India the Emerging Management Giant
India’s low investment high yield educational strategy is paying off big as a result of globalization. Indians armed with English, educational degrees and a strong desire to excel are exploiting every global opportunity. They easily edge out people from most of the developing world by being more education conscious and compete favorably with the first world by providing adequate services at significantly low cost. The growth of India’s economy is making more resources available to institutions and they are working to improve the quality of education thus making their graduates compete favorably with those produced in the best Universities of the World. India’s digital revolution is giving its economy a much-needed kick-start, but it is its management revolution that makes it sustainable. To read the entire article click here:
60 Comments:
I agree with the statement in this article that: “Low priced high expertise labor is sucking the heart of corporate America away from the continent of North America to the Indian subcontinent.” I find it disconcerting that many U.S. technological jobs have gone overseas to places such as India where the people are often willing to work for a lower wage. I realize that perhaps in the long run this is beneficial to the U.S. companies exporting jobs because they are paying their workers lower salaries overseas but it still takes away from the various job opportunities that could be available to Americans. At a time when there are many job shortages here in the U.S. it is unfair to be sending jobs elsewhere. People like my dad, who is a computer programmer, and other American college graduates in this field should have the first opportunity to try to get these jobs before they are outsourced to people overseas. I think it is great that India’s economy is emerging as such a major technological contributor but I do believe the issue of exporting U.S jobs is detrimental to our own workers and economy and needs to be dealt with.
Nicole Appleman 11/11/05
This article further emphasizes the notion that globalization has led to depersonalization and less relevance to social issues. India trains more women doctors than any other, yet allows many of its daughters to live a life of starvation and undernourishment. Rather than shaping students to be the next Gandhi or Mother Theresa, there is a strong push towards molding them into the thousands of cold, calculated business men that the world doesn't necessarily need more of. Theoretically, economic gains should trickle down to social gains and prosperity in society overall, yet I think it perpetuates the distancing between the haves and the have-nots. Greedy cooperate America uses this to their advantage by looking for the cheapest labor possible, whle simultaneously neglecting the plight of the unemployed on their own soil.
This article argues that India’s role in the global economy is gradually increasing as highly qualified people of Indian birth are dispersing their skills globally. Unlike what occurred in the first phase of globalization, low-ended manufacturing jobs going to third world countries, India is breaking this role. They are increasingly, at a steady pace, taking the managerial, research and development functions that is typically identified with Western countries. Is this a threat to the U.S.’s economy and its jobs? With economics in mind, the answer is yes, but in the grand seem of things this is positive. The idea of comparative advantage infers that who ever produces the best and cheapest product should do so. Yes, jobs will be lost to India but this is a competition which is a key idea in our capitalist system. The sector of the economy India currently dominates (i.e. managerial, business, software) is due to their ability to have this comparative advantage. In response, America will fill other void in another sector of the economy where they have a comparative advantage. Their will be temporary lost of jobs but in the long run it is better for society as a whole. This article just explains that India is using their problems of a large population to their advantage. It also tells of an increasing globalization of India. With its students and educated citizens now going abroad, India’s influence is now something that can not be avoided.
Due to the many technological jobs pouring into India, the country has received global attention and finally has everyone taking India and its people seriously. In an age where the effects of globalization are undeniable, it seems the educated business graduates are benefiting more than ever from this process and taking a huge bite out of the global economy. With Indian educators spreading rapidly to places like North America, many have become worried about the loss of opportunity at home and the negative effects this could have on our job market in the long run. While these concerns are something to think about, there is no denying these people are working harder than ever to make something of themselves, battling nearly impossible odds to make it into top schools. As the trend of globalization continues, it will show the world that India is a serious player on the global scale and refuses to take a back seat to countries like the United States. With the talk of a possible seat on the Security Council in the works, India is taking full control of its future and developing rapidly into the world power status it has been seeking for years.
Mike Donahue 11/12
The outsourcing of jobs has been an issue in our country for years now, and this article suggests that if things remain the same in India, we will only see more and more jobs going over seas. Too many people in the U.S., India is still a third world country and no real threat to to our economy. However, according to this article, India is exactly the opposite. Not only are they exhibiting growth in technology but in the managerial industry as well. The fierce competition in India to get into business schools is alone exemplary of the importance placed on getting degrees and finding the high paying jobs in many other countries, the U.S. included. Although India is still catching up to other countries in the business world, they are making significant progress and if they continue on the same track they are on we are likely to see the emergence of a globalized super power in the future.
Christine Madurski
11/12/05
This article further proves the necessity of America understanding the different aspects of a country's culture. Medical companies, among many other markets, are looking to India for resources, mainly man power. If these countries are misunderstood by these corporations there is little hope for a peaceful, symbiotic relationship between American head-quarters and Indian work force. Schools in India have recognized this necessity and have placed a greater emphasis on English language and therefore allow the students to reach out to western ways once they learn the importance of knowing America ways in the world market.
India’s economic growth represents globalization. More companies are exporting jobs to India because it is cheaper for the companies, which is leading to a more globalize economy. I know some people complain that American companies are giving jobs to foreigners, but that is what occurs is a globalize economy. People have to understand that if there is going to be full globalization then jobs are going to go the cheapest labor. My question is that with India growing so fast and developing, are Indians going to demand more money and better benefits? If this happens are the companies going to leave India in search for cheaper labor?
Stacey Closterman 11/13/05
My parents always told my since I was young that I should get the highest possible degree or one day someone from India would take my job. This is actually coming true for many Americans whose jobs are being exported to India and other third world nations. India has high skilled people who can produce goods and services at low cost and there is nothing that can beat this. Although all the foreign investment in India is good for its economy, I do not know what India can do to retain the highly intellectual people it produces. Many of the people in India want to get educated and leave and go to Europe or the United States. I feel that India could gain more political and economic strength if it somehow found a way to retain some of its intellectuals.
Another problem from the outsourcing of jobs to India is the number of people in the United States who become unemployed and complain that someone overseas took their job. I feel that this is a short term negative thing but in the long run it will force those people to become more qualified and teach younger generations that the only way to live a happy life in the United States is to be highly qualified. I feel that the United States education system does not place a great emphasis on education which is why many students do not take full advantage of the opportunities in the United States. In the end American need to step up their game to compete with all the competition from foreign countries.
11/13/2005 9:00 PM
This article should not enrage Americans, it should provoke Americans to hit the books because they have some fierce competition coming their way. Not to mention, fair competition, the people in India EARN their degrees just like we do.
This article made me think about how the U.S is the richest country in the world, and we have so many over-paid people who do very little. I always think, why can't these people share a little with the rest of the world? Well now a lot of Americans are being forced to share as a result of this.
We lose a little here and there, and someone somewhere gets to eat.
