MEE : importenft questions

1. what are the 7cs of communication ?

1. Clarity: The message that the sender wishes to send should have the
same meaning for the receiver as well. For this, the sender needs to have
both the clarity of thought as well as the clarity of The process of
communication bigin with an idea in the mind of the sender. But, is
he/she clear about the message, he/she wishes to send across?
a. What is the objective of the message?
b. What is the message?
c. To whom do I wish to convey the message?
d. Which would be the most suitable medium to convey the message
most effectively?

Once the sender has clarity of thought, he/she needs to express the
message in clear and simple language. There is no use of sending a
message if it cannot be understood correctly by the receiver. To ensure
clarity of expression, the following points must be remembered always:
Use simple words, avoid phrases, use active voice instead of passive
voice, avoid jargon, avoid ambiguity and avoid long sentences.

2. Completeness: Communication must be complete to avoid any

confusion in the mind of the receiver. In fact, if the message is
incomplete, the receiver is left guessing and thus causes delay further
action on the message issue. Therefore, the message needs to include all
the required facts and details on which further action might depend. It is
advisable to check and see whether the message answers the ‘five W’
questions — What, Why, When, Where and Who — before sending it In a
business scenario also, letters, notices, etc., need to be complete in all
aspects to make our communication effective and fast, because unclear
messages delay further action.
3. Conciseness: Conciseness or brevity saves time and the message is
communicated without being ‘Time is money,’ so why waste it. Say all
you want to in the fewest possible words and you will save time and
money for both yourself and the receiver. Only relevant facts and details
should be added, and all unnecessary ones should be avoided. You should
avoid trite and wordy expressions to add more clarity. Repetition causes
monotony even if you are trying to stress a point. And, of course, you
need to organise your message well to add effectiveness to your
communication.

4. Consideration: Never prepare a message from your point of view alone,

always keep the receiver in mind and you can never go wrong. The
sentiments of the receiver should always be understood and kept in mind.
The sender needs to adopt a more humane approach, and the needs and
socio- psychological background of the receiver should be ‘First
understand then be understood’ is the golden rule for communication. For
this, remember the following tips and you have been considerate. Gender
bias should be avoided because you need to look around and understand
that the business world is no longer dominated by men. So, use words
free from gender bias. Sometimes you may have to complain, refuse, say
‘no’, etc., but if done straightforwardly, the impact may be harmful, even
disastrous. Therefore, just sugar-coat what you say; in a business letter,
all is accepted calmly if expressed positively. In fact, saying or positively
expressing ‘No’ tells the receiver of your genuine difficulties and thus
helps you retain your customers for the future. Integrity can never be a
redundant value, even in this highly materialistic world. So, go ahead and
display your values.

5. Correctness: Correctness in business communication includes the

format, grammar, punctuation and the It’s always good to keep a
dictionary handy, to look up a word rather than to make a grave mistake.
You need to remember that correctness also implies giving correct facts.
Therefore, correct facts, correct format, correct grammar, correct
spellings and correct time enhance the effectiveness of the
communication process.

6. Concreteness: Instead of vague or generalised statements, our

communication needs to be specific. Our words should be supported by
relevant facts and

7. Courtesy: Last but not the least is courtesy. Courtesy and good
communication skills empower us and help us build better relationships in
both our personal and professional lives, and go a long In a business
scenario as well, this basic human value is very much required. We need
to create friendliness around us whether it is between us and the others
in an organisation or between us and our customers and dealers. The
golden rule is ‘Treat others as you wish to be treated’. An act of courtesy
will gain you many more friends than an act of rudeness or arrogance.

