Corporate Social Responsibility CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY One of the most frequently as ed questions all those individuals and

organizatio ns dealing with CSR issues is the obvious - just what does 'Corporate Social Res ponsibility' mean anyway? Is it a stal ing horse for an anti-corporate agenda? S omething which, li e original sin, you can never escape? Or what? Different organizations have framed different definitions - although there is co nsiderable common ground between them. As far as concern of me CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact o n society, just li e TATA, IDEA Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming an increasingly important acti vity to businesses nationally and internationally. As globalization accelerates and large corporations serve as global providers, these corporations have progre ssively recognized the benefits of providing CSR programs in their various locat ions. CSR activities are now being underta en throughout the globe. DEFINITIONS:There are many definitions on CSR by numerous scholars, but there is no universa lly accepted definition of CSR. One of the primary reasons is that CSR is an evo lving concept, which over the years has been used to describe an increasingly wi der range of corporate activity. Corporate social responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behav e ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality o f life of the wor force and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. According to Social Responsibility Business Development:Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is part of an international drive towards transparency and Accountability of business activities and a way of monitoring how business perfo rms against Environment, ethics and society. Social Responsibility Business Development Netw or is a platform to share information, nowledge and experience on CSR. The rat ionale behind the meeting was to have a well functioning nowledge and informati on-sharing networ on CSR.

What is corporate social responsibility? The term is often used interchangeably for other terms such as Corporate Citizen ship and is also lin ed to the concept of Triple Bottom Line Reporting (TBL), which is used as a framewor for measuring an organizations performance against economic, social and environmental parameters.

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SOCIAL corporation social responsibility

Human rights Companies: 1. Do whatever they can to promote human rights in those countries where th ey operate. In areas of conflict, where gross violations of human rights occur, extra care should be ta en with respect to honoring basic human rights. 2. Investigate the impact of any business operation on a given countrys huma n rights situation before launching business activities there. 3. Include an explicit reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Righ ts of the United Nations or other international human rights treaties in a code of conduct (with respect to both employees and all members of the community in w hich the corporation operates). Labor Companies: 1. Respect and ensure the freedom of association and right to collective ba rgaining. 2. Do not engage or support the use of forced labour. 3. Contribute to the abolition of child labour. 4. Do not discriminate with respect to employment and occupation. 5. Ensure security of employment. 6. Ensure a living wage. 7. Ensure occupational health and safety. 8. Respect maximum number of wor ing hours. 9. Provide training. 10. Guarantee handling of complaints. 11. Provide timely information on re-organizations and the right to collecti ve discharge and redundancy schemes. 12. Do not use the threat to transfer the operations of the company to other countries as a means for influencing the negotiations with trade unions or empl oyees. 13. Do not use double standards. 14. Employ and train local staff as much as possible. 15. Enable wor er representatives to negotiate and confer with decision ma e rs. Consumer protection Companies: 1. Ensure access to essential goods and services. 2. Ensure the right to safety, with respect to: a. physical safety b. safety and quality of consumer goods and services c. food, water and pharmaceuticals 3. Ensure the right to information. 4. Ensure the right to choice in the mar et place. 5. Ensure the right to be heard. 6. Ensure the right to obtain redress. 7. Respect the right to consumer education. 8. Promote sustainable consumption. 9. Respect the right to privacy. 2.ENVIRONMENTAL corporation social responsibility Companies: 1. Respect the principle of preventive action. 2. Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges. 3. Rectify environmental damage as a priority at source. 4. Respect the principle that the polluter bears the environmental costs. 5. Promote greater environmental responsibility. 6. Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly tech nologies.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Reduce energy use. Limit or alter material use. Reduce water use. Limit emissions. Reduce waste.

3. ECONOMIC corporation social responsibility Contribution to development Companies: 1. Contribute to equal access to health facilities. 2. Contribute to access to basic food, housing, sanitation and sufficient safe d rin ing water. 3. Contribute to education and access to information with respect to essential h ealth problems in de community. 4. Promote respect for other socio-economic rights, li e the right to wor , soci al security, maternity leave, to ta e part in cultural life. Corruption Companies: 1. Do not offer, nor give in to demands to pay bribes to public officials o r employees of business partners. 2. Do not demand bribes to obtain or retain business or other improper adva ntage. Fair competition Companies: 1. Conduct activities in a competitive manner. Taxation Companies: 1. Contribute to public finances of host countries. Science and technology Companies: 1. R&D in order to contribute to the development of local and national inno vative capacity.

According to vedas for CSR In Vedas a, business is viewed as legitimate and an integral part of society, bu t essentially it should create wealth for the society through the right means of action. Sarva lo a hitam in the Vedic literatures referred to well-being of sta eh olders. This means an ethical and social responsibility system must be fundamenta l and functional in all business underta ings. The CSR requirements are found in