It makes sense, when you look at it in relative terms.
India may not be the most powerful country in the world, but the size of its labor force is continually growing stronger and stronger and can be considered one of the most influential. With an expanding population of more than a billion people, its labor force can only further India’s global dominance. The enormity of India’s people, who are already in the labor force and those waiting to grab their piece of the pie, has serious consequences for our generation of graduates. Those from India are able to provide cheap, managerial and entrepreneurial positions, with individuals who are globally competitive, highly educated, and due the sheer scale of its ambitious labor force, an abundant amount of men and women with creative and innovative minds. In an era of a proliferation of outsourcing, the Indian labor force is taking vast amounts of jobs away from many Americans. It is scary to think about what the future holds for those American, or even European, graduates with similar skills and training, as they are being overlooked by the inundation of India’s engineers, doctors, and business managers into the global market.
November 13, 2005
I think this article highlights an important aspect of the impact of globalization on India. The low-input education “system” is bringing personal success to a very small percentage of the Indian population, who then, as it seems, transfer to more lucrative positions abroad or continue education in many other places around the world. Basically, the qualified people being produced in India are lost to Indian society in many ways. And while this process clearly benefits individuals, it is detrimental to India, as it experiences a “brain drain”. And, it’s not only the business or engineering students who are moving abroad. The medical systems of many industrialized countries in Europe and also that of the US are highly dependent on foreign doctors and nurses. If it was not for the “importing” of medical labor from places that are so lacking in their own medical infrastructure, the medical systems of industrialized countries would be suffering. And this situation obviously applies to many aspects of society in most of the developing world. Currently, India is benefiting from the outsourcing of jobs from foreign companies and from the IT revolution. And while India is developing its management sector, the real challenge to sustainability is if native professionals can be encouraged to stay and participate in the process of social and economic development. Otherwise, I feel that the growing economy of India is too subject to the behavior of foreign businesses that have looked to India as a source of cheap labor.
Stephen Stolte 11/14/05
I have to say that I disagree with Nicole's views on foreign outsourcing. For too long, Americans have taken our incredible economic and educational opportunities for granted. The job outsourcing that has come along with globalization should serve as a wake-up call to the young people of our country. We can no longer expect high-income job security solely on the grounds that we were born in the U.S. Sitting back and complaining about foreign outsourcing is a lazy and unproductive way of avoiding what needs to be done. Like Carolina said, we need to step up and face the challenge of competing in a globalized world. Our country was built upon the foundation of equal opportunity, so why would this ideal not apply on a global scale?
Langley Bowers - 11/14
The statistics in India for acceptance into higher level education is amazing. It is hard to comprehend how low the rate is and how hard these people work. It makes sense then that they would want to travel to other areas in the world in order to find acceptable jobs. Because of globalization, they have the tools necessary to travel and make a living places other than India and at times in American or global companies within India. It is an indication of the state of India that they won't stay there to work. India may be able to produce many highly educated people, but it doesn't have enough to offer them to stay. The best situation would be if they would stay and add back to their country.
Jenna Douglass 11/14/05
One of the main reasons that countries such as India and Japan are getting so close and preparing to pass the economic status of America is motivation. As Dr. Khan pointed out, many Indian people are motivated to get out of their "third world reality", and this is a non-factor for many Americans which leaves our progress in management somewhat stagnant when compared to the very static progress of India. In America many people are comfortable with their living situations. This does not mean that Americans lack ambition, but the need for some of us to succeed in order to better our living conditions to a more acceptable level is not as serious for us as it is for some Indian people.
As far as outsourcing positions to India, it may be cost effective for big business but the overall American economy may suffer in the long run. It is not necessary for some form of affirmative action to help American managers or tech employees, but we have to consider our countries future.
Sean Guidera, posted 11-14
India is a 3rd world country. India produces more women doctors then any other country. The education of this country is growing at a rapid rate and it is also growing economically meaning its on its way to no longer be a 3rd world country. This country is training people to be more business like then people who can make a difference in their country like Ghandi or Mother Theresa. I think it is great that India is improving so much but it bothers me that America is sending jobs over seas to help with other economies when they should be worrying about our own economic status. India is going to become a power house in the near future and may give America a run for its money.
The lack of competition in advanced education among U.S. colleges further decreases its human resource output with in the global market. With many emerging schools and decreasing guidelines, US degrees seem to become less relevant in comparison to high technological and business foreign schools. 55 out of 150,000 applicants in comparison to the vast amount of students accepted in a school such as UD? Obviously there is some value to be lost in merit. It seems to me many schools in the US are more focused on a franchise or business end in comparison to educating future entrepenuers. How long can the education system continue to grant degrees without the high placement rates in an emerging competitive market? The "consumers" or students will eventually realize a degree does not necessarily equal security in finance. I believe the United States must restructure its education system in order to compete with emerging management powerhouses such as India along with China.
M. Andrew Campanelli 11/14/05
To be honest here, I did not think that the economy of India was remotely successful, although after reading this article, I realized that they may eventually become a threat to the U.S. Clearly they have made numerous advances and unlike the U.S they do not seem to be suffering from lack of jobs. This proved to me that they are getting stronger and stronger and soon the U.S will start having to pay attention to workers overseas.
Josh Kalish 11/14
While many may argue that outsourcing jobs is detrimental to the United States economy, it helps to look at the situation from the standpoint of Indians. The outsourcing is providing jobs to many people in India who are of a low class status because they provide cheap labor. This may help their economy, however a problem is presented because the small percentage of qualified individuals who graduate from the competitive universities end up leaving the country to find higher paying work. Instead of using their knowledge to better the economy of India, the flight of trained and talented individuals to other countries, “brain drain”, causes human capital to leave India and benefit developed countries such as the US and Canada. This is a common occurrence in many developing countries around the world. This problem has another effect because while the cost of education in India is low, this investment of money into the education of these individuals is a lost investment in terms of India's economy since the graduates use their skills elsewhere. So yes, our economy may suffer from outsourcing; however, it is also greatly benefited by the “brain gain” of talented and knowledgeable immigrants to the US.