2. Non verbal comunication and list the features ?

features of non-verbal communication as follows:

a. Less intentional: A distinguishing feature of non-verbal

communication is that unlike in verbal communication where the user is
always conscious of the message being conveyed, in non-verbal
communication, the user may either be aware or unaware of the
information he/she is The reason for this is that non-verbal
communication developed because humans needed to devise a language
to instantly communicate their emotions, fears, and desires with each
other in order to survive. Consequently, a lot of non-verbal cues are
intrinsic and cannot be controlled by the user. For example, a person may
involuntarily clench his fists when angry, or blush when embarrassed.
b. More believable: Non-verbal communication can be considered a
more credible source of communication by some as it is less under the
control of the user. The involuntary nature of non-verbal communication
makes it difficult to fake and sometimes it can betray the user’s
true Variation from a person’s regular patterns of speech and behaviour
might give us a hint that the verbal signals being sent may not be the
complete picture.
c. Continuous: Non-verbal communication is continuous in the sense
that it is always occurring, as one is constantly communicating through
non-verbal behaviours. Because of this fluid nature, it can be hard to
determine where one non-verbal message stops and another starts. On
the contrary, verbal communication is always exact.
d. Complex: Another characteristic of non-verbal communication in
which it differs from
verbal communication is that its interpretation is more It depends on both
the user’s and receiver’s cultural background and past experiences. Also,
the meanings of some gestures and expressions are ambiguous and can
change depending on the context. Unlike words that can be easily
identified and isolated, non-verbal cues can easily be missed and
sometimes change depending on the context. Non-verbal cues can be
perceived and interpreted, but the interpretation is not infallible since it
has no grammar and syntax. But the skill of decoding non-verbal cues
can be learned and improved upon as can the skill of understanding the
nonverbal behaviour of people from other cultures.
e. Fast: Non-verbal communication is faster than verbal
communication. Our communication through non-verbal means is
immediate. This is because, as described earlier, a lot of non-verbal cues
are Even in terms of intentional non-verbal communication, the reaction
is much faster than verbal communication.
f. Multiple mediums: Non-verbal communication can be conveyed
through more than one medium For example, a child may laugh and clap
his hands, i.e., use more than one sense in conjunction to indicate delight.
The interpretation of non-verbal communication is also through multiple
senses as it involves using a variety of cues, for example, gestures and
facial expressions, to make a conclusion.

3. circumstances where oral communication is more effective than other

forms of communication (advantages of oral)
When communication between individuals occurs orally, it is called
oral communication. Oral communication has the same basic objective as
any communication: to express and transmit ideas, thoughts, opinions, or
beliefs among individuals. In oral communication people use verbal and
non- verbal messages to create meaning. The main purpose of oral
communication is to inform, persuade, motivate or entertain.

Oral communication can be either formal or informal. Formal oral

communication includes classroom lectures, speeches, workshops, one-
on-one briefing and meeting presentations. This type of communication
flows in horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions. The message conveyed
is accurate and the purpose is generally to persuade, inform or motivate.

Informal oral communication includes casual phone or dinner table

conversations. This type of oral communication flows in every possible
direction and does not have to be authentic or carry a specific purpose.
Oral communication requires not only an ability to speak articulately and
effectively, but also good listening skills. Oral communication has various
advantages over other forms of communication which will be discussed in
the next section. It has a few limitations as well, which will also be
discussed later. Oral communication has many advantages as follows:

1. Saves paper: In today’s scenario saving paper has become an

important And oral communication can definitely help us to do the same.
2. Saves time: Considerable amount of precious time is lost in writing
out a message and then sending it to the receiver to Oral communication
can help us save our precious time.
3. Savesmoney: Time saved is money saved for an organisation,
which can be used for more constructive and productive Also, the money
spent on stationery can be cut down considerably.
4. More powerful: Oral messages are much more powerful as they
can help people to be more When we communicate orally, we can build
and maintain better relations with our colleagues and others working in
the organisation and with our customers and suppliers.
Oral communication adds a personal touch and therefore develops better
interpersonal relationships.
5. Conveys a clearer meaning: Our voice modulation, i.e., the tone,
pitch and loudness of the voice, can help convey messages more clearly.
When communication is oral, immediate response and reaction are clear
which cuts down on miscommunication in the This in turn helps the
organisation reach a conclusion faster and more efficiently
limitation :
1. Not for too leangthy .
2. no legal validity
3. may creat misunderstanding.
4. constrained by various barriers.

for good speach : clarity ,Conciseness, informative ,informal ,intresting.