the Vedic literatures which stresses on the concept of dharma which is also give n great importance in the Bhagavad-Gita. Dharma is one of the aims of human life besides wealth (artha), desires ( ama) and liberation (mo sha). There is a systematic relationship of each of these aims. The ultimate element of life should be interpreted as a drive to achieve mo sha or liberation guided by dharma and ama using artha as a tool. Business is a mea ns in creating artha or wealth. The business principles need to be based on dharm a and dharma should always be protected. Dharma has been explained to be that which helps the welfare of all living being. In the Mahabharata, Karna Parva, Chapter 69 Verse 58 eulogizes it as follow: a) dharma sustains the society, b) dharma maintains the social order; c) dharma ensures well being and progress of humanity, d) dharma is surely that which fulfils these objectives (Muniapan, 2006). In Vedas there are four principal inds of dharma nown as chaturdharma, as follo ws: Rita dharma/USR or the universal duty is the inherent order of the cosmos. Rita is the underlying divine principle and universal law regulating nature. When we are in tune with universal dharma, and realize that we are an integral part of n ature and not above it or dominating it, then we are in tune with our universal duty. One who nows this dharma will feel that they are guests on the planet wit h responsibilities to nature. The protection of the environment falls within thi s scope of dharma. This is universal social responsibility (USR), global social re sponsibility (GSR) or an environmental social responsibility (ESR). Varna dharma/CSR or social duty defines the individual's obligations and respons ibilities within the nation, society, community, business and family. An importa nt aspect of this dharma is religious and moral law. Rightly followed, varna dha rma enhances individual and family progress and ensures the continuity of cultur e. The varna dharma is based on division of labor. This division was solely base d on the attitude of an individual and organization and their propensity for per forming certain duties according to their (individual and organizational) qualit ies or gunas. These are three qualities are: - Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion) , and Tamas (ignorance). This may directly relevant to social responsibility (CS R). Organizations in the mode of goodness are perceived to practice CSR more tha n organizations in the mode of passion and ignorance although there is no study so far nown to have measured the above organizational modes and CSR practices. Ashrama dharma/ISR or duties of life's stages is a developmental dharma. The natu ral process of maturing from childhood to old age through fulfillment of the dut ies of each of the four stages of life namely brahmachari (student), grihastha ( householder), vanaprastha (elder advisor) and sannyasa (religious solitaire) in pursuit of the four human goals: dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), ama (pleasure) and mo sha (liberation). This is individual social responsibility (ISR) in rela tion to the family, organization and society. Svadharma/PSR or personal duties, or obligation is one's individual pattern thro ugh life, according to one's own particular physical, mental and emotional natur e. Svadharma, is molded by our bac ground and experiences, tendencies and desire s all of which determine our personality, profession and associations. Svadharma is also determined by the sum of past arma and the cumulative effect of the oth er three dharmas. It is the individualized application of dharma dependent on per sonal arma, reflected on physical characteristics, health, intelligence, s ills and aptitudes, desires and tendencies. This is personal social responsibility (P SR) in relation to the individual life and growth. The success and failures of any CSR initiative can be attributed to leadership. yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evetaro janah sa yat pramanam urute lo as tad anuvartate (B.G. 3.21) Therefore the organizational leadership needs to set example to their people or

followers as whatever the leader does, the people will follow and whatever stand ards or example the leader sets people in general will follow. This implies that for a CSR initiative to be successful, the leadership and support from the top management is essential. Sri Krishna also says that all sorrows from the society would be removed if socially conscious members of a community feel satisfaction in enjoying the remnants of their wor performed in yagna (sacrifice) spirit (s elfless welfare of others) (B.G. 3.13). In Arthashatra, Kautilya maintained that a ing (leader or CEO in the context of organization) should have no self-interest, happiness and joy for himself, his satisfaction lies in the welfare (happiness) of his people, i.e. he has to subme rge his personality into the larger personality of his people. Kautilya states i n the happiness of his subject lies the happiness of the ing; and in their welf are his welfare; the King shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects the welfare of the many and the happiness of the many. In fact, this CSR concept of the happiness o f the many need integrated into the area of corporate management as the basic pr inciple. Kautilya stressed the importance of happiness to all sta eholders of an organization as in the sta eholders theory. He stated that happiness is obtained not only by wealth and profit, but also by doing things rightly and doing right things. Dharma without wealth according to Kautilya is toothless, and wealth with out dharma is useless because a poor person cannot support the entire society

Social Wor according to the Quran "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West; but it i s righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Boo and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your i n, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who as ; and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayers and practice regular charity; to fu lfill the contracts which you made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffe ring) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God fearing"(Quran 2: 177). The above verse is the concept of social wor in Islam. It is however more than a philosophical concept but a practical draft that outlines the why, whom, and w ho of service delivery. we believe form of worship incomplete without helping deeds Whom categories of people and groups and issues related to be meet Who characteristics of wor ers

Analysis of the Quranic concept of social wor Why? The question of why we should establish formal social services in our communitie s is explained in this verse. Allah is advising us that our worship is incomplete without helping deeds. So af ter having believed in Allah, the angels, the Prophets, the Boo s and the Last D ay we must translate our Iman (faith) our beliefs into actions of service to hum an ind. In fact it is incumbent on believers to fulfill this duty of service to those wh o need their help. Each and every Muslim is to contribute to the welfare of soci ety. Therefore by establishing social services within Muslim communities, every Muslim can indirectly participate through financial and moral support. When prof essionals administer social services with the support of the community at large. It would help all of us to fulfill our social responsibility as believers.