Katie Ruiz 11/14/05
In response to Carolina’s post, I agree that we have many people in our country who are overpaid for what they do, but there are many jobs in the United States that do not pay as much as they would overseas, such as that of a doctor. Until I read this article, I was unaware of the progress that India had made with respect to their economy and their growing role in management of the global economy. I was unaware that India was such a large place for companies such as GE and Microsoft to outsource to…I always pictured America outsourcing to places such as Japan or China for some reason. This article just proves once again how greedy America is and how they will do anything for money, including hurt the people of their own country by outsourcing and limiting the number of jobs available to the people of their own country. It is amazing to me that India produces more engineers, doctors, and business managers than US and the entire continent of Europe put together, because I always think of the United States as containing the largest number of highly educated people, with all of their great universities. Whenever I have traveled to another country, I have always met people who said that they have wanted to come to college in the United States. And Europe, in my mind, always seemed like the second best place to receive a college education. When I was younger, I remember my friend’s father was a doctor and since medicine became so terrible in Philadelphia, he took a job offer he received in Saudi Arabia and moved his whole family there for a few years and made a lot of money and retired. It just shows how much better paid people are in other countries besides the United States. I was also unaware that English was so widely spoken throughout India, I knew that the amount of people who spoke English was on the rise, but I was unaware there was already a steady amount of people who in fact spoke it already. I think that the rise in India’s economy could in fact be a positive thing for America because I think that it will keep them aware and on their toes knowing that they have close competition with a giant of a country that many people have brushed aside as just a third world country. Indian students seem to be very hardworking and education conscious, whereas this is not always the typical attitude of an American. I know it is common in the model industry for people to hire foreign models over Americans because they are much harder workers than Americans. This article shows even more that India is in fact on their way to becoming a global superpower of the world, which has been their goal since they received their independence fifty-eight years ago.
Kandis Kovalsky
Novemeber 14, 2005
This article verifies the benefits of globalization. The increasing number of technological jobs in India in the past years has supported India in becoming a developed country. India has become the exception of the destructive side of globalization. It did not take the path towards low end manufacturing jobs located at the foot of the global economy. Instead India is slowly taking over the global economy. The aspirations and dreams of Indian pupils who want to live a better life, has opened India’s doors to companies such as GE and Microsoft. As a result, India now produces more engineers, doctors and business managers then the United States and Europe together. With their newly gained knowledge, Indian graduates are circulating the globe spreading their ideas and knowledge to countries instead of the other way around. It is upsetting though, that these graduates are not settling in their own country, in order for it to wreak the benefits the scholar carries with them.
As I stated earlier I felt that the U.S should start paying attention to the expanding job market of India, but after doing some thinking and viewing other opinions, it is quite clear that the jobs are not fantastic jobs. They are the less desirable jobs that contribute to economic growth for the country, but not economic growth for individuals. Therefore, although this may be a threat to the U.S eventually, it doesnt seem like an immediate problem.
Josh Kalish 11/15
Being educated in America I was taught to believe in a European/ Western superiority that dates back to our Greco-Roman heritage. From Alexander to Caesar, from Caesar to Constantine, from Constantine to Charlemagne, from Charlemagne to Napolean (never mind the 1000 year gap here, the "dark ages" were an anomaly) from Napolean to the age of modern nation state, we were taught to believe in a Western superiority that had shaped the world for 2300 years. Unfortunately the story we were taught was Western centric hooey. The "dark ages" suffered by Europe only began to end when Europeans started trading with the East, mainly India and China. India and especially China have great civilizations that go back to the dawn of time. But something bad happened to the East, the West. These little hyper-competitive European nation-states (England, Holland, Spain, Portugal, France, etc.) through shear arrogance and agression were able to come to dominate the world for about two hundred years. But now the world has gotten flat, and India and China are emerging world economic and military powers.
"Don't call it a comeback I've been here for years" LL Cool J
Now India is hungry to become a world power again. While America has become a country of with a sense of entitlement. Indians do not just take our jobs because they work for less, they take our jobs because they work harder. Americans are becoming fatter and lazier every year. In this new "flat" world we have to work to compete. As I walk around this campus I do not get a sense of student body who are not here to work hard and compete in a globalizing economy. If one reads the review it seems like our main concern is partying is being curbed. I think it is good that developing countries are challenging us, maybe it will cause us to work harder, and reduce our cultural sense of entitlement, but I doubt it.
Oops, Jon Osborn 11/15
With an acceptance rate of .036% into some of the business schools in India it seems to be a highly competative place. With numbers like that you can not settle for anything but the best and that could be why India produces more doctors, engineers, and business managers than American and Europe combined. Its shouldnt seem like a shock then that companies are setting up facilities in India with such a large number of qualified workers to chose from. India is now able to use its large population as an advantage and hire the best qualified workers for the job which creates a much more competitive environment and should produce the best workers possible. It seems like India is continuing to rise and more and more companies will decide to outsource work to India in the near future.
The United States and other Western nations have relied on outsourcing for quite some time to reduce costs, however the steady growth of India's economy could have more detrimental effects than previously thought. India's healthy economy is attracting more and more investors and India is intelligently investing this capital in education. New and improved institutions of higher learning will produce more competitive academics, who like the article mentioned, are determined to escape the third world. These eager scholars will disperse themselves across the first world and will continue to take jobs from the less competitively educated in the United States. So not only does Bush need to be concerned with the growing issue of unemployment in the low paying labor-intensive sector due to outsourcing, but also corporate level jobs in information technology and nuclear sciences. I think that India's advancement economically is fascinating especially since most Indians, although leave the country in search for higher paying positions, do return to do projects back at home. However, as a citizen of the United States I want to be sure that the education I have received at the University of Delaware will allow me to compete on an equal playing field in the corporate world.
This article emphasizes the benefits of globalization in education and professionalism, but fails to account for the fact that 1/4 of the population lives below the poverty line and is not benefiting from the increase in educational opportunities. Yes, it is a promising development that the universities are becoming increasingly selective; however there are many that are left out of the education process because it is so selective and the highly educated professionals that Indian schools are producing account for a only a small percentage of the population. Globalization has strongly benefited most of the world’s population but has done little to help those who live on less than a dollar a day.
~Sarah Cochran 11/16
India’s continued economic growth and outsourcing of US jobs to India are just two more examples of the effects of globalization. Those who live in India are generally becoming better educated, more often battling their peers for positions in top notch, internationally respected institutions, and reaping the rewards of their hard work, both in India, and abroad (i.e. The United States). Perhaps outsourcing of Western jobs to India should come as no surprise, considering the plethora of hard working, well educated, well qualified individuals Western corporations have to draw from. Perhaps these jobs are being sent overseas not because the labor is cheaper, but because the people receiving these jobs in India are just more qualified. Perhaps, as others have already said, this should be our wake up call to shrug off that false sense of entitlement we seem to carry as Americans, and to work that much harder.
Jessica Blackwell 11/16
This post has been removed by the author.
I wonder if the growth of India's digital and management revolution will attract all technological business from around the world; more then just the place of outsourced jobs to come to and thrive on expertise and low cost workers. Given the exponential growth of qualified, educated persons, I feel India should begin to focus there accomplishments within there borders, but this idea or goal maybe unreachable as of yet with the constant "battle" of tradition vs. globalism/ modernism. If India was able to keep the business at home, instead of Indians going abroad and sending money home to families. I do not know more about India then what is known in class, but how far along is India away from possibly becoming the before mentioned.