4, What is the behaviour expressed by aggressive which effects the

performance of the team

ˇAggressive behaviour often arises when you are angry. you feel the need
to get your own way, regardless of other people’s feelings or opinions,
and as a result, people stop listening to you. You may bottle up feelings
that eventually explode or leaving no room for communication. If you act
aggressively, then you may not listen to others, interrupt other’s points of
view, make threats or shout and use dramatic words and be hostile. An
aggressive person may express the following behaviour:

1. Donot have rights

2. Do not respect others
3. Diminishes self-esteem in others
4. Blames others
5. Expresses own negative feelings
6. Lets it all hang out
7. Feels that he/she wins
8. Controls others.

2. Explain assertive behaviour & how can one manage assertively ?

Being assertive is completely different to being passive

or aggressive. Assertiveness involves clear, calm thinking and respectful
negotiation within a space where each person is entitled to their opinion.
If
you lack assertiveness, then it can affect your relationships both p
ersonally and professionally. If you act passively or aggressively in
situations, over time, it can lead to stress, anxiety or even depression as
well as having a negative impact on your physical health too. By looking
carefully at how you communicate with others, you can begin to identify
ways in which you can be more assertive and help to improve your quality
of life. An assertive person behaves in the following ways:

1. Has rights
2. Takes responsibility
3. Expresses feelings in a constructive way
4. Respects self and others

Assertive behaviour includes:

1. Being open in expressing wishes, thoughts and feelings and
encouraging others to do the same.
2. Listening to the views of others and responding appropriately
whether in agreement with those views or not
3. Accepting responsibilities and being able to delegate to others
4. Expressing appreciation of others for what they have done or are
doing
5. Being able to admit to mistakes and apologise
6. Maintaining self-control
7. Behaving as an equal to others
we can manage by:

Managing assertively helps managers to work effectively by sharpening

their people skills. It also helps managers to resolve conflicts and defuse
interpersonal problems that invariably arise at work. In addition, by
managing assertively, one can overcome self-defeating behaviour and
handle criticism to maintain and enhance self-esteem. The benefits of
being assertive are explained in the next subsections.

1. understand the contaxt .

2. Evaluate your level of assertiveness.
3. set goal and stick to them.
4. build relationship ‘
5. stay true to yourself.
6. make promis and keep them.
ect .
7. increasing self awarness.
8. dealing more confidently and professionally
9. making refusing and accepting request more effectively.
10. giving and reciving feedback more effectively.
11. handling interpersonal issues effectively.

5.The various benefits of Assertiveness?

 Gain self-confidence and self-esteem

 Gain a sense of empowerment
 Understand and recognize your feelings
  Earn respect from others
 Improve communication
 Create win-win situations
 Improve your decision-making skills
 Create honest relationships
 Gain more job satisfaction
Learning to be more assertive can also help you effectively express your
feelings when communicating with others about issues.

Increased Self-Awareness

When one chooses to be assertive, one develops a greater respect for

one’s own opinions and expressing them. Even when one feels that his
opinion will not be accepted, one is comfortable expressing that opinion.
In this way, it increases one’s confidence and saves time spent on
thinking and realising that one could not say what he/she wished to say.
Moreover, it does not make one feel a sense of loss when others disagree
with the opinion. Apart from that, the more assertive one becomes, the
clearer one becomes about his/her personality. One gains the awareness
of one’s identity, value system, believes, likes and dislikes.

Dealing more Confidently and Professionally

The ability to confidently express how one feels and what one wants is an
important life skill to possess for personal and professional life. When
one develops the ability to stand up for oneself, it is a great confidence
builder. The more one becomes comfortable with being open and honest
with those around whether it is a boss, co-workers or a family member,
the more one’s feeling of self-worth will improve. In the process, one will
learn to ask for what he/she wants.

In an organisation, leaders need to be upfront, direct and able to delegate

tasks in order to effectively manage people and run a company. In one’s
professional life, the ability to be assertive can put one on the fast track
to a leadership role. Unresolved issues that one is afraid to deal with will
linger in his mind and create stress. The ability to handle matters as they
arise frees up room in one’s mind to accomplish other tasks in your life.
Making, Refusing and Accepting Requests more Effectively

The ability to say what one needs lets other people know where he/she
stands on a particular issue. It is a strategy that builds open and honest
relationships. In such a case, when one makes requests, it does not sound
as giving orders. Also, people do not feel offensive when one refuses to
fulfil the requests made by them. Apart from that, when one builds
relationships with others by managing assertively, he/she makes requests
freely. In a similar way, one does not hesitate to accept requests made by
others.