1. Duty as a believer; 2. True righteousness; 3. Love of Allah Who? The question of who is best qualified to carry out the duty of serving the commu nity in the area of social services, is again outlined in this verse as one who believes in the Unity of Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, Boo s and Messengers o f Allah. In other words, the verse emphasizes the significance of Iman and Mufas sil as the defining characteristic of a Muslim one who having believed totally c ompletely and with understanding is then compelled by his belief to act upon the m through service to humanity thus completing their faith. 1. Believer in Unity of Allah 2. The Last Day 3. Angels 4. Boo s 5. Messenger For Whom? The above verse also outlines broad categories that would include those towards whom these services should be directed. Let's briefly loo at the categories. Spend of your substance for: 1. Kin: This would be anyone related either by blood or marriage. This would be more of an individual responsibility. If however a person was unable to adequate ly meet the needs of his in he could on their behalf see help from the communi ty-based social services. 2. Orphans: Technically this would apply to children whose fathers have died. In an Islamic society the orphans then become the responsibility of the state. New Muslims who lose their families because of conversion must also be included in this category. Orphans could also apply to children of dysfunctional families th at are ta en away be CFS. For all facts and purposes they are orphans. The spiri t of Islamic charity would therefore dictate that we provide for these orphans b y providing foster care, housing and material and spiritual needs consistently, professionally and compassionately. 3. Needy: This is a broad term and should be interpreted to mean any need. There fore a family needing counseling to resolve a conflict or a couple in a marital crisis or an abused spouse should be included in the category as well as those w ho are in need of financial assistance. The situation could be of a temporary na ture or long term. The Muslim community should be equipped with services that ca n address the needs of these people. 4. Wayfarer: the term usually used for a traveler or a transient, could also app ly in present day to foreign students or wor ers who come to our communities on a temporary basis. Islamic social services should be prepared to serve this part icular segment of our community. 5. Those Who As : Anyone who as s for help and is a genuine case must be helped. We should not hold it against them. Therefore a formal mechanism must be in plac e in our communities where people can confidently apply for help. 6. Ransom of Slaves: Many could say that Islam eradicated slavery therefore this is a moot point. However if we were to loo around us many of our Muslim brothe rs and sisters could qualify to apply for this category to be freed e.g. the lan ding fee that the Canadian government has put in place is putting extreme pressu re on families that cannot reunite because they cannot afford to pay it. I believe to help them would amount to paying ransom for slaves. The spirit is t o free a human from bondage and oppression and exploitation. Therefore the ranso m of slaves would in my humble opinion apply to all these categories. How? When we are as ed how are we to achieve these objectives of Islamic social servi ces the Quran once again gives us assistance by laying out the principle on whic h we not only base our social services but through which we achieve our goals. I

n short, these principles define a Muslim social wor er and also empower and ena ble them to better serve their clients. 1. Steadfast in prayer: The one best equipped to help others is one who is stead fast in prayer. "Thee alone we worship, Thee alone we as for help". In a Muslim community persons nominated for social wor must posses this fundamental trait of a Muslim. If they are to be effective and productive it is also a reminder to those of us wor ing in the field that we must be steadfast in prayer. 2. Regular Charity: This of course fosters a personality that is giving and deve lops a character that is empathetic to the needs of others. Communities where me mbers give regular charity of all inds both compulsory and voluntary benefit ea ch other and feel responsible for each other. 3. Fulfill Contract: Muslims wor ing in the field of social services must be tru stworthy, honest, and conscientious of their duty to their clients. Services del ivered cannot be haphazard or half-hearted. When we ma e a pledge we honor it wh en we ma e a promise we eep it and when we set ourselves up as helpers we fulfi ll that tas to the best of our ability. 4. Patience in pain, suffering, adversity and panic: These are characteristics t hat are essential for Muslim social wor ers, counselors, Imams, and leaders. Whe n people depend on us for support and rely on our counsel we cannot be hasty, im patient, or panic at first sign of difficulty. The tas for Muslim wor ers in th e area of social services is soul wrenching and requires a personality that is b lessed with Taqwa (God consciousness) and Sabr (patience). However, the levels o f Taqwa (God consciousness) may vary but it is an evolutionary process in which one can develop the personality of a Mutaqi (one who has God consciousness). 5. Truth: As the Prophet Muhammad stated: " A Muslim can not be a liar". Truth a nd honesty is the cornerstone of any public service. Lies stand in the way of tr ust without which a Muslim social wor er or counselor is not viable. We must be honest in our dealings with our client and not use any underhanded ways. Truth i s also a virtue that is admired universally and inspires respect, trust, and rel iability. 6. God Fearing: One, who fears Allah and is always conscious of her duty to her Creator, will never harm or put in harms way those who are under their care. Sen se of accountability and responsibility to Allah must be the core trait of a Mus lim community wor er. This eeps in chec our egos and focuses on the objective that our service must gain the pleasure of Allah not the pleasure of ma ing a na me for us.