11/16
I agree with some of the previous comments that have been made. It is clear that India is emerging as an global power providing technology and management skills to the world, especially to the US. However, as a fellow student commented, these global changes are not reaching everyone. There are still rurual and poor areas who don't have access to clean water or sanitation, the caste system still provides barriers and religiously sanctioned discrimination. It is clear that these successes and the digital revolution in India allows for the communication and success of the country as a whole, but there are still gaps or need for a sizable number of the India population. As to the charge of low priced Indian labor stealing jobs from American workers, it is the cooperation to blame among all else, they are choosing to maximize their profits so much, I mean what is another million when you already make billions? The other point with this too is that we can't have it both ways. Either, we are a completely globalized society and jobs are free game to all or we shut down and limit globalization the progress it may bring.
The comments at the beginning of the article struck me as particularly true. How is it that the Western world has not taken today's growing powers seriously? The amount of Eurocentric thought in today's education will never cease to astound me.
China and India both are historically two of the strongest nations in the history of civilization. Why is it such a surprise that these peoples, so successful in the past, are rapidly gaining ground to become economic and perhaps, in the future, political and social equals to Western powers?
Technological and other firms in the U.S. have certainly recognized the potential in the Eastern market. It should be surprising that the only ones who have not acknowledged this century's shift in the economic balance are the U.S. government and the citizens of this country. The U.S. government is, as the article states, certainly cognizant of the fact that India is a growing power, but continues to downplay it and assert American dominance in the markets, despite that fact that more and more firms and putting their trust in the Asian market.
With India's fiercely competitive, and successful, education system, graduates are well-prepared psychologically and educationally to compete in the U.S. job market. As U.S. firms pour into India and Indian graduates are hired in management positions both in Asia and in the U.S., it should be no surprise that the world's fourth largest economy and second fastest growing economy is integrating itself into the world market with ease.
mitch masucci 11/16
There are so many ways to look at the arguements in this article. On the one hand we can obsess about the unfair labor practices of American business leaders and debate the issue of seeking cheap labor in other countries. On the other, we can realize that these companies are opening pathways for these people that were previously nonexistant. Even if by our own standards what is happening seems unfair, we are opening the doors for growth in these areas. In the long run, we are providing chances for people overseas to make a living and people in America are losing the jobs that are being exported for cheap labor. Hopefully, as this article is leaning toward showing, the labor that is being exported to India will not only provide cheap labor work, but managerial positions and more business leaders, which will eventually even the playing field and bring jobs back to the United States. The Indian situation is taking a different path than other developing nations and it seems that globalization is allowing Indian citizens a better life. With India proving to be a formidable economic power in the East, we are going to start to see major changes in the economy in which labor costs are not the only issue. Hopefully the United States can embrace this economic growth though, because with the rate of growth we are seeing, I don't believe competition is our best choice of action.
What interested me most about what I read in this article did not have to do with the economy of India, their technological advances or the high level of outsourcing. What grabbed my attention was the extremely high quality of education that can be received at Indian schools. I did not expect this from a country with such a high percentage of people living below the poverty line.
I was surprised to see that so many Indian people had to leave their country, mortgaging their homes, in order to receive an education since the schools in India are so selective. The extremely low percentage of people admitted to the S. P. Jain Institute of Management shocked and impressed me. I cannot comprehend the level of competition for a school which only accepts .036% of its applicants. These high standards of education explain a lot about the growing economy of India and why so many American jobs are being sent there. Contrary to the expectations of many, Indians are gaining more, better paying, managerial jobs rather than low income, difficult labor jobs. This high level of education makes this understandable. How could one expect someone with a degree from such prestigious schools to work in the low income, labor intensive and unrewarding jobs?
This article gave me a different, more informed perspective on American outsourcing of jobs to India as well as a higher respect for the Indian educational system.
While India is producing a great number of well-trained IT personnel and has a highly competitive educational system for managament schools, I thought it wasa interesting to read about the poor quality of overall education. As the article states, India is catering toward the global market, training graduates to work with info technology and engineering. While those are both certainly beneficial career choices, especially in our modern, technological world, I think if India wants to continue a growing trend economically and possibly as a world power, it needs to emphasize general education as well. True, engineers are imperative in today's economy - but what about teachers, lawyers, writers, etc? India, or no country for that matter, can grow and compete with other world powers if its people are not properly educated. The article talks about how only students who have the desire to escape living in a third world country will work hard enough to escape - not because they have the resources to easily to do, but because they are determined to create a better life for themselves. And while, yes, the harder working students should receive the better opportunities, India's educational system should focus on better education and resources for their students. In order to create a long-term stable and successful economy, education is key.
Caitlin Ginley
11.17.05
I agree with Dr. Khan about the importance of India in the global economic market. Because of their size and growth potential, India will become a challenger of the US in global economics as well as power. As noted in the article, India is becoming a massive producer of 'management graduates,' however, as Dr. Khan has stated in class, India has problems retaining its educated elite (Brain Drain!). Once this elite begins staying in India and building it from within, its internal growth will skyrocket.
I feel it is only a matter of time before India will be able to fully compete on the global market with the US and its Western counterparts.
-Jaque DiMattia
11/18/05
Just yesterday I listened to my roommate feel under qualified to apply to graduate schools abroad because of the intense competition from global applicants. Comparing the French educational system to the US, the students there have chosen a field to focus on by the time they leave high school. In contrast, many of collegiate seniors bumble around, still deciding on what to make of themselves. With a liberal arts education, the knowledge base is broad and shallow, as opposed to students in France that are highly educated in a single field.
This article commented that Indian graduates are similar to French students. They are highly qualified to work in a single field, but their education base in other areas, often doesn't exist. The term given for this is 'instrumental education.' As opposed to a liberal arts education, such as that delivered at UD, students in India are trained to do one thing, and one thing only, and are often better competitors. Well of course I would Ace every single Bio Chem exam if I didn't have four other courses to clog my brain capacity and take valuable time out of my day. Instead I choose to learn a broad spectrum of things, and do not compete as well in Bio Chemistry. I believe this is true for many US students applying to graduate schools. It is nearly impossible to be both a specialist and a generalist. Those individuals who can do everything, they are the real academic treasures. But in the international graduate applicant pool, there is a place for almost everyone, specialists from India, and generalists from Liberal Arts based educations, the real trick would be to find out where they specialize in you.