Giving and Receiving Feedback more Effectively

Giving and receiving feedback can be difficult and can result in feelings
of anger, resentment and defensiveness. However, constructive feedback
can lead to positive change and improved relationships. Giving and
receiving feedback in a constructive way involves focusing on facts and
specific observations, avoiding value judgments and maintaining respect
for the other person. As mentioned earlier, being assertive is an effective
communication tool. In an organisation, it helps managers to express their
observations about the behaviour of another person and the
consequences of that behaviour. Similarly, by being assertive, one can
receive feedback by remaining calm, seeking clarity from the other
person, agreeing with any specific truth in the criticism and
calmly disagreeing with specific statements that are not true.

Handling Interpersonal Issues Effectively

Interpersonal issues arise from feelings, thoughts and behaviour that

interfere with one’s ability to bond with others in general or in particular
types of relationships. However, by expressing one’s thoughts and
opinions freely, one can interact with their superiors, subordinates and
co-workers effectively within the organisation and consumers, suppliers
and the general public outside.
6.. Various challenges encoutered by leaders?

In a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership,

researchers conducted a study on leadership challenges around the world.
For this purpose, the input was gathered from 763 middle- and
executive- level leaders in organisations from China/Hong Kong, Egypt,
India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States with
respect to the top leadership challenges. In the study, it was found that
leaders around the globe faced six major challenges. The manner or way
of describing these six leadership challenges was different but all those
challenges basically boiled down to the top six challenges as follows:

1. Honing effectiveness: Leaders across the world found that

developing relevant skills such as time- management, prioritisation,
strategic thinking, decision-making, etc., are essential for being more
effective at work and it is quite a challenging task to develop such skills
in others.
2. Inspiring others: For leaders, it is quite a challenging task to inspire
and motivate their team members and subordinates so that they are
satisfied with their job and work diligently.
3. Developing employees: For leaders, it is difficult to develop
employees by mentoring and coaching them.
4. Leading a team: Leaders have to do difficult task of building,
developing and managing teams. Some of the leadership challenges
usually include instilling pride, providing support, leading a big team and
taking over a new team.
5. Guiding change: Leaders usually face challenges in the case of
change management which includes managing, mobilising, understanding
and leading Dealing with change also includes deciding mitigating
consequences, overcoming resistance of employees to change, and
dealing with employees’ reactions to change.
6. Managing stakeholders: Leaders also find it challenging to manage
relationships, gaining managerial support, and getting buy-in from other
departments, groups or individuals.

7. Theories of leadership?

Leadership remains one of the most important aspects of an

organisational setting. It deals with listening, observing and encouraging
followers to help them perform in a better way. Leadership is not only
about setting the agenda of work. It also deals with identifying problem
areas, taking initiatives for change and making improvements in the
current organisational systems. There are numerous leadership theories
that provide information about effective leadership. Some main leadership
theories are discussed in this section.

Charismatic Leadership Theory

Charismatic leadership theory is deemed as the foremost leadership

theory advocated by Plato and Confucius. It was also called the great
man theory. As per this theory, leaders are born and not made. It was
presumed that leaders possess a charismatic personality that would not
be found in an ordinary person. Charismatic leaders would easily
stimulate and align others to accomplish a certain goal. The term
‘charisma’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘gift’. Thus, a unique
few blessed with charisma could turn into true leaders and hold public
attention. Another management luminary, Robert House, further
advocated charismatic leadership theory and stated that charismatic
leaders were those who possessed a great degree of referent power.

According to Robert House, the charismatic leader has extremely high

levels of self-confidence, dominance, and a strong conviction in the
normal righteousness of his/her beliefs, or at least the ability to convince
the followers that he/she possesses such confidence and conviction.
The fundamental traits of charismatic leaders are as follows:

1. To have phenomenal leadership

calibre
2. To have innate skills that cannot be
changed or enhanced through
education, training or development
3. To remain unimpaired by external
factors and apply inherent skills and
qualities to resolve problem