Theory of five debts The five debts (Rin) The purpose of purusharthas is to ensure that people would not neglect their obl igatory duties by becoming obsessed with particular desires that may lead to mor al and social degeneration and destruction of values. To further ensure a stable social framewor , Hinduism introduces the concept of debts. a) Deva Rin b) Rishi Rin c) Pitri Rin d) Nri Rin(manav) e) Bhut Rin According to the Taittiriya Sanhita (6.3.10.5), a child is born with three debts to repay in his (or her) lifetime. Deva Rin:Human beings get easy access to the objects created by God, hence they become in debted to the deities. This is called "Deva Rin (rin=debt)". This debt must be r epayed by performing various religious acts and worships (puja)yagya. Rishi Rin

Human beings acquire the nowledge generated by the ancient sages and intellectu als. Thus humanity is indebted to them. This is called "Rishi Rin". By studying and acquiring nowledge (and if possible adding matter to the existing nowledge ), this debt can be repaid. Pitri Rin A person is indebted to his/her ancestors as they have propagated their lineage and are the cause for his/her birth. This is called "Pitri Rin". To replay this debt, Hinduism advocated (righteous) procreation as well as performing rituals i n remembrance of the ancestors. To adopt sevadharma to parents, old family membe r then this debts can be repaid. Nri Rin a person is indebted to humanity at large (called Nri Rin or Manushya-rin) which can be repaid by treating others with respect and helping them Bhuta Rin a person is indebted to plants, animals and nature (called Bhuta Rin). These deb ts are repaid by performing the five great sacrificial fires (panchamahayadnya) in the stage of the householder. [Refer Science of Spirituality : Vol. 1 C. Varna shramvyavastha, Chapter 1 C B. Stages of life (ashrams), point - The stage of th e householder (gruhasthashram). Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita :Having, in ancient times, emanated man ind together with sacrifice, the Lord of Creation said, By this shall ye propagate; be this to you the fulfiller of desir es. With this, nourish ye the shining ones; and may the shining ones nourish ye. Thus nourishing one another, ye shall reap the highest good. For, nourished by sacrifice, the shining ones shall bestow on you the enjoyments you desire. A thi ef verily is he who enjoyeth what is given by them without returning them anythi ng. The righteous, who eat the remains of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins ; but the unpious who coo for their own sa e, they verily eat sin, - (Ch. III-1 0, 11, 12, 13). Manu says :Let a man ever engage in the study of the Vedas and in the rites of the Devas; e ngaging in the rites of the Vedas, he supports the movable and the immovable in gdoms. These sacrifices turn the wheel of life in accordance with the divine wil l and thus help the evolution of man and the worlds. Benefits of the PanchaMaharins By daily doing such acts of indness and sympathy, man develops mercy. Hatred va nishes. His hard egoistic heart is gradually softened. He cultivates cosmic love . His heart expands. He has a wider outloo on life. He tries to feel his onenes s with all beings. His old feeling of separateness on account of selfishness and egoism is gradually thinned and eventually eradicated. He learns that he can be happy only by ma ing others happy, by serving others, by helping others, by rem oving the sufferings of others and by sharing what he has with others. The five great daily sacrifices teach man his relations with his superiors, his equals an d his inferiors. Man has no separate individual existence. He is connected with the world. He is li e a bead in the rosary. His whole life must be a life of sacrifice and duties . Then only he will have rapid evolution. Then only he will realize the supreme bliss of the Eternal. Then only he will free himself from the round of births an d deaths and attain immortality. Theory of four fold of life Four fold life goals(Purusharth Chatushthaya) purushartha is the ey to realization. You may now only a little, but you put i t into practise. In Hinduism, there is not just one purpose of human life, but four: 1. Dharma - fulfilling one's purpose 2. Artha - prosperity 3. Kama - desire, sexuality, enjoyment

4. Mo sha - enlightenment Dharma The Sans rit word dharma means many things, including "law," "teaching" and "rel igion." In this context, it means one's destiny or purpose. In general, it refer s to one's vocation or career, which is often defined by class and family. If a Hindu man's father is a tire ma er, his dharma is probably to ma e tires, too. T raditionally, the dharma of most women has been to be a housewife and a mother. Another aspect of dharma is paying the five debts. Hindus believe that they are born in debt to the gods and various humans, and they must repay those armic de bts during their lifetime. The debts are: 1. Debt to the gods for their blessings; paid by rituals and offerings. 2. Debt to parents and teachers; paid by supporting them, having children o f one's own and passing along nowledge. 3. Debt to guests; repaid by treating them as if they were gods visiting on e's home. 4. Debt to other human beings; repaid by treating them with respect. 5. Debt to all other living beings; repaid by offering good will, food or a ny other help that is appropriate. Dharma also means righteousness, or living morally and ethically at all times. Artha: Prosperity Artha is prosperity or success in worldly pursuits. Although the ultimate goal o f Hinduism is enlightenment, the pursuit of wealth and prosperity is regarded as an appropriate pursuit for the householder (the second of four life stages). It also ensures social order, for there would be no society if everyone renunciate d worldly life to meditate. But while Hindus are encouraged to ma e money, it mu st be within the bounds of dharma. Kama: Pleasure Kama (Sans rit, "desire") primarily refers to romantic love and sexual pleasure, though it can refer to desire in general. Li e artha, ama is seen as an approp riate pursuit of the householder. The Kama Sutra, a manual for erotic and other human pleasures (li e flower-arranging), is attributed to the sage Vatsyayana. Mo sha: Enlightenment The ultimate end of every Hindu's life is mo sha, which can be understood in a v ariety of ways: liberation fromrebirth, enlightenment, Self-realization, or unio n with God. This is considered to the be the highest purpose of life, although v ery few can achieve it in a single lifetime and there are a variety of paths to attain it. ORGANISATION OF HINDU SOCIETY & CULTURE. Spiritual four Fold paths Jnana Karma Bha ti Sanyasa Spiritual four Fold paths Dharma Ardha Kama Mo sha Four fold stages of life Brahmacharya Gruhastha Vanaprastha Sanyasa Four Fold classification of society Brahmana Kshatriya Vaisyas Sudra The above chart shows that there are two aspects to Hindu religion 1. To a large extent it is culturally specific. In other words, there is a mingling between religion creating a culture and that culture a life of its own which impacts religion. 2. Another thing about Hindu religion is that it is highly personal and in dividualistic. What has come about in our country is that its culture is deeply influenced by its religion.

