial scams: Enron, WorldCom, Satyam, Tyco, HealthSouth, AIG, Freddie Mac..

Environmental violations: AT&T, Caterpillar, DuPont, Waste Management.

Human rights violations: Union Carbide, Barrick Gold, Backwater, Caterpillar

Stratification: The richest 1% to hold 50+% of the world‟s wealth by 2016 (Davos 2015)

Ethical Sense

& Spiritualism Scientism &

Materialism

Economic values subverted human values &“The business of business became to make

money at any cost”

20th Century Socio - Economic Culture

The “societal socio-cultural” transition from the 20th century to the 21st century is neither

economic nor managerial, it is philosophical in nature

Business being an „open-system‟ within the societal socio-cultural system, are

struggling to find optimal ways to align themselves with the demands of the 21st century:

Shift in Consciousness

Disenchantment with Scientism

Inner Sources of Authority and Power

Re-spiritualization of Society

Decline of Materialism

Political and Economic Democratization

Beyond Nationality

(Source: Maynard & Mehrtens, 1993)

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Material growth without spiritual growth is like a man-eater on the prowl and spiritual

growth without material growth is like a lame duck

1. Focus on values rather than strategies

2. Strike a balance between economic obligations & societal obligations

3. Demonstrate socially responsible behaviour by taking responsibility of man,

society & planet as a whole

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“In short, the 20th century assumptions … codified by managers,

researchers and academics in the '50s and '60s, have run out of gas. They

are no longer fit for purpose” - Curry & Peck (2014)

Businesses need to develop

the ability to think beyond

“the business of business is

to make money”

A philosophy or a management system that is based on realities higher than material

reality and has the ability to:

Bring about an “inner mental revolution”

Develop the ability to see the connectedness in the creation – Everything is

affected by everything – and everything is affected – by everything

Help usher in better worldliness in place of worldliness or unworldliness

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Better worldliness (“We-Us-Ours” Way of Life)

A disposition towards life based on a Dharmic (righteous) way of conduct; a conduct with

compassion and forbearance for fellow men irrespective of nationality, colour, religion or caste

Indian Philosophy of Consciousness

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IPoC calls for an active participation in all aspects of life based on the principle of

Dharma (righteousness) – a life not of zero desires but of regulated desires

Universal applicability – based on the „creator-creation-man‟ relationship hence not

bound by gender, religion, colour, caste or creed

Self-

realization

Moksha

(Liberation)

Artha

(Wealth)

Kama

(Desires)

Dharma

(Righteousness)

OUTER WORLD

In which we

interact with

nature incl.

humans &

perform actions

INNER WORLD

Of our thoughts,

values, dreams &

desires

HIGHER

CONSCIOUSNESS

Integrated vision of

creation (We-Us-Ours)

LOWER

CONSCIOUSNESS

Fragmented vision of

creation (I-Me-My)

IPoC is what Julian Huxley wanted modern science to develop into i.e. science of

human potential or say possibilities

1st Division

-

Region of

Spirit

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3rd

Division -

Region of

Matter

Characteristics

Physical force &

inertia

2nd

Division –

Region of

Mind

Intelligence,

wisdom, love,

bliss, mutuality

Duality &

differentiation

Creation a Omni Quantum

Field of Consciousness

Body

Man is a perfect microcosm of the macrocosm

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Rev Prof. P.S. Satsangi is the doyen of

Systems Movement in India & 8th

Spiritual Leader of Radhasoami Faith,

Dayalbagh, (Religion of Saints)

Spirit, Mind & Matter Energies

Dynamics - A systems Perspective

By: Rev Prof. P.S. Satsangi

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Human Microcosm And Macrocosm APERTURES IN SUBTLE PLANE OF GREY MATTER THROUGH WHICH THE SPIRIT

CAN ESTABLISH COMMUNION WITH SPIRITUAL MATERIAL REGION (BRAHMANDA)

Macrocosm

SPIRITUAL MATERIAL REGION

(Brahmanda)

Apertures Located in Gray Matter

Sunna

Trikuti

Sahasdal Kamal

Vishnu

Brahma

Shiva

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Microcosm

Nerve Centres or “Kamals”

6 Upper Forehead

5

4

3

2

1 Lower Forehead

Human Microcosm (Man) and Macrocosm

Macrocosm Microcosm

PURELY SPIRITUAL REGIONApertures Located in White Matter

Apertures or “Padams”

Radhasoami 6 Apex or Top of the Head

Agam 5

Alakh 4

Anami 3

Sat Loka 2

Bhanwargupha 1 Top of the Forehead

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APERTURES IN SUBTLE PLANE OF WHITE

MATTER THROUGH WHICH THE SPIRIT CAN

ESTABLISH COMMUNION WITH PURELY

SPIRITUAL REGION (NIRMAL CHETAN DESH)