Trait Theory

The trait theory of leadership underscores various personality facets

associated with successful leadership in different situations.
Theoreticians researching on the trait theory tried to emphasise the
leadership characteristics from various perspectives. They believed that
successful leaders have many abilities, interests, personality traits, which
are different in different individuals. Successful leaders have the drive for
achievement, motivation, self-confidence, knowledge of business,
maturity and so many other factors which a less successful leader would
not have

Allport’s Trait Theory: The theory of Gordon Allport emphasised that the
personality of an individual can be studied from the difference between
his/her common traits and personal characteristics. According to Allport,
the common traits of an individual are compared according to six values
such as being religious, economic, political, social, theoretical and
aesthetical. The common traits of an individual are the personal
characteristics which are different and can be categorised as follows:
a.Cardinal traits: These are considered powerful traits and very few
people have a personality that is dominated by these traits.
b.Central traits: These traits are common attributes that many individuals
have in different Examples of such traits are being friendly, jovial, loyal
agreeable, and more.
c.Secondary traits: These traits project the reason why a person behaves
differently at times than what is his normal behaviour. For example, a
person who is generally happy can feel sad on listening to some
particular news.
1, Cattell’s Trait Theory: Cattell’s trait theory highlights the fact that it is
important to study a number of factors before understanding the
personality of an individual. He collected data with the help of a
questionnaire and analysed it with a statistical technique, known as factor
analysis, to identify various traits. The traits a person possesses can be
identified on the basis of the responses filled in the questionnaire. Cattell
came up with many traits such as being warm, being vigilant, being lively,
being sensitive or being apprehensive.

Cattell’s trait theory is based on the concept that every individual has
traits that are common, but may vary in different degrees. These traits
stay consistent over a period of time, and these can be measured through
various indicators of behavioural studies.These give an understanding of
their identity and the manner in which it will affect others working in an
organisation.

Behavioural Theory

The behavioural theory was developed scientifically by behaviour-

focussed studies. This theory emphasises on certain behaviours and
actions of leaders and not on their traits or attributes. As per this theory,
leadership ability is exhibited more in the actions and behaviours rather
than the personal traits of an individual. These skills are defined as
follows:
a,Technical skills refer to the individual’s knowledge of the system,
processes and techniques.
b. Human skills refer to the ability of the individual to be able to interact
with other individuals
c. Conceptual skills refer to the ability of the leader to come upwith
innovative ideas for running the organisation successfully and strategic
decision making

The behavioural approach lays a lot of emphasis on the behaviour and

action of the leaders within an organisation. It does not depend on their
characteristics or traits for running the system. The approach focusses
on the fact that a particular behaviour of a leader will make him effective,
and if he/she does not have that behaviour, then he/she can not be a
good leader. He/she needs to have the right behaviour for motivating
employees and setting goals for achieving the objectives of the
organisation. Leaders need to have good communication skills and the
ability to interact and build team spirit.

Contingency Theory

The contingency theory emphasises different factors in a specific

situation that determines the style of leadership. The contingency theory
was developed by Fred E. Fiedler. According to the
contingency theory, no one leadership style is applicable in all situations.
Good leaders need to have the right qualities and they should evaluate
the needs of their people according to the situation at hand. The
contingency theory suggests that great leadership is a combination of
many key variables.

According to Fiedler, for understanding the contingency theory, it is

necessary to know the style of the leader, which can be identified through
the ‘Least Preferred Co -worker Scale (LPC). The LPC has a set of
questions that are formulated to identify the kind of employee a leader
would most prefer to work with, and, in turn, this would demonstrate the
leader’s way of working. The Fiedler’s Contingency Modeltries to match
the leaders’ style using LPC according to the situationin which they would
succeed. The two types of LPC scores are:

i. High LPC score: According to Fiedler, a leader with good personal skills
depends on building relationships with others to fulfil tasks. A high LPC
score highlights that the leader is people-oriented.
ii. Low LPC score: As per Fiedler, a leader with a low LPC score will give
priority to the task first and will focus on maintaining relationships only if
satisfactory outcomes are This exhibits that the leader is task-oriented.