Theory of Sans ars Sixteen Hindu Sans ars The way Hindu lives ,is wrapped around various rites called Sans ar. The Sans ar

is said to be helping for achieving spiritual nourishment, peace of mind and ul timately mo sha. Sansar give a spiritual touch to the important events at differ ent stages of a Hindu life - right from pre-birth to post-death. These sixteen Sans ar are as follows :GARBHADHAN All sources recognize this as the first Sans ar. This is the enthusiastic praye r for a child. This is done for fulfillment of parental duty to continue the rac e. This sans ar is limited to the family members. This is performed by husband. PUNSAVANA This second Sans ar is performed during the third or the fourth month of pregnan cy. The significance of this Sans ar is to invo e divine and good qualities in t he chield. According to our ancient Shastras, this ritual is performed in the de sire for a male child. The reason for expecting male child is believed to be in the belief that it is the male child who carries the Vansha forward. Li e the fi rst Sans ar i.e. Garbhadhan, Punsavana Sans ar is also restricted to the family members. SIMINTONNAYANA This Sans ar is performed during the seventh month of pregnancy and prayers are offered for the healthy physical and mental growth of the child. The other impor tance of this San ar is to free the expectant mother free from worries since the last 3 months are very difficult for pregnant woman- both physically and mental ly. On the day of this Sans ar, the expectant mother gets food of her desire.Onl y women are invited for this ritual and the gathering is ept small The husband performs this ritual. JATAKARMA This Sans ar is performed at the birth of a child as a welcome sign to the new b orn child into the family. NAMAKARANA This Sans ar is performed on the tenth , eleventh or twelth day with recitation of Mantras. The baby child gets name on completion of this San ar. NISHKRAMANA This Sans ar is performed when the child is ta en out of the home for the first time.The reason for this Sans ar is to show obedience to the sun, moon, fire, wi nd etc, -the Panchmahabhut .This is supposed to enhance the age and physical and mental development of the child. ANNAPRASHANA This Sans ar is performed on sixth month , when the child gets solid food for th e first time. Mantras recited and oblations are offered to the various deities. Mundan This Sans ar is shaving the head of child. This is done in first of third year o f the child. The body of the child is protected and harmonized by these ceremony . Its also nown as Mundan ceremony. Brahmins chant Mantras for a healthy, long life of the child. This Sans ar is restricted to the family level. During this S ans ar, the father feeds honey to the baby and pierces the baby's ear. This ear piercing is supposed to enhance the memory of the child . KARNAVEDHA This Sans ar is performed in the three or the five year or at the end of the fir st year with Chud aram Sans ar. UPANAYANA This is the most important Sans ar , which mar s the beginning of the next stage of life Youth. The word Upanayana means bringing near. The child is bought near to the Guru. This Sans ar is second birth for child - A spiritual birth. This S ans ar is performed during five to nine years of child. VEDARAMBHA This Sans ar is done along with Upanayana. The setting up with the Sacred thread entitles the child to study the Vedas and participate in Vedic functions.The ch ild commences his journey on the road to spiritual life. This is contrasted with a life of eating, sleeping and procreating, which inds of life animals also li

ve.The child is sent to Guru ul. SAMAVARTANA This Sans ar is performed before entering the grahstha ashram or the life of a h ouseholder. This is performed at the end of child's study in Guru ul. The studen t has to ta e the permission of his guru before entering the ashram. After this the guru gives him important guidelines or tips for the grahstha ashram. VIVAHA This sans ar is entry into the second Ashram. The life as individual family begi ns. Entering this stage of life, man has to ta e on his duties and has to pay sp iritual debts by sacrifice , by procreating children and study. The bride and gr oom wal s around Agni hand in hand. The bride sacrifices grains in the fire and chants mantras. VANPRASTHA Man withdraws himself from all worldly activities, retires into the forest and prepares himself for ta ing sanyas. This is the life of a Vanprastha. SANYASA A sanyasi renounces the world and leads a life of study and meditation by livin g on alms. ANTYESHTI When death is imminent, a small piece of gold, tulsi leaf and drops of Ganga wat er are put in the mouth of the person on the death bed. The body is laid on the ground with the head towards the north. The eldest son generally performs the la st rites before which he ta es a purificatory bath amidst the chanting of mantra s. The dead body is washed, perfumed and wrapped in a new white cloth and dec ed with flowers. For ten days following death, food is not prepared at home and relatives and fri ends ta e the responsibility of getting food for the family.

