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Eastern Management Thought for Global Management u2014 Quality<br>AUROBINDOu2019S PERSPECTIVE<br>
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Eastern Management Thought for Global Management — Quality AUROBINDO’S PERSPECTIVE
1. Introduction: Eastern vs. Western Management Thought • Western Perspective: • Rooted in rationality, efficiency, productivity, and profit maximization. • Emphasizes structures, processes, and systems. • Influenced by thinkers like Taylor (Scientific Management), Fayol (Administrative Principles), and Weber (Bureaucracy). • Eastern Perspective: • Holistic, spiritual, and value-driven. • Sees the organization as a living organism, not just a machine. • Stresses harmony, ethics, self-mastery, and inner growth. • Focuses on quality of consciousnessrather than only quality of output.
Wholeness / Integrality Dharma (duty & right action) Harmony & relationship orientation Seva (service) & Sewa-based leadership Key Eastern principles relevant to Quality Tao / Naturalness / Simplicity Inner transformation & self-mastery Respect for craft & aesthetics Continuous cultivation (anushilan)
2. Sri Aurobindo’s Philosophical Foundation Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950), philosopher, yogi, and spiritual leader, developed an integral vision of human development and organization. His key management relevance lies in: Integral Yoga: Self-mastery and alignment of inner potential with external action. Transformational Approach: Moving from ego-centered functioning to collective, higher consciousness. Quality as Consciousness: Excellence is not just compliance with standards but expression of higher awareness, dedication, and perfection in work.
3. Sri Aurobindo’s Perspective on Quality • (a) Quality Beyond Technical Standards • Western quality management (Deming, Juran, Crosby) emphasizes process, consistency, and zero defects. • Aurobindo emphasizes: • Inner discipline (yoga of work). • Perfection in execution as an offering. • Quality linked to values and consciousness. • (b) Work as Yoga • “All life is Yoga” – Work is not just economic activity but a means of self-evolution. • Consciousness • Dedication • Excellence • (c) Perfection (Siddhi) in Work • Aurobindo highlights the need for śuddhi (purity), śakti (force), and siddhi (perfection).
4.Applications to Global Management Practices • (a) Quality Management in Organizations • Western TQM: Focus on tools (Six Sigma, ISO, Kaizen). • Aurobindo’s Extension: Tools must be combined with inner values like integrity, humility, and self-mastery. • (b) Leadership & Quality • Western leadership: Goal-oriented, transactional or transformational. • Aurobindo: Integral Leadership → leader as guide who uplifts collective consciousness. • Quality in leadership comes from self-awareness, harmony, and inspiration. • (c) Workplace Culture • Western view: Performance culture, targets, incentives. • Aurobindo’s view: Culture of inner harmony, mindfulness, self-discipline, and collective upliftment.
5. Illustrations from Sri Aurobindo’s Writings • From “The Synthesis of Yoga” –“Perfection is the true aim of all human endeavour.” • From “Essays on the Gita” –“Work done with the spirit of sacrifice, without demand for reward, brings the highest efficiency and perfection.” • From “The Human Cycle” –“The individual has to discover the higher law of his nature and shape his life accordingly.”
Practical Implications for Global Management • Quality as Consciousness: Training employees not only in technical skills but also in mindfulness and ethics. • Holistic Quality Programs: Integrating ISO, Six Sigma with value-based training. • Leadership Development: Encouraging leaders to cultivate self-awareness and emotional-spiritual intelligence. • Workplace Practices: Encouraging a culture of care, respect, and excellence. • Global Relevance: Multinationals can use this approach to integrate diverse cultures while promoting universal values of quality.
7. Contributions of Other Eastern Thinkers in Quality • Mahatma Gandhi: “Customer is God” – early foundation for customer-centric quality. • Rabindranath Tagore: Emphasized education and creativity as means to holistic quality. • Swami Vivekananda: “Excellence in work is worship” – links performance with higher ideals. • Confucius (China): Stressed ethics, harmony, and order – basis of Asian quality traditions like Kaizen.
9. Conclusion Sri Aurobindo’s management thought expands the idea of quality beyond technical standards to include values, consciousness, and holistic perfection. In a globalized world facing issues of stress, burnout, and ethical lapses, his vision offers a sustainable path to quality that is not only about products and services but also about human growth, organizational integrity, and collective harmony.