This was a fascinating article concerning the advancement of India in the world. It was amazing to me to read of people marrying into wealthy families and mortgaging their family’s homes just to afford going abroad to have an opportunity of getting into a prestigious business school. Here, in America I feel that we often take for granted the opportunities that we have for colleges. In the article it stated that there was a .036% entrance to be accepted into the business school that Dr. Khan attended. The appreciation and desire of Indians academically is one to be admired. With globalization and India economy growing at a good amount, only a future of wealth, happiness and prosperity seems possible.
11.20.2005
A few weeks ago I watched a news journal follow the struggles of a man living in California who was recently unemployed due to one of the major computer technical support companies outsourcing thousands of jobs. The show then jumped to India, where the American’s job had been outsourced, and filmed Indians taking classes on improving their English and losing their Indian accents; all in an attempt to cover up the fact that the American company was outsourcing. Most Americans would be angered by American jobs being shipped overseas to foreigners. However, looking at it through a business perspective, it is hard to place blame on companies that outsource. The American who lost his job was only a high school graduate and earned a salary of about $35,000. His Indian counterparts all had a minimum of a Master’s Degree in computer science and were working for about a tenth of that same position’s salary in the States. As Professor Khan states in the article “They (Indians) easily edge out people from most of the developing world by being more education conscious and compete favorably with the first world by providing adequate services at significantly low cost”. India is dominating the competition in virtually all fields “India now produces more engineers, doctors and business managers than US and entire Europe put together”. India’s recognition that education is the key to success has resulted in its rapid economic growth and emergence as a world power.
11/20
This article displays the unavoidable connection between development and continuing education. It is mentioned that India owns the world's fourth largest economy, alongside the US, China, and Japan. An examination of educational trends in all four of these nations reveals a strong emphasis on education beyond "grammar" or basic level schooling. Interestingly, it is probably the United States that has the least competitive process for achieving a degree among these four states with top economies. This may be why today we consistently see management and R&D jobs heading overseas to nations where education is more valued and more competitive. Regardless, I believe the overarching theme of this article is that globalization, particularly movement away from "third-world" status, is driven by a national population's desire to educate and improve itself, and consequently, that nation's ability to provide educational institutions to accomodate that demand. Currently, India seems to be striving the hardest to create opportunities for its people to succeed in roles that were traditionally saved for nations like the US. As a result, the Indian economy is recieving long overdue recognition and respect. When other third world nations, like Indonesia, begin to foster educational growth they will begin to enjoy the economic growth that comes hand in hand.
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Whats most surprising about this article to me is the level of competitiveness for education in India. In America, it is accepted that at least a bachelor's degree is virtually required for individual success in our economy. However, there is an abundance of opportunities to further one's education, and it seems that this country's populace may have become a little jaded. While it has certainly become harder to get into many schools, American students' drive to succeed in education does not seem to match that of students in India. In India, it appears that education has become more valued and more respected, particularly because a degree represents a path out of a "third-world" life rather than what it represents in America, a necessary step to achieve an ordinary life. the US economy isnt moving forward as ferociously as India's because US citizens arent as driven to make a better life for themselves through education. Maybe when Americans find themselves as passionate and motivated to continue expanding their knowledge, they will find jobs staying in-country rather than being outsourced. Until then, the "exportation" of jobs to countries like India just makes sense.
forgot...laura coogan 11/21 4:30pm
Globalization is the main reason that India is growing so quickly. The United States, the country with the largest economy in the world, is becoming dependent on India’s engineers, who are able to create products for cheaper prices. Even though most of India’s population is living below the poverty line, I believe that opportunities for the poor are greater than that in other countries with growing economies such as China. Educational institutions in India are well respected. I thought it was very interesting that India produces more doctors, engineers, and business officials than the United States and all of Europe. I believe India is starting to westernize. India’s labor conditions are civilized unlike the oppressive low paying jobs found in China and Indonesia. Another important reason for India’s recent economic success is their ability to speak English. This makes it much easier for them to establish ties with great powers like the United States. Even though China’s economy is larger than India, I believe that India’s overall success will be much greater in years to come because of their opportunities for the inhabitants.
Megan O'Toole 11/21/05
It’s interesting to see that Indians are playing an increasingly larger role in the global economy, and I am glad to see that Indians are getting jobs that they worked very hard to obtain (despite the loss of some jobs in the U.S. due to outsourcing). With its growing economy, India seems to be emerging as a superpower. But if India is to also transcend its status as a third world country, I think the country needs to put more emphasis on the education of the entire population, not just a select few. While it is impressive that India’s academic institutions are very selective, I think India needs to make higher education more accessible to the entire population, especially to those who live in poverty and cannot afford to study abroad if they are not accepted into one of India’s competitive schools, while still maintaining the high quality of education received at these institutions. Hopefully, with India’s growing economy, more money can be put into education and this can become a reality.
Steph Scholl 11/21/05
This article emphasizes several trends of globalization and the international standards of education. The United States once focused on manufacturing however in recent decades the United States has began to outsource its manufacturing and focus on the service and managerial aspects of economics. Although we now focus on this managerial aspect it is being shown that we are losing ground on this position,; while International powers specifically India taking steps to advance in this field. A reason for this is the obvious shortcomings of the US educational system and the relative success of Third World countries in effectively educating its people especially in the sciences and business.
above post
11/20/05
10:26 pm
This article is a true example of globalization. India is using techniques from Western society to increase their economic growth, and it seems to be working to there advantage. However, I noticed that the article kind of poses a threat to America, and the majority of responses to the article concur that America needs to step up there game, or India is going to be the next super power.
I agree that the article might pose a threat, but I don’t not think that India’s main goal is too become the next super power. I think there goal is too achieve the best education as possible, and they’ll use any tools that are available to them. Due to the effects of globalization, they want the same jobs, wealth and living conditions as western society. I see nothing wrong with that! I am glad that they are tenacious in there efforts to get the best education. I believe that life in America is too easy. Americans don’t like to work, they just like to play. I believe that I can say that respectfully because my parents did the same thing that India citizens are doing. I think article is telling America, if that they want to remain the best, the smartest and wealthiest…they need to start working a little harder to keep it. So let India rates get keep on getting higher, let them be the best doctors ( like my uncle), they deserve it. This article can possibly lead Americans to focus on more important things, than the War!!!
Love Henry 11/25
This article puts an emphasis on globalization in India. India has been able to further advance themselves in the economic ladder of the world. If India better educates the people of the land, they may be the next super power. Since good education is only available to a select few, its status as a third world country will remain. Although I do agree with above posts that India’s main goal is not to become the superpower of the world, they aren’t backing away from the thought that it might happen. I believe that America is so focused on a war many don’t know we are still fighting that other countries have been able to gain economic and political power.