Value vs S ills Value in Ethics: Values are the principles & priorities which help us ma e decisions on a daily b asis. If one truly values honesty, he will choose to be honest in interactions. Whether writing a code or developing an ethics program, organizations need to i dentify and define a set of values that represent the ethical ideals of the orga nization. Ethic value denotes something's degree of importance, with the aim of determining what action or life is best to do or live (Deontology), or at least attempt to describe the value of different actions (Axiology). It may be descri bed as treating actions themselves as abstract objects, putting value to them. I t deals with right conduct and good life, in the sense that a highly, or at leas t relatively highly, valuable action may be regarded as ethically "good" (adject ive sense), and an action of low, or at least relatively low, value may be regar ded as "bad". What ma es an action valuable may in turn depend on the ethic values of the obje cts it increases, decreases or alters. An object with "ethic value" may be terme d an "ethic or philosophic good" (noun sense). S ills in Ethics: An ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained e ffort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions in volving ideas (cognitive s ills), things (technical s ills), and/or people (inte rpersonal s ills). In business s ills may be defined in terms of several concepts, but definition o

f interpersonal s ills is of prime importance. It can be of the following types: Presentation s ills Personal impact Business development Communicating s ills Business effectiveness Media s ills It is increasingly apparent that "s ill" now has a much broader meaning than in the past, when it tended to be equated with the manual dexterity and technical " now-how" of the manual craft-wor er or the analytical capacity of the businessm en. Today, the definition of s ill includes those nown as " ey s ills" and s il ls of customer care and handling, and is even used by some employers in connecti on with matters such as "motivation", "enthusiasm" and "stress management". Difference between s ills and values In order to distinguish between s ill and values, we are listing the points whic h differentiate them from each other. To become we need values. To do we need s ills. Becoming (needing values) must proceed doing (needing s ills) in value- oriented nagement. Values act as base of s ills. Values are the means of perfection. S ills must have sound system of values as t he base. Otherwise one can manipulate s ills e.g. communication. S ills may be m isused for manipulating men, money and materials if management ignores values. Values are internal; dealing with internal development of a person, purifying mi nd and heart. The person becomes good in thought, in speech, in action, job or w or . S ills only ma e a person proficient. Values are the means of perfection of personality. The field of values is governed by union, holism and relatedness. The area ruled by s ills is division, fragmentation and separation. Values bring about excellence and universal good i.e. soft-ware aspect. S ills s ee us through mechanics of management i.e., hard- ware aspect. Both means and en ds must have values. S ills are not enduring due to fatigue. Values are enduring. S ills change with passage of time. Policy is flexible. Principles and values ar e not. We have permanent fundamental values. S ill Value Matrix VALUES STRONG S ills STRONG Most Desirable Dangerous WEAK Tolerable WEAK

Useless

The discussion in no way spea s against acquiring s ills but tries to guard agai nst only acquiring s ills, as the matrix above testifies. Of course, the discuss ion in no uncertain terms ma es it clear that values are more important that s i lls. SUPERAMACY OF VALUES OVER SKILLS:Imporance of values: Values indicate a strong personal preference for what is important to you. Value s provide answers to important questions such as: What do I really care about? W hat inds of activities, people, and environments do I most want in my wor life ? Understanding your values will help you to focus on career objectives that are important to both you and your employer, ma ing for greater productivity and jo b satisfaction. Values are significant motivators that provide the drive to acco mplish the important goals in your fife. Conflict between the wor we actually do and the wor we value are often at the root of decisions to change careers. K nowing your values firsthand will ensure that your career is starting with the r

ight focus. Relationship between values and s ills: Values and s ills are intimately related. If we value what we do, we engage more enthusiastically in developing the s ills needed to establish meaningful and pr oductive careers. For example, if you value wor ing with people, you will want t o develop the communication, leadership, and relationship building s ills that w ill facilitate your professional growth in that ind of wor . Organizations also have values. Organizations express their values in the type of businesses in which they are i nvolved, the products or services they offer, and their wor ethic. The term "co rporate culture" presumes a body of values which drive an organization. The more you now about your own values, the better you will be at determining which wor environment best fits your personal and professional needs and the s ills you want to use and develop there. Identifying your values will help you to: Identify the inds of activities, people, and environments that you most desire in your wor . Determine which wor environments best fit your personal and professional needs and the s ills you would li e to develop there. Focus on career objectives that are important to both you and potential employer s. Identify the motivators that provide the drive to accomplish the important goals in your life. S ills cannot be neglected though are lesser important: People vary in the types of s ills they possess. Employers also differ in the i nds of s ills they require. While people have many different inds of s ills, th ey usually ta e them for granted, and as a result have difficulty identifying an d communicating them to others. This ma es targeting a career more difficult tha n it really has to be and can negatively impact your ability to sell yourself in the job mar et because employers are interested in matching your s ills with th ose required in the functional areas of their agencies. Getting your career off the ground or changing the focus of your career will be greatly enhanced by unde rstanding your s ills. Knowing your s ills will allow you to identify those you possess and those you will have to wor toward developing in order to actualize your career goals and meet the needs of employers. Identifying your s ills will help you to: Write a resume that advertises your s ills. Articulate in an interview the s ills that match those required by potential emp loyers. Create a sharper career focus through comparing your existing s ills with those required in various areas of employment. Understand which s ills need further development in order to successfully compet e in the job mar et