Transformational Leadership Theory

According to the transformational leadership theory, a high-performance

workforce can be built when leaders are able to inspire their followers to
work beyond their job responsibilities. A transformational leader should
have the following characteristics:

i..Inspirational: It refers to the quality of motivating employees to perform

better. A transformational leader should inculcate the feeling of teamwork
among employees by his/her enthusiastic and optimistic approach.
ii..Intellectual: It refers to the quality of being rational and logical. A
transformational leader should be intellectual to analyse the problematic
situations and give appropriate solutions.
iii..Idealistic: It refers to the quality of being morally A transformational
leader should be idealistic if he/she wants his/her followers to be
devoted and committed. He/she should not be unfair while dealing with
his/her followers.
7.Classify Tuckman stages of Team development ?
Group/team development is described as the process of associating
people to work together and directing their actions towards the fulfilment
of a common goal. For example, a group can be built based on
geographical areas such as a separate group for each state in India.
Another example can be a large-scale organisation in which groups are
formed based on functionality such as marketing group, advertising group
and
promotional group. Interdependency is evident within the group me
mbers for support and help. Therefore, the performance of one group
member affects the overall group’s performance.

Let us discuss these stages in detail.

1. Forming: It is the initial phase of group development in which

members of a group are introduced to each other. In this stage, behaviour
of individuals is mostly restrained as they intend to know each other
properly.
2. Storming: This is the next stage after forming. This stage is
deemed as the most difficult and critical stage in group building. In this
stage, conflict and competition among group members may emerge.
Group members may not agree on group goals, tensions may arise and
subgroups within a group may form as To sail through this stage, group
members ought to strive to overcome hindrances, accept individual
differences and manage work despite conflicting ideas.
3. Norming: In this phase of group development, differences among
group members are sorted out. Group members begin to acknowledge
and appreciate each other’s strengths. To a certain degree, personal
differences are ignored and each individual starts to perform as a unit.
During this stage, there is gradual elevation in group performance level as
members learn to cooperate and initiate to emphasise group goals.
4. Performing: At this stage, the performance of the members of the
group reaches its maximum Consensus and cooperation can be
witnessed among group members. There is a lucid, viable group structure
and members are motivated towards the group’s mission.
5. Adjourning: It is the last stage in group development and is only
applicable for temporary In this stage, the group is dissolved as the
objective of the group is fulfilled.

8... describe work ethos of an organisation ??

Ethos refers to those appeals that influence the ethical reasons due to
which the audience may believe the arguments put forward by the author.
Ethos is considered to be involved when a writer or a speaker constructs
his arguments based on ethics or his credibility.

For example, ethos is said to be involved in an ex-serviceman of the

Indian Army puts forward the need for upgrading the training standards
used for training new soldiers or advises that the government should
provide the Army with advanced weapons because the rival countries
have already acquired them.
Some of the most important ethos for the workplace are as follows:
a. Behaving in a moral and dignified manner with superiors,
subordinates and colleagues
b. Maintaining discipline
c. Remaining punctual
d. Exhibit loyalty, commitment and responsibility towards the
organisation
e. Refraining from making any adverse comment about the
organisation in public
f. Refrain from wasting time during working hours
g. Protecting the interest of the organisation
h. Maintaining a sense of belongingness
i. Engaging in morally right things
j. Maintaining a positive work culture
9.. major ethos and management principles followed by Indian
companies??

The major business ethos and principles practiced by Indian

companies are as follows:

1. Principle of harmony: Most individuals in India are taught to remain

calm and avoid any conflicts and disputes as far as possible. The majority
of the population in India is guided by a set of moral conducts and
Companies, too, follow the principles of avoiding conflicts and
harmoniously engaging in business.
2. Principle of integrity: Indian companies try to maintain their
integrity in all their operations and business conduct.
3. Principle of justice: Indian companies, more or less, follow the
principle of justice and they prefer to reward appropriate behaviour and
hard work and punish inappropriate behaviour and work shirkers.
4. Principle of non-violence: Indian companies try to follow the
principle of non-violence and protect themselves from any form of violent
strikes, lockouts or any unnecessary or avoidable conflicts. The
companies try to resolve all employee and labour issues by paying them
fairly and avoiding any controversial issues.
5. Principle of reward: Indian companies constantly monitor and
appraise the performance of their The companies usually encourage and
reward the employees who perform well. It can, thus, be considered that
companies monitor the activities of individuals. Rewards help in
cultivating a spirit of higher productivity among individuals.

