Strategic Management Lessons from Indian Mythology By: Ashutosh Srivastava PGDM EXEX-050
India is a very ancient country, the country which has been known to the world since ages because of this the country has been known with many names i.e. Bharath, Aryavarta, Jambudvipa, Hindustan, Bharathvarsha etc. Many historians believe that oldest remains have been found of the era more than 55,000 years back! The Vedas (Oldest Indian Scripture) has been composed during the period of 2000 -500 BCE. The Indian subcontinent was many distributed alone the lines of river Ganges. The northwestern plains were divided into many ruling states called "Mahajanpadas" "Mahajanpadas" The was flourished in culture, are and literature. There were many ancient scriptures were wrien as the country has spread its culture upto the distance south India. Gupta Empire has been known as the most important for the growth of classical Sanskrit literature, Indian Science, Medicine and mathematics. The Indian Mythology which has now been called as mythology is not actually a mythology, there is a greater signicance signicance of historical data and other evidences based on the ancient scenario of the understanding of the people, their values, culture, knowledge, strategic aptitudes and their society as whole.
mythology is a large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism as contained in Sanskrit literature (such as the epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Puranas, and the Vedas), Ancient Tamil Tamil literature (such as the Sangam literature and Periya Puranam), several other works, most notably the Bhagavata Purana, claiming the status of a Fifth Veda and other religious regional literature of South Asia. (Source: Wikipedia) The Indian Mythology is so rich in its culture and strategy that it has respected around the world for its content. The Mahabharata is known as world's longest epic. It contains 200,000 verses. The structure of Indian mythology is very simple and in the form of stories which are interesting and can be remembered for long. Indian Mythology Mythology has the signicant signicant value of knowledge of its rich tradition, respect and coherence coherence among each other.
In order to understand the strategic management from the context of Mythology, we must have to understand it rst from the present context. In the present context it has been dened as the formulation and implementation of the major goals and initiatives taken by a company's top management on behalf of owners, based on consideration of resources and an assessment of the internal and external environments environments -Strategic decisions are taken only after analyzing the environment and the target vision in mind. Certain questions must be formulated before building the strategy with environmental scanning What target which one must have to achieve? - What is the target What are the core core values ? Who are the stakeholders? stakeholders? What would be the eect of the strategy strategy as a whole? What is the geographic geographic scope? scope? What are the skills and the resources resources needed? needed? What dierentiates dierentiates one from from its competitors competitors ? What are the important important risks & opportunities opportunities available? How can more values be generated ?
The implementation of the strategy is the second most important thing which one has to do in order to comply with the policies wherein one must have to understand the scenario and the conditions which can be represented with the goal formulation and the standard consideration of the view points of the resource. The implementation of the strategy also in volves the leadership leadership arrangements, arrangements, communications, communications, monitormonitoring mechanism, tracking progress.
Strategies can be the plan ' intended set of goals' Strategy as a paern of past behavior, planned or intended Strategy as a position means to take a stand in which can re flect the positive value and the strategies build on that platform
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positive value and the strategies build on that platform the society gave much respect on the truth and the Dharma. Strategy as a perspective which could give the way of the mind- Which has also been right approach which has been acceptable set or positioning among its stake holders. by the society. This core value has been the most important which had played an important role in their winning. We are going to see how all these types of strategies have been derived from the scriptures which are mentioned as Indian Mythology and how the strategies and planning are still inline with The stakeholders were the people of India who wanted the win the present scenario. of right or the truth over the wrong or the unjust. The stake holders were the people of the India who have been asking for the systems wherein the life of the people has been under that situation which has been referred in the ancient India as the Mahabharata is the longest epic with a major focus on the strat- solution of their problem. The people did not like Kauravas and egy of war. The epic war was between two clans Pandavas and their reigns. They desperately wanted Pandavas to take over. Kauravas. Pandavas were more famous and they were known to follow the Mahabharata also contains the verses of the secret text called path of the truth which was acceptable to all because that was Bhagvad-Geeta. This text has stressed upon the need of work the Dharma or (the way of life) of the people. rather righteous work. The Bhagwad -Geeta contains the supreme message of management, which are above all the management lessons...it says worship your work and imbibe always in work, even gods cannot live without work. Work should always be done after comparing with dierent sources, whether one is doing the work is right from all the sides, what would be repercussions of that work and how can be the body, mind and soul can be beneed with the kind of work one does.
The Pandavas has very small army as compared to Kauravas. Kauravas have 11 Aukshouhini sena which equals 21,870 chariots, 21870 elephants,65610 horses, 109,350 foot soilders, (1:1:3:5). With key human resources of greatest men of that era viz. Bheeshma, Duryodhana, Kripachaya, Dronacharya, Aswathama etc. Pandavas sena was of 7 Akshouhini which had less number of chariots, elephants, horses and humans but they have the best of the Archers: Arjuna, the mighty Bhima, Abhimanyu, the follower of Dharma as Yudhithira and the greatest managers of all Krishna. Krishna is also known as someone who is the master of all 64 types of arts and who knows how to win wars. This was the great of asset which one side could get.