Role vs Self ROLE A role or a social role is a set of connected behaviors, rights and obligations as conceptualized by actors in a social situation. It is an expected or free or continuously changing behavior and may have a given individual social status or

social position. It is vital to both functionalist and interaction a list standi ngs of society. Social role posits the following about social behavior: 1. The division of labor in society ta es the form of the interaction among heterogeneous specialized positions, we call roles. 2. Social roles included appropriate and permitted forms of behavior, guide d by social norms, which are commonly nown and hence determine the expectations for appropriate behavior in these roles. 3. Roles are occupied by individuals, who are called Actor. 4. When individuals approve of a social role (i.e., they consider the role legitimate and constructive), they will incur costs to conform to role norms, an d will also incur costs to punish those who violate role norms. 5. Changed conditions can render a social role outdated or illegitimate, in which case social pressures are li ely to lead to role change. 6. The anticipation of rewards and punishments, as well as the satisfaction of behaving prosaically, account for why agents conform to role requirements. Determinants and characteristics of social role:Roles may be achieved or ascribed or they can be accidental in different situati ons. An achieved role is a position that a person assumes voluntarily which refl ects personal s ills, abilities, and effort. An ascribed role is a position assi gned to individuals or groups without regard for merit but because of certain tr aits beyond their control, and is usually forced upon a person. Roles can be semi-permanent ("doctor", "mother", "child"), or they can be transi tory. For many roles, individuals must meet certain conditions, biological or sociolog ical. For instance, a boy cannot ta e the biological role of mother. Other roles require training or experience. For instance, in many cultures doctors must be educated and certified prior to practicing medicine. Role development can be influenced by a number of additional factors, including social, genetic predisposition, cultural or situational. Societal influence: The structure of society often forms individuals into certai n roles based on the social situations they choose to experience. Parents enroll ing their children in certain programs at a young age increase the chance that t he child will follow that role. Genetic predisposition: People ta e on roles that come naturally to them. Those with athletic ability generally ta e on roles of athletes. Those with mental gen ius often ta e on roles devoted to education and nowledge. This does not mean t hat people must choose only one path, multiple roles can be ta en on by each ind ividual (i.e. Evelyn can be the point guard on the bas etball team and the edito r of her school newspaper). Cultural influence: Different cultures place different values on certain roles b ased on their lifestyle. For instance, soccer players are regarded higher in Eur opean countries than in the United States, where soccer is less popular. Situational influence: Roles can be created or altered based on the situation a person is put in outside their own influence. Roles are also frequently interconnected in a role set, that complement of rolerelationships in which persons are involved by virtue of occupying a particular social status. For example, a high school football player carries the roles of s tudent, athlete, classmate, etc. Role theory Role theory is the sociological study of role development, concerned with explai ning what forces cause people to develop the expectations of their own and other s' behaviors. According to sociologist Bruce Biddle (1986), the five major model s of role theory include: 1. Functional Role Theory, which examines role development as shared social norms for a given social position, 2. Symbolic Interactions Role Theory, which examines role development as th e outcome of individual interpretation of responses to behavior, 3. Structural Role Theory, which emphasizes the influence of society rather than the individual in roles and utilizes mathematical models,

4. Organizational Role Theory, which examines role development in organizat ions, and 5. Cognitive Role Theory, which is summarized by Flynn and Lemay as "the re lationship between expectations and behaviors". SELF Self is focus of our everyday behavior and all of us do have a set of perception s and beliefs about ourselves. This ind of self concept plays important role in motivating us and organizing our behaviors. It starts evolving early in life. A sense of self awareness grows among us when we grow. In fact, all of us engage in experiences which enhance our sense of self. As Rogers said we want positive regard from others. In other words we have a strong need of being loved and valu ed by other people. The study of self and its functioning is a fascinating topic . In this lesson you are going to learn about the way self is conceptualized and the different aspects of self are related to human behavior. CONCEPT OF SELF If some one as s: who are you? We often describe that physical features, traits, goals, motives etc. The self concept is a collection of diverse information. It constitutes a central aspect of psychological functioning. However, its definit ion has been approached from many angles. A close scrutiny of these views indica tes that self is subject as well as object. The self as a subject includes the p ersons experience of self as thin er, feeler and actor. Thus, when I feel anger o r thin about the idea of freedom, it is I the self as subject. On the other hand, the self as object is the other persons view of the self or me. In recent years re searchers have tried to understand the representations or mental models of self. The experience of self is very common but complex phenomenon. Its structure and contents are shaped by the society and culture in which people live. Based on th e cultural context people divide the world into the categories of self and non self. In the individualistic cultures people prefer independent self construal while people in collectivist cultures prefer an interdependent mode of self construal. The independent self construal considers self in terms of a bounded, separate a nd individual entity which is central to all the activities of a person. In cont rast, the interdependent self construal emphasizes on connectivity, interdepende nce and sharing. In this case the boundaries between self and non self are over lapping. It may, however, be noted that the two modes of self construal are broa d trends and within a given culture people may display both inds of self constr ual in different degrees. Some researchers thin that the idea of self emerges and shaped in social intera ction. In particular when a child is addressed by some one she/he starts thin in g about self. Thus, self originates in social experience. Gradually people inter nalize a particular view of self which becomes a powerful source that influences behavior. Some part of our self is private to us and only we now about that. A nother part is public which is nown to others. Also, there is a part of self wh ich comes from our membership of a group. This ind of self is called collective self or social identity. LEVELS OF SELF Self is experienced at different levels, William James, who started serious stud y of Self tal ed about material self, social self and spiritual self. More recen tly Neisser has tal ed about ecological self. Let us try to learn more about the se types. The ecological self refers to the self in the embodied form that can b e physically identified in time and space. The inter personal self involves the self which exists in the social relations when we interact with others. The exte nded self is the self which is in our memory. It is personal and private. Finall y, there is conceptual self which is the idea of self that a person holds. All o f us have acquired a set of ideas about what can be included within the category of self. This ind of conceptualization is nurtured in each culture in a given way. It is a comprehensive networ of ideas about self. In order to illustrate t his point we may consider the concept of Panch Koshas as developed in the Indian thought. Here the term Kosh means layers or sheath li e the sheath of an onion.