With all the progress and innovations that India has made in the past few decades, it amazes me that the poverty levels are still so high. The fact that most of the people who are making money in the country right now are doing it through the technological breakthroughs and the management chains, are the same people who have known poverty amongst their family and friends, and are willing to leave their country with the information they aquired and being anew in a distant land. It is just a small percentage of the population that benifits from the achievenments, yet it is meant to seem as though all the people are getting the proceeds. Why is it that if you come from a back round that is similar to the majority of your relative and friends, then why not go back with the information that was attained through your course of studies and practice it among your kin, rather than going over seas with it and the joining the capitalist system of America. I mean the third world despises us, with good reason, so why would these people want to abandon their homes to come to another country and perpetuate that which has put them in their inferior setting in the first place?
As proven by the growth of India's economy and technology, this third world country is taking full advantage of globalization. American jobs are going overseas to such countries where labor is cheaper. At the same time, it seems Indian scholars are driven to success in order to get out of a country still developing, still, in ways unstable. Therefore jobs are going to both cheap Indian labor abroad and technically advanced scholars here in the US. These facts should inspire Americans to work harder. Although it would be nice to say that the government will protect the jobs of Americans, the reality is that money talks louder than the pleading voices of the unemployed. Americans need to recognize that at this time, with the competing forces of globalization everyone is going to have to play ball and step up their game or they are going to lose.
this article proves that fact that globalization is effecting all aspects of livelihoods and being for any numerous sections of the world. With the emergence of such industries as the Infotech industries that make localities irrelevant. This excange of commerce form one end of the globe to another solidifies the emergence of a singel global society. India is an excellent example, but other regions are sure to soon follow. big business recognizes that thridworld countries are more than willing to work toward establishing universities and educating their population who will be willing to work harder and longer and more competently with much less demand for salary and benifits. this will demand the global society to progress.
Although I alsolutely believe in giving the most qualified and deserving person any job, my question is how will the outsourcing of these jobs effect the local economy of the United States? And once there is relevant statistical proof of economic downturn as a result of outsourcing, how will the US government handle the issue? Will this cause political conflict that may in the long run hurt globalization?, or will this act as a way to have economies work even more together only strengthening and further establishing a single global society?
Tom, you pose some very interesting questions. There is no doubt that foreign outsourcing creates a more competitive job market in the U.S., which in turn has already spurred significant opposition from American citizens who believe they have more of a right to be employed here. However, I do not think that government intervention would be in our country’s best interest. As it has been repeated many times in the discussion on this Blog, outsourcing should encourage Americans to work harder and earn their high-paying positions. While this may upset some individuals, it should not be cause for government concern. I believe that while outsourcing may cause short-term, small-scale political unrest, in the future it will help to advance the development of a more interdependent global economy that encourages equal opportunity for all citizens of earth.
Langley Bowers 12/1
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I understand the rational behind comments made that outsourcing should encourage American to work hard to maintain jobs but there is a huge flaw in this rational. As we witness thousands of jobs being cut by General Motors and shrinking of the available job market on American soil, one might question the necessity and validity of outsourcing at this point. We are all at a point where our future very much hangs on outsourcing. If possible entry level jobs are not available for us as we graduate, a great upheaval in an already shaky economic stability will occur. I find that America’s tendency to take care of others rather than its own is becoming and ever growing problem and outsourcing will do nothing but further this problem.
12/1
The outsourcing of jobs has been a growing issue in the United States. I agree wiht the statement that "Too many people in the U.S., India is still a third world country and no real threat to to our economy." The growth of India and other courntires, probably doesnt cross the minds of the average american. Most things dont cross the minds of the average American until they are perosnally effected. However, the growth and dispersal of Indian workers cannot be ignored, especially with the numbers displayed in Dr. Khan's article. Just as he mentioned not being able to go mnay places wihtout seeing colleaguesf rom his homeland, I am increasingly seeing poeple of Indian descent in doctors offices, in pharmmicies, heading companies, opening new business, etc as I walked around my own homeland. It appears that with grwoing technology and managerial skills and industries, along with a competitive business school atmoshpere, that India is well on its way to becoming an economic superpower.
I find it amazing that the country next door to my country (Pakistan) is emerging to such a great post. In fact, I would hope that would be a motivation for Pakistan to step up. Even so, India is making moves after being a sole power for only 58 years which I find impressive. India is using smart tactics where they are emphasizing education. That, in return, is providing better job availabilities to those who are desperately seeking opportunities for themselves. As the country is emerging as a major technological contributor, the U.S. will obviousely use that to its advantage especially if it will cost them less. In this day and age, everyone goes for cheaper labor to get the same job done. If that can be done in India or even anywhere else in the world, the U.S. will go for it. One of the classmates said that this wasn't fair to American graduates and I do understand the point, however, the situation must be looked at in a businessman's point of view. I'v heard many elders advise the youth to find other careers that don't deal with computers or the technological field because all that labor is being sold over seas. This should then motivate us to spend our time and effort into something new. I do see how this can be a negative for all those who are already in the field here in the U.S, (I, too, have family in Computer Programming.)however, the trend of locating thse specific jobs in India has begun and soon our economy and people will mold to the change.
Your website is beautiful, informative and Excellant.
Article by M.P. Bhattathiri, Retired Chief Technical Examiner , to The Govt. of Kerala. Humble request that it may be published in your website and magazine after editing if necessary.
Bhagavad Gita and management
Mind is very restless, forceful and strong, O Krishna, it is more difficult to control the mind than to control the wind ~ Arjuna to Sri Krishna
Introduction
The ancient Hindu philosophy of keepiing mind and body for the well being, has entered the managerial, medical and judicial domain of the world. Today it has found its place as an alternative to the theory of modern management and also as a means to bring back the right path of peace and prosperity for the human beings. One of the greatest contributions of India to the world is Holy Gita which is considered to be one of the first revelations from God. The Bhagavad-Gita is the essence of Vedic Literature and a complete guide to practical life. It provides “all that is needed to raise the consciousness of man to the highest possible level.” , reveals the deep, universal truths of life that speak to the needs and aspirations of everyone. Arjuna got mentally depressed when he saw his relatives with whom he has to fight.( Mental health has become a major international public health concern now). To motivate him the Bhagavad Gita is preached in the battle field Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna to Arjuna as a counseling to do his duty while multitudes of men stood by waiting . It has got all the management tactics to achieve the mental equilibrium and to overcome any crisis situation. The Bhagavad Gita can be experienced as a powerful catalyst for transformation. Bhagavad gita means song of the Spirit, song of the Lord. The Holy Gita has become a secret driving force behind the unfoldment of one's life. In the days of doubt this divine book will support all spiritual search.This divine book will contribute to self reflection, finer feeling and deepen one's inner process. Then life in the world can become a real education—dynamic, full and joyful—no matter what the circumstance. May the wisdom of loving consciousness ever guide us on our journey. What makes the Holy Gita a practical psychology of transformation is that it offers us the tools to connect with our deepest intangible essence and we must learn to participate in the battle of life with right knowledge.