The war which Pandavas won was not only because they have right strategies but they have right managers who could execute them righteously. The right strategy can turn one's weakness into one's strength. Pandavas were weaker in the army but they had right and faithful allies, they have shared their responsibilities, the teamwork of Pandavas was perfect in the war. They have fought as a team and did not leave any of their friends alone to ght in the war. They respect their soldiers and their team interest lies above their individual interests. The Pandavas have devoted considerable time in preparation for the war. It was hinted by Krishna that once the exile of the Pandavas will be over there will be a big war with Kauravas, the war will be remembered all through the ages. Pandavas have Ethics denes as the core principles which dene as the moral developed various personal and group skills about the war from principles that governs or influence the person's behavior. The various sources. sources. Arjun went to Indra's adobe and and lived in a hard hard ethics are the benchmarks of human behavior, the conduct of penance to get the various weapons from Indra. He had also human behavior is influenced by the emotions of life thus the learnt various arts of wars and other arts of dance and singing action of life. The coordination of action and emotions generwhich had helped him to live in disguise during the exile periates ethics. The core value of Pandavas were based upon od. Bheema had learned the art of war from his brother Hanu'Dharma' which is again reinstated upon the truth. The truth is man who was also known as the god of power and strength. the most important value system which Pandavas have followed Yudhishthira was known as a highly learned man and someone all through their life. The strategy which laid upon the value who take decision based upon truth and righteousness. This
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war time, As it is known as the army arches in the stomach hence they must have to cater the resources for their armies and The vision and mission plays an important role in the goal they must have to get get the as during the war time. time. seing and the delivering the required. The vision of Pandavas was dened as they have to win the war. They did not have the greed of the state or the resource. People understood that PanPandavas was highly available with the leadership. The leader- davas are ghting the war of their status and their dignity. They ship available with Pandavas was of very reputed and with full have amalgamated their dignity with the dignity of the people of knowledge and wisdom. The power with Pandavas was their hence they have got the support of the masses which is the realeadership skills. They have the innate skills of motivating and son that the soldiers of Pandaves were highly motivated and lifting others. This has been very crucial to their win. Their they were ghting their own war. The Kauravas have the perskills were in organizing, organizing, clarifying their problems and support- sonal motives and lack of vision. The personal motives have not ing and listening criticism. Their delegating skills have also been able to percolated among their soldiers. The vision of helped them to delegating right task to right people. Planning Duryodhana was very limited and he was greedy, his greed can seing and organizing their objectives. They have always fore be seen from this shloka. runner in taking initiatives and response to change situation. Their energy ambition and motivation skills have really helped द यधन ुयधनthem in deciding the skills for the strategy building and goal seing.
नाहं िायं दायाम दायाम पाणडरेभय भय पतामह।
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ामं से सेनां च च दासांशच शच रलपं वयमप वयमप ो। The Team spirit binds the team to aain a target or goal. In य ौपचािकं यत तसर सं संरधीयताम रधीयताम ् ॥ ् ॥ Mahabharata the team spirit was highly associated with Panda ुौपचािकं ु तसर vas. They have a common objective to win for the truth or Dharma. The whole Pandavas have high respect for Yudhithira In this shloka Duryodhan says he wont give any villages or any and Krishna. Most of them were part of the decision making wealth to Pandavas and let it be decided by the war. process. Pandavas take decision with the help of whole members and their decision was unanimous whereas the decisions taken by Kauravas was not unanimous and it was based upon the decision of Duryodhna, Duryodhana had the personal motives with the war but the other members of his did not have Ramayana foremost presses upon the values and value system. the same motive. Though they were very mighty but they have The value system what a company must have to lay grounds for wowed that they would not killed the pandavas. Bhishma - Took strategies. The rm strategies which are based upon the unique must be integrated integrated upon the system and functions wow that he wont kill any Pandava brothers but will kill thou- value system must sand soldiers every day. Karna had promised that he wont kill of an organization. any of Pandavas except Arjun. Dronacharya said that he is interested in capturing Pandavas rather than killing them. Panda vas have the common motive to win the war as well as they Ram exists for Ayodhya; Ayodhya does not exist for Ram. And have their individual motives as well. The individual motive of so when Ram is asked to choose between Ayodhya and Sita, Bheema was to kill Duryodhana and Dushanshana, Arjun Ram chooses Ajodhya not Sita. But it is quite the opposite for wowed to kill Karna, Jaydrath, Ravan. Lanka exists for him, and he refuses to part with Sita even when Lanka is burned and its residents killed. Ram respect people whether he is is big or small. His respect for people can ’सर यथारचितं यथारचितं ययदे ययदे त तम ्। ्। ुतम be seen that he had formed an army with the help of monkeys and apes. He had also motivated Ahilya and Sabari who were एरमेतत जाता ततो बीस िागत ॥ ् ् ुिागत ुरंरं जाता the women from secluded and downtrodden. Ram had motivat-
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Ram was the right kind of manager who has utilized the resources with optimum possible way. Ram has shown his managerial skills during war with Ravana. The most important was building of the bridge over the sea on the way to Lanka. Every body was thinking their own way how to cross the sea but Ram took 3 days in meditated and then suggested that they can go with the creating a bridge over the sea. All have abided by the same and he had been supported by two of his army men Nal - - Nila who who were very talented in making bridge. The bridge has been ready within few days. Ram and his brother Lakshman have also trained the tribals who were referred as apemen in Ramayana the epic.
There are many aspects of Ramayana and Mahabharata which can be considered in a few points which can be easily related to the strategic management.
Formulation of strategic vision and mission with amalgamation of the value system. Organization Organization and conduction of an event Select a long term and short term strategies and annual plan in relation to your target. Evaluation of the success stories with the budgeted plans and nature of its relation to the project or immediate strategy. Never underestimate your enemies and always try to subdue them before even striking.
The Indian Epics are great and they have huge potentials to change the human race and they are still continuing since ages.
