SPIRITUALITY AND BUSINESS: exploring possibilities for a new management paradigm

This is a difficult book title. Business people are uncomfortable with the word 'spirituality' and yet talk easily about values in business, ethics, morality, corporate social responsibility (CSR) or at the margin even love or kindness. Are these all part of spirituality? The editors of this book could have a problem dealing with a subject which cannot be accurately described by its title. How do they resolve it? First by dividing it into three parts – concepts of spirituality – personal spirituality – spirituality and leadership. The book has been carefully assembled. Good writers add their chapters under one of the three sub-titles. The editors as well as the authors bring in spirituality when they can although the thrust of the writing is to do with values, ethics, and corporate responsibility rather than spirituality, except in the very widest sense. There is frequent mention of yoga practices and meditation. There has been very considerable growth in Europe and North America of such practices over recent decades and many find them of great importance as they contemplate their inner lives. But it is not yet evident that corporations think they are fundamental to business. The editors attempt to widen the texts from Western to some Eastern traditions with articles based on Indian (presumably Hindu) and Buddhist experience. There is more analysis of the effect of religion or spirituality from these sources than in the articles written from a Western perspective. Judaic, Muslim, Christian teachings of spirituality, morality or values are not included. It is not evident that spirituality is part of Hindu or Buddhist corporations. Yes, Hindus may be more involved in their personal lives in matters spiritual when working in businesses, but do Indian companies build their businesses with an integrated spiritual dimension any more than do Western European ones? Or is it just that they understand the personal spiritual dimension of their employees in the same way as Muslim employees would expect and are allowed time for prayer during office hours? Authors cite Maslow and his famous Hierarchy of Needs as a starting point and then move into ethics, happiness and values. The growth of 'soft' as opposed to 'hard' disciplines of business has begun to effect companies mainly through the human resources function of corporations, but where can one see spirituality as a subject specifically introduced into organisations? The word 'spirituality' is not found in the annual reports of major companies nor of government departments for that matter 'Love is an essential aspect of management' (page 64), - maybe, but what about spirituality? Business ethics are discussed (p73) and how this led to the stakeholder theory of the firm (p75). 'It is time to give wisdom its proper place in business education and business schools.' - yes, but does wisdom mean spirituality? Spirituality and the transpersonal is mentioned (p87) and the need to enhance self development toward a more holistic and peaceful state of consciousness The Indian perspective (p93) and karma as a concept is discussed, but no evidence that karma is part of business any more than self mastery courses which are mentioned a few pages later. Valiant attempts such as the AWARE programme of Shell are of interest although the word spirituality is not part of this programme. APEX - achieving personal excellence and the meditation silence service are covered as is Integral Transformational Coaching and the concept of mindfulness. Buddhist practices are described. Perhaps the word 'spirituality' will come to be accepted and used by business in the future just as 'meditation' and 'mindfulness' have come into common parlance. 200 US hospitals have introduced mindfulness and some Google personnel follow courses in it supported by their company. Words such as soul or spirit are not in common use in business. There is perhaps the personal spirituality of some business leaders - another subject - and of course there is widespread development of coaching in companies and concern about work-life balance. But business coaches would run away from the word 'spirituality.' Interestingly, business is not so worried about 'ecology' as a word and a growing number of companies see the concept very tied in theoretically and practically with their business development. Many would see that ecology has a spiritual dimension, but the'S' word has not yet come into business language. 'Further research is needed to convince businesses and leaders that spirituality as conveyed in this work is a key to answering many of the challenges they face' is a conclusion of the editors. (p. 247). Why would research necessarily convince leaders of the need for spirituality and that it is the answer to many of the challenges they face? Some might hope for this, but research should be independent and there is no evidence offered here that business leaders would or should be convinced. The book is a valuable contribution to the discussion of the role of ethical values in business and management and as such is to be welcomed. It does not prove that managers in business are concerned with spirituality or that there is a growing interest in the concept. It could be that the US is more concerned than is Western Europe. It could be that many parts of the world from Muslim to Hindu to Buddhist regions have employees who are more spiritual, but that is because they come from more spiritual cultures. 'This book invites future development in the burgeoning field of Business Spirituality' - the last line by the editors of 'Spirituality and Business.' And so say many of us. But is it a burgeoning field or is it an attempt to include values, ethics, and morality in the wider term 'spirituality'? Many might wish that businesses were more ethically based and indeed say so, but suggesting that spirituality is the way ahead is too far in advance of the main stream of companies and their employees A book such as this shows the efforts that are being made to develop more caring organizations. We can only hope that more books in the future will be written on the subject of Business and Spirituality and that some will be written by business people who believe and can prove that businesses run in a spiritual way can profit all stakeholders. They are not yet written, but to times in hope?