The Holy Gita is the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads. It is a universal scripture applicable to people of all temperaments and for all times. It is a book with sublime thoughts and practical instructions on Yoga, Devotion, Vedanta and Action. It is profound in thought and sublime in heights of vision. It brings peace and solace to souls that are afflicted by the three fires of mortal existence, namely, afflictions caused by one’s own body (disease etc), those caused by beings around one (e.g. wild animals, snakes etc.), and those caused by the gods (natural disasters, earth-quakes, floods etc).
Mind can be one's friend or enemy. Mind is the cause for both bondage and liberation. The word mind is derived from man to think and the word man derived from manu (sanskrit word for man).
"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."
There is no theory to be internalized and applied in this psychology. Ancient practices spontaneously induce what each person needs as the individual and the universal coincide. The work proceeds through intellectual knowledge of the playing field(jnana yoga), emotional devotion to the ideal(bhakti yoga) and right action that includes both feeling and knowledge(karma yoga). With ongoing purification we approach wisdom. The Bhagavad Gita is a message addressed to each and every human individual to help him or her to solve the vexing problem of overcoming the present and progressing towards a bright future. Within its eighteen chapters is revealed a human drama. This is the experience of everyone in this world, the drama of the ascent of man from a state of utter dejection, sorrow and total breakdown and hopelessness to a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.
Introduction
Management has become a part and parcel of everyday life, be it at home, in the office or factory and in Government. In all organizations, where a group of human beings assemble for a common purpose, management principles come into play through the management of resources, finance and planning, priorities, policies and practice. Management is a systematic way of carrying out activities in any field of human effort.
Its task is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their weaknesses irrelevant, says the Management Guru Peter Drucker. It creates harmony in working together - equilibrium in thoughts and actions, goals and achievements, plans and performance, products and markets. It resolves situations of scarcity, be they in the physical, technical or human fields, through maximum utilization with the minimum available processes to achieve the goal. Lack of management causes disorder, confusion, wastage, delay, destruction and even depression. Managing men, money and materials in the best possible way, according to circumstances and environment, is the most important and essential factor for a successful management.
Management guidelines from the Bhagavad Gita
There is an important distinction between effectiveness and efficiency in managing.
· Effectiveness is doing the right things.
· Efficiency is doing things right.
The general principles of effective management can be applied in every field, the differences being more in application than in principle. The Manager's functions can be summed up as:
· Forming a vision
· Planning the strategy to realise the vision.
· Cultivating the art of leadership.
· Establishing institutional excellence.
· Building an innovative organisation.
· Developing human resources.
· Building teams and teamwork.
· Delegation, motivation, and communication.
· Reviewing performance and taking corrective steps when called for.
Thus, management is a process of aligning people and getting them committed to work for a common goal to the maximum social benefit - in search of excellence.
The critical question in all managers’ minds is how to be effective in their job. The answer to this fundamental question is found in the Bhagavad Gita, which repeatedly proclaims that “you must try to manage yourself.” The reason is that unless a manager reaches a level of excellence and effectiveness, he or she will be merely a face in the crowd.
Old truths in a new context
The Bhagavad Gita, written thousands of years ago, enlightens us on all managerial techniques leading us towards a harmonious and blissful state of affairs in place of the conflict, tensions, poor productivity, absence of motivation and so on, common in most of Indian enterprises today – and probably in enterprises in many other countries.
The modern (Western) management concepts of vision, leadership, motivation, excellence in work, achieving goals, giving work meaning, decision making and planning, are all discussed in the Bhagavad Gita. There is one major difference. While Western management thought too often deals with problems at material, external and peripheral levels, the Bhagavad Gita tackles the issues from the grass roots level of human thinking. Once the basic thinking of man is improved, it will automatically enhance the quality of his actions and their results.
The management philosophy emanating from the West, is based on the lure of materialism and on a perennial thirst for profit, irrespective of the quality of the means adopted to achieve that goal. This phenomenon has its source in the abundant wealth of the West and so 'management by materialism' has caught the fancy of all the countries the world over, India being no exception to this trend. My country, India, has been in the forefront in importing these ideas mainly because of its centuries old indoctrination by colonial rulers, which has inculcated in us a feeling that anything Western is good and anything Indian is inferior.
The result is that, while huge funds have been invested in building temples of modem management education, no perceptible changes are visible in the improvement of the general quality of life - although the standards of living of a few has gone up. The same old struggles in almost all sectors of the economy, criminalisation of institutions, social violence, exploitation and other vices are seen deep in the body politic.
The source of the problem
The reasons for this sorry state of affairs are not far to seek. The Western idea of management centres on making the worker (and the manager) more efficient and more productive. Companies offer workers more to work more, produce more, sell more and to stick to the organisation without looking for alternatives. The sole aim of extracting better and more work from the worker is to improve the bottom-line of the enterprise. The worker has become a hireable commodity, which can be used, replaced and discarded at will.
Thus, workers have been reduced to the state of a mercantile product. In such a state, it should come as no surprise to us that workers start using strikes (gheraos) sit-ins, (dharnas) go-slows, work-to-rule etc. to get maximum benefit for themselves from the organisations. Society-at-large is damaged. Thus we reach a situation in which management and workers become separate and contradictory entities with conflicting interests. There is no common goal or understanding. This, predictably, leads to suspicion, friction, disillusion and mistrust, with managers and workers at cross purposes. The absence of human values and erosion of human touch in the organisational structure has resulted in a crisis of confidence.
Western management philosophy may have created prosperity – for some people some of the time at least - but it has failed in the aim of ensuring betterment of individual life and social welfare. It has remained by and large a soulless edifice and an oasis of plenty for a few in the midst of poor quality of life for many.
Hence, there is an urgent need to re-examine prevailing management disciplines - their objectives, scope and content. Management should be redefined to underline the development of the worker as a person, as a human being, and not as a mere wage-earner. With this changed perspective, management can become an instrument in the process of social, and indeed national, development.
Now let us re-examine some of the modern management concepts in the light of the Bhagavad Gita which is a primer of management-by-values.
Utilisation of available resources
The first lesson of management science is to choose wisely and utilise scarce resources optimally. During the curtain raiser before the Mahabharata War, Duryodhana chose Sri Krishna's large army for his help while Arjuna selected Sri Krishna's wisdom for his support. This episode gives us a clue as to the nature of the effective manager - the former chose numbers, the latter, wisdom.
Work commitment
A popular verse of the Gita advises “detachment” from the fruits or results of actions performed in the course of one's duty. Being dedicated work has to mean “working for the sake of work, generating excellence for its own sake.” If we are always calculating the date of promotion or the rate of commission before putting in our efforts, then such work is not detached. It is not “generating excellence for its own sake” but working only for the extrinsic reward that may (or may not) result.