APERTURES IN SUBTLE PLANE OF GREY

MATTER THROUGH WHICH THE SPIRIT CAN

ESTABLISH COMMUNION WITH SPIRITUAL

MATERIAL REGION (BRAHAMAND)

By: Rev Prof. P.S. Satsangi

Doyen of Systems Movement in India & 8th Spiritual Leader of Radhasoami Faith, Dayalbagh,

(Religion of Saints)

Primordial, independent, & a singular force

Pervades the entire creation & is the essence of all life

Cover all interactions & experiences whether sensory,

transcendental, trans-sensory & trans social

It is a multidimensional spectrum, with each

dimension representing a distinct human identity

ranging from the egoic to the cosmic

A ladder for man to climb & unlock the mysteries of

nature and make kinetic the ability in him to alter self

and environment

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(Cosmic Nature)

Inner World

Outer World

(Egoic Nature)

(Different Planes of

Consciousness)

Consciousness Thought Action

What we hold in our consciousness becomes manifest as our experience

Our lives and affairs are influenced and shaped by the character of our thinking

We are limited by our own dominant state of mind (consciousness), and

Stirrings of greatness and groans of downhill slide all begin within our mind

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Experience

1st Dimension: Moves outwards &

creates awareness of environment

2nd Dimension: Falls back as a reflex &

creates datum of self-awareness

Increase in self-awareness leads to man breaking out of his genetic compulsions

of organic survival, organic satisfaction & organic reproduction

Consciousness in Man

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Hierarchy of Consciousness Dynamics of Consciousness

Spiritual

Plane of

Existence

Integral vision of all planes, Intuition,

Revelations, Reflexive knowledge,

Wisdom, Bliss, Reflexive intelligence

Mental Plane

of Existence

Ideas, Concepts, Rational Thinking, Logic,

Thoughts, Conscious Self-Conception,

Higher emotions, Discretion, Information

handling and decision making

Vital Plane of

Existence

Emotions, Feelings, Passions,

Relationships

Physical

Plane of

Existence

Body Knowledge - Primary Skills of

Existence & Survival - Physical Urges and

Sensations

[Source: Writing of Sri Aurobindo]

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Birth

Individual

Individual

Person

Human

Environment

Education

Consciousness: Bound in

own organic system

Developed

Person

Education

Consciousness: Treats people

as subjects like himself

Consciousness: Treats people

as objects for self pleasure

Consciousness: Focus

inter-human relationships –

capacity to love & be loved

Consciousness: I am

independent

Dev. of Social

Consciousness

Process: Holistic

education led

internalization

Dev. of Spiritual

Consciousness

Process: Experience led

realization

OU

TE

R W

OR

LD

O

F M

AN

INN

ER

WO

RL

D

OF

MA

N Awareness of cosmic vastness filled with

cosmic spirit and its interaction with forces of

mind and matter. Awareness does not come

together, it is a progressive process

• Developed Person – High on Ethical

sense

• Person – Ethical sense till his/her

interest not compromised

• Individual – Low on Ethical sense

Interdependent

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Selfishness driven by Desire, Anger, Attachment, Greed, & Ego

Selflessness driven by Righteousness, Co-existence, Co-creation

& Co-evolution

(-) Lower

Consciousness

(+) Higher

Consciousness

“I-Me-My”

Life Focus

“We – Us – Ours”

Life Focus

Means to

an End

An End in

Itself

Cohesiveness

& Orderly

Divisiveness

& Chaotic

Social

Wealth

Creation

Focus

Individual

Wealth

Creation Focus

Society Man Money Business

Co

ns

cio

us

ness

(Consciousness behind all forms of slavery)

(Consciousness behind all forms of evolution)

“A fundamental conclusion of the new physics also

acknowledges that the observer creates the reality. ……….

…….Physicists are being forced to admit that the universe is

a “mental” construction. ………………… The universe is

immaterial-mental and spiritual”

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Dr. Richard Conn Henry

John Hopkins Univ., USA

Max Plank

Nobel Prize 1918

Consciousness is fundamental and matter a derivative of

consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything

we regard as existing is postulating consciousness

Dr. Anton Zielinger

Univ. of Vienna, Austria

“We can change the way reality behaves just by looking at it”

– Let us hear Dr. Zielinger explain the phenomenon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayvbKafw2g0

Conscious Business Outperform S&P 500 by 14

times over a period 1998-2013

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Universe

Man

Life Ideology

Business

Philosophy

Spirit Force

(Energy)

Mind Force

(Energy)

Matter Force

(energy)

Manager Design Operations

Philosophy Goal Task

Consciousness Thoughts Action

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Firms of Endearment (FoE) out performed the S&P 500 by 14 times and Good

to Great Companies by 6 times over a period of 15 years (1998 – 2013)

