Managerial ethos of the Indian tradition: relevance of a wisdom model

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a broad historical review of critical wisdom literature of ancient Indian tradition and examine how these precepts can complement and enrich the contemporary managerial frames.Design methodology approach - The paper attempts to critically review remarkably deep religious and secular traditions of India and integrate them in a conceptual model.Findings - The paper findings point towards the need for a holistic frame in overcoming fragmented viewpoints of contemporary management by strengthening the reflective domains of the managerial world.Research limitations implications - The limitation of the paper lies in its didactic nature and the specificity of the contextual boundary limiting its ready transferability.Practical implications - The paper provides a pointer in extending horizons of business or non-business organizations in opening up their possibilities for achieving holistic managerial perspectives by combining economic, social and other higher order sustainable goals.Originality value - The paper's contribution is in its integrative value of some of the key themes of Indian wisdom literature and demonstrating their relevance to the modern management.