Working only with an eye to the anticipated benefits, means that the quality of performance of the current job or duty suffers - through mental agitation of anxiety for the future. In fact, the way the world works means that events do not always respond positively to our calculations and hence expected fruits may not always be forthcoming. So, the Gita tells us not to mortgage present commitment to an uncertain future.
Some people might argue that not seeking the business result of work and actions, makes one unaccountable. In fact, the Bhagavad Gita is full of advice on the theory of cause and effect, making the doer responsible for the consequences of his deeds. While advising detachment from the avarice of selfish gains in discharging one's accepted duty, the Gita does not absolve anybody of the consequences arising from discharge of his or her responsibilities.
Thus the best means of effective performance management is the work itself. Attaining this state of mind (called “nishkama karma”) is the right attitude to work because it prevents the ego, the mind, from dissipation of attention through speculation on future gains or losses.
Motivation – self and self-transcendence
It has been presumed for many years that satisfying lower order needs of workers - adequate food, clothing and shelter, etc. are key factors in motivation. However, it is a common experience that the dissatisfaction of the clerk and of the Director is identical - only their scales and composition vary. It should be true that once the lower-order needs are more than satisfied, the Director should have little problem in optimising his contribution to the organisation and society. But more often than not, it does not happen like that. (“The eagle soars high but keeps its eyes firmly fixed on the dead animal below.”) On the contrary, a lowly paid schoolteacher, or a self-employed artisan, may well demonstrate higher levels of self-actualisation despite poorer satisfaction of their lower-order needs.
This situation is explained by the theory of self-transcendence propounded in the Gita. Self-transcendence involves renouncing egoism, putting others before oneself, emphasising team work, dignity, co-operation, harmony and trust – and, indeed potentially sacrificing lower needs for higher goals, the opposite of Maslow.
“Work must be done with detachment.” It is the ego that spoils work and the ego is the centrepiece of most theories of motivation. We need not merely a theory of motivation but a theory of inspiration.
The Great Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941, known as "Gurudev") says working for love is freedom in action. A concept which is described as “disinterested work" in the Gita where Sri Krishna says,
“He who shares the wealth generated only after serving the people, through work done as a sacrifice for them, is freed from all sins. On the contrary those who earn wealth only for themselves, eat sins that lead to frustration and failure.”
Disinterested work finds expression in devotion, surrender and equipoise. The former two are psychological while the third is determination to keep the mind free of the dualistic (usually taken to mean "materialistic") pulls of daily experiences. Detached involvement in work is the key to mental equanimity or the state of “nirdwanda.” This attitude leads to a stage where the worker begins to feel the presence of the Supreme Intelligence guiding the embodied individual intelligence. Such de-personified intelligence is best suited for those who sincerely believe in the supremacy of organisational goals as compared to narrow personal success and achievement.
Work culture
An effective work culture is about vigorous and arduous efforts in pursuit of given or chosen tasks. Sri Krishna elaborates on two types of work culture – “daivi sampat” or divine work culture and “asuri sampat” or demonic work culture.
· Daivi work culture - involves fearlessness, purity, self-control, sacrifice, straightforwardness, self-denial, calmness, absence of fault-finding, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, absence of envy and pride.
· Asuri work culture - involves egoism, delusion, personal desires, improper performance, work not oriented towards service.
Mere work ethic is not enough. The hardened criminal exhibits an excellent work ethic. What is needed is a work ethic conditioned by ethics in work.
It is in this light that the counsel, “yogah karmasu kausalam” should be understood. “Kausalam” means skill or technique of work which is an indispensable component of a work ethic. “Yogah” is defined in the Gita itself as “samatvam yogah uchyate” meaning an unchanging equipoise of mind (detachment.) Tilak tells us that acting with an equable mind is Yoga.
(Bal Gangadhar Tilak, 1856-1920, the precursor of Gandhiji, hailed by the people of India as "Lokmanya," probably the most learned among the country's political leaders. For a description of the meanings of the word "Yoga", see foot of this page.)
By making the equable mind the bed-rock of all actions, the Gita evolved the goal of unification of work ethic with ethics in work, for without ethical process no mind can attain an equipoise. The guru, Adi Sankara (born circa 800 AD), says that the skill necessary in the performance of one's duty is that of maintaining an evenness of mind in face of success and failure. The calm mind in the face of failure will lead to deeper introspection and see clearly where the process went wrong so that corrective steps could be taken to avoid shortcomings in future.
The principle of reducing our attachment to personal gains from the work done is the Gita’s prescription for attaining equanimity. It has been held that this principle leads to lack of incentive for effort, striking at the very root of work ethic. To the contrary, concentration on the task for its own sake leads to the achievement of excellence – and indeed to the true mental happiness of the worker. Thus, while commonplace theories of motivation may be said to lead us to the bondage or extrinsic rewards, the Gita’s principle leads us to the intrinsic rewards of mental, and indeed moral, satisfaction.
Work results
The Gita further explains the theory of “detachment” from the extrinsic rewards of work in saying:
· If the result of sincere effort is a success, the entire credit should not be appropriated by the doer alone.
· If the result of sincere effort is a failure, then too the entire blame does not accrue to the doer.
The former attitude mollifies arrogance and conceit while the latter prevents excessive despondency, de-motivation and self-pity. Thus both these dispositions safeguard the doer against psychological vulnerability, the cause of the modem managers' companions of diabetes, high blood pressure and ulcers.
Assimilation of the ideas of the Gita leads us to the wider spectrum of “lokasamgraha” (general welfare) but there is also another dimension to the work ethic - if the “karmayoga” (service) is blended with “bhaktiyoga” (devotion), then the work itself becomes worship, a “sevayoga" (service for its own sake.)
Along with bhakti yoga as a means of liberation, the Gita espouses the doctrine of nishkamya karma or pure action untainted by hankering after the fruits resulting from that action. Modern scientists have now understood the intuitive wisdom of that action in a new light.
Scientists at the US National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, found that laboratory monkeys that started out as procrastinators, became efficient workers after they received brain injections that suppressed a gene linked to their ability to anticipate a reward.The scientists reported that the work ethic of rhesus macaques wasn't all that different from that of many people: "If the reward is not immediate, you procrastinate", Dr Richmond told LA Times.
(This may sound a peculiarly religious idea but it has a wider application. It could be taken to mean doing something because it is worthwhile, to serve others, to make the world a better place – ed.)
Manager's mental health
Sound mental health is the very goal of any human activity - more so management. Sound mental health is that state of mind which can maintain a calm, positive poise, or regain it when unsettled, in the midst of all