Creating Shared Value in Business: Sri Sathya Sai Paradigm

Human life cannot be sanctified by living exclusively for oneself in a selfish way. Here is a small example. Ask anybody a question, “For whom are you living?” The person would say that he is living for himself, eating for satiating his own hunger and taking medicine to cure his own illness. When two people sleep at the same time, each may have his/her own dream; but both would not get the same dream. If one continues enquiring this way, one would arrive at the conclusion that all live essentially for themselves.

If one places the following series of questions one after another, one would get the typical responses as stated:

“Where are you going?” - “I am going to the office.”

“Why you are going to the office?” - “To do my job.”

“Why are you doing a job?” - “To take care of my wife and children.”

At this juncture one should probe: Why is man living? Is it for himself and his family alone? If people are living for the sake of their family alone, why are they living in a city and why not in a forest? The reply perhaps would be, “If I live in a forest, I won’t get coffee, breakfast, lunch, newspaper and other daily needs.  Who will give me all these things? My children have to study. They have to go to school. My wife needs milk as well as many more things on a daily basis as soon as she gets up. I have to collect all these things from the market. All these daily requirements are available in the city/town and not a forest.” If another question is asked, “On whom are you dependent?” The reply comes, “I depend on the society.” From the above discussion, one can conclude that the individual, family or community cannot survive in the absence of society.

In this world, there are many government servants, political leaders, business people and educated citizens. All of them struggle mostly for their family or community but not for the society at large. That is the reason for the present turmoil in the country. Every person ought to give top priority to society and show concern for one’s fellow beings. One should realise that one cannot survive without the society. Society is the basis which enables every individual to serve his/her family interests. Instead of asking questions, “What will I or my family get by doing this task?” One should ask – “In what way does the society gain by this task?” Multitudes should not be put to suffering because of an individual. Without putting others to suffering, one is expected to work towards one’s own and one’s family’s happiness. 

One should know that individual happiness and peace depend on the peace and happiness of the society. When such broad principles are consciously cultivated by the present-day youth, the problems that are confronting the society today will be solved with greater ease. Today, by losing morality, man is losing his strength. Spirituality is essential to overcome all these hurdles. The absence of morality is causing problems to the nation. Air, sound, water and soil are all polluted. All the five elements are polluted and human beings, being a combination of all the five elements, are also becoming an epitome of pollution. There is degradation in human beings from purity to impurity. Moral values in today’s society have deteriorated and animal qualities are germinating in man. Only when one fosters Divinity, will the animal nature in the individual be subdued initially, and gradually eliminated. Thereafter, humanity will shine forth and will be fit to live as delightful beings in the world.

Source: The Socially Responsive Business, Chapter 3, Man Management: A Values-Based Management Perspective – Based on the Discourses of Sri Sathya Sai Baba