Our country India is a land of diversity having an elaborate history. People

of India have been living together peacefully even though they follow
various religions, belong to varied cultures, speak different languages and
dialects, hold different beliefs and come from different social and
economic backgrounds. India holds a treasure in the form of old
scriptures which include the wide philosophical traditions
of Ancient India. These scriptures have been analysed by various
management experts and they believe that these scriptures can serve as
a guide to effective ethical management and business practices.

In modern times, there exists cut-throat competition among businesses

and all the businesses seem to be driven by profit motive only. In such an
environment, the scriptures and other ancient texts of the Indian
subcontinent serve as an excellent source to guide individuals,
professionals and businesses on ethics and management. Klaus K.
Klostermaier is a prominent researcher, famous for his research related
to Hinduism. According to Klostermaier, India has been famous for its
wisdom and thoughts since time immemorial. He also stated that the
ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans were eager to learn from its sages
and philosophers. When, in the eighteenth century, the first translations of
some Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita became available to the West,
European philosophers rhapsodised about the profundity and beauty of
these writings. Here they encountered a fusion of philosophy and religion,
deep wisdom and a concern with the ultimate that had no parallel in
either contemporary Western philosophy or Western religion. Indian
philosophy is highly sophisticated and very technical and surpasses both
in volume and subtlety.

Another researcher and Anglo-Welsh philologist, Sir William Jones, stated

that while reviewing Hindu literature, people would usually come across
the notion of infinity. There are numerous ancient Indian texts and
scriptures which carry a wealth of knowledge. However, some of the most
famous scriptures include Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas, and epics,
such as Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Hindu literature is
divided into two categories, namely Sruti and Smriti. Sruti refers to the
heard literature, whereas Smriti refers to the remembered or traditional
literature. The Mahabharata is classified as Smriti. Many scholars
consider Bhagavad Gita as Smriti literature, whereas others regard it
 as Sruti. Teachings from various scriptures can be applied in modern day
businesses. Let us now discuss the teachings of two major scriptures
namely, The Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita and how these
teachings can be applied in businesses in the upcoming text.

¸¸10.. State some of primary lessons from vedas applied in business

management ?

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Shri Prabhupada had mentioned in his

book titled ‘Science of Self- Realization’ that the Vedas have been
created by the almighty and these serve to regulate the earth
that has been created by him. In his book, he mentioned that usually a
booklet contains information about how a product should be used when
you purchase any product from the market; the almighty has also given
Vedas to us for regulating his universe.

Vedas are considered as a treasure house that contains ancient value

systems. The ancient value systems are based on various building blocks
as follows:

i. Satyam or Truth
ii. Tapah or Austery
iii. Damah or Sense Control
iv. Samah or Tranquility of mind
v. Dharma or Righteousness
vi. Danam or Charity
vii. Daya or Mercy
viii. Nyasah or Renunciation

It is considered that the Vedas are a way to attain knowledge which

means realising the abstract from the concrete. If the knowledge
contained in the Vedas is interpreted and assimilated properly, then,
corporate world may be able to practically implement Vedic knowledge.
Implementation of Vedic knowledge assures that it is possible to achieve
the best results using a positive and right approach by implementing
social responsibilities related to:

A. Family welfare programmes for employees and his family during

times of need
B. Community development programmes wherein companies
undertake various types of responsibilities for the community
C. Corporate philanthropy for taking care of the most distressed and
downtrodden sections of society
D. Corporate citizenship, wherein the company tries to enrich the
nation and feel proud of it
E. Concept of trusteeship, wherein the business owners would
consider themselves as trustees of trusts rather than considering the
organisation as their wholly owned private property.

11..12 essential laws of karma?

