Business Ethics and Its Practice: Sri Sathya Sai Perspective

The lack of faith in God and oneself is a major issue in some growing economies and hence they are encountering problems. Russia lived with atheism, but in the Russian government too, there were a few who had faith in God. They never revealed it for fear of negative consequences, but gradually changes happened from within. Just as a fan takes some time to stop after you switch it off, a government using force gradually weakens. As the spiritual values and moral values start declining, nations too start disintegrating. People working in business organisations should practice honesty and morality. Without these values, business ventures will suffer setbacks. 

Some people ask a question, “How can business be run on ethical lines?” If business is run on values-oriented basis, everything would be smooth. Otherwise, like a football, which goes up in the air and comes down, the business also runs successfully only so long as things go on smoothly and all conditions are favourable. Businesses begin to encounter problems when conditions are detrimental. When people grow morally, their confidence grows. Nowadays in business, workers have no trust in their managers and vice-versa, which impedes their overall progress. A plantlet grows with the help of water and soil. We do not keep a plantlet in a container. We keep it in soil. Similarly, the qualities of truth and morality need the soil of confidence. Only then, can the sapling grow into a tree and yield fruits. Nowadays, people lack confidence, morality and honesty. How to develop these qualities? One must make use of all the available resources and nurture one’s own personality. The plant uses soil, water and sunlight. But it does not represent any one of them exclusively. Similarly, one must take all good from everywhere. But one must not drop one’s own innate nature, originality and individual identity. Nowadays, students lose self-confidence, become slaves of vices and lead an artificial life. 

Our country should always have its own standards of quality. Only then can it earn the respect of others. Morality that is innate has to be revealed. Behaviour is a reflection of the inner being. When you go to an undesirable place deliberately, amidst fear you go all alone, without being noticed by others. Thus, if you follow your conscience, you would not go on the wrong path either knowingly or unknowingly.

Source: Social Culture and Management: National and International Perspectives, Chapter 18, Man Management: A Values-Based Management Perspective – Based on the Discourses of Sri Sathya Sai Baba