6. Indian Spiritual Traditions as Inspiration for Ethical Leadership and Management in Europe

The influence of Indian Hindu, Buddhist, and Sufi traditions on the work of European thinkers and management practitioners is considerable. While many management and organizational scholars recognize that cultural differences can significantly influence management and working practices, the impact of applying wisdom from other cultures on management practices remains largely unexplored.

The work of Arthur Osborne (who was influenced by Sri Ramana Maharshi, a Tamil guru), Albert Schweitzer (influenced by the Bhagavad Gita and Karma Yoga), Ernst Friedrich Schumacher (influenced by Buddhism and Gandhi), and Hendrikus Johan Witteveen (influenced by Hazrat Inayat Khan, a North Indian Sufi) are especially worthy to study. This chapter provides the background for introducing ethical principles from Indian spiritual traditions into management, while also demonstrating that such principles do not contradict with so-called ‘Western’ ethical approaches. The comparison of Indian and European traditions suggests that religion does not necessarily divide people, but can create common ground for better communication and ethics.