In literal terms, Karma refers to the cosmic law of cause and effect. In
other words, it refers to a principle according to which any intentional
action, whether by thought or speech, of an individual in the past or
present influences his/her future. In the world of business, the concept of
Karma is related to corporate integrity. It means that a business
organisation must inculcate a set of values to achieve its objectives.
These ethical values include honesty, transparency and ethical
stewardship in business dealings of an organisation. By incorporating
such values in their business practices, organisations can build trust of
customers and achieve long-term value. On the contrary, organisations
that fail to imbibe ethical values and get involved in malpractices are
destined to run into suffering in the end. For instance, recently, the
Supreme Court is taking strict disciplinary action against real-estate
firms involved in misusing customers’ funds and not delivering flats on
time. On spiritual grounds, their bad Karma has brought them to this
state. Therefore, it can be said whatever an organisation/individual does
in the present shares a karmic relationship with the results faced in the
future. Only those businesses that uphold integrity and honesty in their
corporate dealings can ensure their long-term survival. It may seem that
people who indulge in wrongful dealings can escape the law, but sooner
or later, the law of Karma will catch up with them.

Generally, an organisation creates various policies, frameworks and

procedures to achieve its business objectives. However, the organisation
cannot achieve its objectives without the enthusiasm of managers. The
main job of managers is to enable an organisation to achieve its business
objectives, thereby boosting investor value. In a nutshell, it can be said
managers perform business Karma to achieve organisational objectives.
As per the Western philosophy, business managers must demonstrate the
following behaviours to work efficiently towards the accomplishment of
business goals:

1. High supervisory control

2.High level of competitiveness
3.Unemotional approach to goal achievement
4.Emphasis on winning at all costs

‘Nishkam’ means desire less, while ‘Karma’ means action. Thus, Nishkam
Karma is the desireless or selfless action performed. Nishkam Karma
constitutes the central theme of Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action.
As per the law of Karma, an individual who exhibits Nishkam Karma
achieves the highest state of enlightenment. The concept of Nishkam
Karma has come from Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna
to fight without any desire for results. This is because the desire for
results leads a fear of failure in the minds of individuals, which can make
them give up at the first instance and not to take any action.
The concept of Nishkam Karma has great relevance with the business
world. It suggests that work should not be a burden; rather, it should act
as a liberating force for individuals. This is because when individuals work
diligently without being attached to the results, it liberates them from
unnecessary stress and burden. By implementing the concept of Nishkam
Karma, managers can accept challenges in work whole-heartedly, which,
in turn, can boost productivity and excellence.

There are 12 essential laws of Karma that can transform an individual’s

life. Let us discuss these laws in detail:

a. The Great Law: According to this law, an individual’s thoughts, words

and actions have Therefore, this law is also called the law of cause and
effect. To achieve peace, love, harmony and prosperity, one must act
accordingly. For example, if you desire true friends in your life, you must
be a true friend. The Great Law states that you get what you put in.
b. The Law of Creation: This law focuses upon taking actions to be
successful. An individual cannot simply sail through life and expect things
to fall into place. According to this law, leaving things to mere chance is
nothing but wishful thinking.
c. The Law of Humility: This law emphasises one cannot change one’s
path unless one changes something about In other words, the law states
that one must confront and accept uncomfortable truths about one’s
behaviour to seek true joy.
d. The Law of Growth: The law states that the people one meets and the
places one inhabits are entirely one’s choice. Also, the law states that
one is responsible for change and cannot expect circumstances to
change.
e. The Law of Responsibility: This law focuses on taking ownership of
one’s life— where one is right now, where one wants to be and what one
needs to do to get there. In other words, one must be an instrument of
the change one wishes to seek.
f. The Law of Connection: This law states that the universe is a patchwork
of interconnected energy. Thus, one must be aware of minute details of
one’s life for things to fall into place.
g. The Law of Focus: The law states that one can focus on only one thing
at a time and a divided mind is more susceptible to negative thoughts like
greed and selfishness.
h. The Law of Giving and Hospitality: According to this law, one’s beliefs
must translate into actions. For example, if you claim to be a true friend,
then at some point in your life, you will be called to demonstrate this
Therefore, one’s action will only help in one’s journey of self-discovery.
i. The Law of Here and Now: According to this law, Nirvana or
enlightenment exists on the earth in impermanent moments; therefore,
one must exist in the present and appreciate it.
j. The Law of Change: According to this law, history keeps on repeating
itself unless one institutes the change one wishes to see.
k. The Law of Patience and Reward: This law states that one must accept
the hardship whole-heartedly believing that the goal will arrive, no matter
at its own time and place.
l. The Law of Significance and Inspiration: According to this law, you get
what you put. So, if you put in love and energy into something, you will
get a similar result.