Cumulative

Performance 15 Years 10 Years 5 Years 3 Years

US FoEs 1681% 410% 151% 83%

International FoEs 1180% 512% 154% 47%

Good to Great

Companies 263% 176% 158% 222%

S&P 500 118% 107% 61% 57%

(Source: „Firms of Endearment‟ by Raj Sisodia, page 20)

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Characteristics of FoEs:

Interests of all stakeholder groups brought into strategic alignment so that all

prospered simultaneously

Functional and psychological needs of stakeholders were met in ways that

delighted them and engendered affection for and loyalty to the company

Selected FoEs:

3M, Amazon, Google, Fedex, Boston Beer, IBM, Colgate, Disney, Southwest

Airlines, SAS, Jordan, Prana, Tata (India), BMW (Germany), Posco (S.Korea),

Ikea (Sweden), Honda (Japan), Unilever (UK)

“It is not necessary to choose between consciousness & capitalism, self-interest and the broader

interest, or personal development or services to others; they are all inextricably connected , and

they all serve one another”

Schwartz

IPoC - Helping Businesses in the 21st Century

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1. Make responsible behaviour their habit

2. Translate their responsible behaviour into action and regain their lost

societal creditability

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Inculcating values in business is a systemic process and the corrective action

needs to address the whole system including its driver – the man

Natural Order

Hierarchy

Business Action

Hierarchy Particulars

Spirit Manager Appreciate that – “everything affects everything –

everything is affected – by everything”

Mind Design Apply principle of – “co-creation, co-evolution & co-

existence”

Matter Operations

Bridge the increasing gap between business & society

i.e. a shift from non sustainable practices to sustainable

practices

Management style

• Participatory

Decision making paradigm

• Does it confirm to organization‟s

values?

• Will it add to the sustainability

quotient?

• Will it generate profits for the

organization?

Target Setting

• A mix of financial & participation in

CSR

Appraisal / Incentives

• Calculated on a mix of financial,

community participation & adherence

to organizational values

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Cu

ltu

re O

ffic

er

Vision: State in terms of commerce

and finance

Mission: Define in terms of Societal Wealth

creation

Values: The 5 universal virtues

Non-violence, Truthfulness, Not Stealing,

Restraint & Non-Possessiveness

Board of Directors

Strategy: Co-Existence, Co-creation &

Co-evolution

Em

plo

yees

Operating & Management

Environment

(Change / include)

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In the Model Result

1 Business drivers – The 5 universal

virtues

Rising above self interest and lower nature

2 Mission in social wealth & vision in

commercial terms

Integration of societal welfare and business

3 Strategy drivers – co-creation, co-

evolution & co-existence

Putting the natural law of interdependence &

mutuality into practice

4 Decision making code (values, social

wealth creation & bottom line)

Taking responsibility of man, society and planet

5 Participatory mode of management Employees feel empowered and wanted –

higher productivity

6 Targets & incentives fixed in financial

and non-financial terms

Creation of societal sensitivity within

organizational environment

7 Appointment of Cultural Officer Plays key role in creating the right environment

to practice conscious-economic business

8 Personal of personal vision As the visions will expand and engulf others,

the new desired culture will evolve

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FROM

Non-sustaining practices

TO

Sustaining practices

Hire talent when you need it Workforce Develop talent to create

opportunities

Claim values but don‟t examine

espoused

Values vs. values-in-use Surface and develop: top to

bottom

Top down: direct and control Organizing principle Organic: Self directed and

managed

Incremental within current

paradigm

Change Radical: Deep and

transformational

Prescribed and limited (silos) Career paths Self-generated and broad

Growth, technology, money Drivers Values, people, society

Top-down – individually based Decision making/action Collaborative – co-creation

based

Based on financial outcomes Rewards Based on financial and non-

financial outcomes

Internal, process focused Impact Internal and external, strategy

focused

Limited to business Responsibility To all stakeholders

(Source: Human Values & Sustainability: Can Green Swim Upstream, Daniel F. Twomey, et.al.)

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Company becomes attractive for

investors

Business starts demonstrating

socially responsible behavior

Enhanced societal acceptance and

support

Enhanced brand value and prestige

Increased sustainability quotient

“Consciousness is intrinsic to the grand cosmos, both at macroscopic as well

as microscopic levels. Man, a creation on planet Earth happens to be a perfect

microcosm of the macrocosm. Spirit-mind-brain consciousness interactions

are at the microscopic levels analogous to consciousness interaction between

Supreme Being (Universal Spirit) – Universal Mind – Physical Universe at the

macrocosmic levels”

(His Holiness Prof. P.S. Satsangi, 2012)

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Consciousness

Training Culture Process Mind-Set

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