Sathya Sai with Students: The Business School at Sri Sathya Sai University

Students of the Management Programme at the entrance of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

… Continued from Part 10

Management Programmes Offered at the Institute

The flagship programme of the Institute is the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme offered at the Postgraduate level in the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. The MBA programme is also offered with a specialisation in Finance [MBA (Finance)]. At the Undergraduate level, the Bachelor of Business Management (BBM) programme is offered at the Anantapur and Muddenahalli Campuses.

Course Structure:

The Management programme at the Postgraduate level comprises of three main capsules:

I. Foundation Courses:
1. Values-Based Management
2. Self-Development
3. Group-Dynamics and Team-Building
4. Values-Centered Leadership
5. National Perspectives and Rural Development

II. Core and Functional Courses:
1. Quantitative Methods and Management Science
2. Production and Operations Management
3. Financial Accounting and Management
4. Marketing Management
5. Human Resource Management
6. Communication Skills
7. Research Methodology

III. Capstone or Integrative Courses:
1. Strategic Management
2. Management Information Systems
3. Total Quality Management
4. Reengineering

Over the last three decades, from time to time, Baba has taken personal interest in guiding the Business School and the concerned faculty members to introduce certain courses in the course structure and specific topics in the related courses that find relevance to the changing economic scenario of India and the world at large. Baba has given the unique expansion of the term MANAGER using it as an acronym – M: Mind of Man, A: Awareness of Atman, N: Nature of Nations, A: Aspects of Environment, G: Guidelines for Goodness, E: Enquiry into Ethos, and R: Role of Rules. This unique explanation functions as a vision statement for the Department and provides the direction for the Management Programme of the Institute. With this vision in mind, the Department has undertaken research work in diverse areas.

Definition of MANAGER as given by Sri Sathya Sai

Focus Areas of Teaching and Research

 Indian Ethos and Values

 Values-based Management and Leadership

 Spirituality at the Workplace

 Role of Values and Ethics in Business and Decision Making

 Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility

 Corporate Stakeholders Management and Welfare

 Rural Development and Micro Finance

 Social Entrepreneurship

 Organisation Culture and Cross-Cultural Management

 Service Quality

 Performance Measurement Systems

 Logistics and Supply Chain Management

 Creativity and Innovation

 Applied Finance

Values Orientation in the Management Programme of the Institute

The Business Management Programmes of the Institute stress as much on spiritual awareness and the moral and ethical aspects pertaining to management concepts, techniques and practices, as on acquisition of analytical skills and functional skills in the different subjects and disciplines.

A session at the Conference on Ethics and the World of Finance attended by top bankers across India. This session is being chaired by K.V. Kamath (extreme right), President, New BRICS Development Bank, formerly Chairman, ICICI Bank

The Foundation Courses of the programme have a sharp values-orientation. These include: Self-Development, Values-Centered Leadership, Values-Based Management, National Perspectives and Rural Development. Drawing from Baba’s teachings, the Self-concept, the distinctions between individual character, national character and fundamental character, the importance of mind and sense control, the role of Yoga and meditation, the essentials of true leadership and distinctions between a good leader and a great leader get highlighted.

Gleanings from Nature, insights from Bhagavad Gita and scriptures of all religions, and lessons from lives of noble individuals and illustrious leaders help to inspire the students to adhere to essential principles and values. Baba’s Dharma Vahini, Manu’s Dharma Shastra and Kautilya’s Artha Shastra help to trace the evolution of management theory with a focus on Indian ethos and values.

All through the Management Programme, the students are advised and inspired to totally desist from undesirable business practices that are found to prevail widely, such as deception in advertising and business promotion, corruption in procurement and sales dealings, sub-standard production, tax evasion, manipulation of accounts, window dressing of reports, and such others. They are strongly advised to shun speculative activities and are made aware of the harm that profiteering inflicts on the individual, the organisation and the society. The integrated role of Business, Government and Society is highlighted in ample measure. Case studies, exercises, practical workshops, topics for written assignments and seminar presentations are all designed to impart values orientation through experiential learning. In short, commitment to spiritual and human values, and ethical and moral principles constitute the running theme in all subjects that are taught. Students are exhorted to understand that Love for God, Fear of Sin and Morality is Society should form the bedrock for overall peace and prosperity, and business is no exception to this prescription.

Management Students at the IT Lab of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

‘Man Management’ has been the major thrust of the management programme at the Institute right from its inception. A values-based manager with character and confidence, trained in people skills along with normal hard skills is the programme’s goal. ‘Man Management’ is not just getting work done through others as a matter of strategy. It emphasises on working towards collective welfare of all organisational stakeholders while working towards the long-term objectives of the organisation. The programme aims to inculcate in every student such an approach to business and its management while he undergoes the Management programme at the Institute. Each student is expected to be a transformed person when he steps out of the Institute after the stipulated period of stay. The system, through its ambience, course structure, and the Ashram environment, slowly but surely opens the hearts of the students to new dimensions of life. Baba blends the head, heart and hands of students to mould them into integrated personalities so as to become role models.

Conclusion
Education is for life and not for a mere living. It is not mere accumulation of information but values in action. Educare is defined as the process that results in the blossoming of the humane qualities latent in every human being. The aim of Educare is to help every child to grow into a physically, mentally and spiritually healthy adult. The products of the Institute get the best inputs by way of academic inputs at Institute campus, disciplined hostel orientation and spiritual inputs from the Ashram ambience for being moulded as integral managers.

This attitudinal orientation and valuable inputs would go a long way in creating future managers with an openness to new ideas, readiness to learn from other people, candidness to recognise problems as problems, and to accept that there would always be scope for improvement. The youth leader of tomorrow ought to learn to master his/her mind, which demands a certain degree of spiritual rigour in life. Youth leaders with this mould can build an even more vibrant world that is global in outlook, brimming with peace, prosperity and an air of general wellbeing. If a human being lives as a true human, personifying ideal human qualities, he/she can manage anything.