The Jiva consists of five such Koshas and self should be considered in terms of a multi layered structure of hierarchically organized sheaths. A brief descript ion of these sheaths is as follows: Annamaya Kosh: This involves the gross physical body. This is the outermost laye r of existence. It is called annamaya because it is grounded in the food that we eat and consume. Pranamaya Kosha: This layer deals with life (Prana) and represents the functions of breathing and metabolic processes. The five effectors are also included in i t. Manomaya Kosha: It consists of sense organs. It is the seat of ego and leads to personal involvements which bind people with the desires and activities. Vigyanamaya Kosha: It consists of five sense organs and intellect. It regulates the worldly life. The feeling of I-ness present in it relates Jiva to past actions . Also, the feelings of pride ta e place. Anandmaya Kosha: It is the joyous sheath. The experience of bliss is has spiritu al basis also, the pleasure that one gets from obtaining the desired objects is part of it.

ASPECTS OF ONES SELF In the psychological studies of self the researchers have explored many aspects of self. They show that self is multi-faceted. As you will find in the following description our ideas about self, its evaluation, its presentation and its moni toring vary among the people and shape behaviour in important ways. In fact the ideas held by the people about self shape and organize our personal lives and al low participation in group life. Self Esteem It is the evaluative component of self concept. It basically deals with internal ized social judgments and ideas about how worthwhile a personal quality is. Self esteem is an important factor in ones psychological health. People who feel good about themselves or have high self esteem are found to be more active, motivate d, persistent, and happy than the people with low self esteem. It has been noted that unhappiness, and dispair are related to low self esteem. Thus our affectiv e evaluation of ourselves, positive and negative both, have important consequenc es for the way we are going to conduct ourselves in future. Research has shown t hat low self esteem is related to depression, and self doubt. Self Efficacy Self efficacy refers to our belief about what we are capable of achieving. In ot her words it refers to perceived competencies of a person. They determine how we interact with our environment and other people. High self efficacy children sol ve problems more quic ly than those who had low self efficacy beliefs. According to Bandura self efficacy beliefs have power of four major influences as given b elow: (a) Cognitive: It refers to the effect on thought patterns. Self efficacy influe nces evaluation of capability and preparation to ma e an attempt. (b) Motivational: It influences how long we will eep trying. (c) Affective: It deals with stress, anxiety, and feeling of control. (d) Selection: It includes choosing challenging activities.

Self Presentation This deals with the behavioral expression of self. We are often concerned with t he images we present to others. The growing importance of cosmetic and fashion i ndustry clearly shows the degree to which we are preoccupied with our physical a ppearance. We are often quite concerned with the impression what we convey in pu blic. The term self-presentation technically means the strategies people use to shape what others thin of them. If life is viewed as theater, we act out certai n lines as they are ta en out from a script. Researchers have tried to study the process through which we attempt to shape what others thin about us. The proce ss of self-presentation can ta e many forms. It can be conscious or unconscious, accurate or misleading, and intended for real audience or for ourselves. In gen eral two main motives have been identified for self-presentation. They include s trategic self- presentation and self-verification. The strategic self presentati on is our effort to shape others impression to gain power, influence or sympathy. Ingratiation and self promotion often ma e us li ed and respected by others. Th e goal of self verification help people to affirm their existing self concept. Self Monitoring Self monitoring means the extent to which external situation and the reactions o f others help one to regulate behavior. Thus politicians, sales persons and arti sts are high self monitoring persons. The people who are low self monitors regul ate their behaviors on the basis of internal factors such as beliefs, attitudes and interests. It has been found that high self monitors pay attention to others and low self monitors pay attention to themselves. Also, the high self monitors select a companion on the basis of how well the others perform and low self mon itors choose a companion on the basis of li ing. People who are high on self mon itoring seem to have a repertoire of selves from which to draw. They are quite s ensitive to the concerns of strategic self-presentation. Self Consciousness If we examine our daily life we find ourselves busy with many activities. During these activities we are often away from ourselves. We thin very little about o urselves. In other words we are not always self-focused. However, certain events do compel us to turn to our own selves. Thus when we glance into a mirror, tal to ourselves, stand before an audience or a camera or occupy an important posit ion in a group we become self aware. When we become self aware we start comparin g our behaviour with internal standards. Such a comparison reveals negative disc repancy. Under these conditions our self esteem decreases. In order to deal with this situation we may attempt to reduce self discrepancy or withdraw from the s tate of self awareness. It has been found that some people have tendency to intr ospect the inner thoughts and feelings (private self consciousness) while others have tendency to be aware of outer public image (public self consciousness).