Embodying Morality in Management Theory and Practice: A Buddhist Perspective

Abstract

This article explores the interactions among ethics, spirituality, and business management from a Buddhist perspective. In recent decades, scholars have made substantial contributions to reintroduce spirituality into business ethics and Buddhist values to business management. This paper argues that some core Buddhist concepts and practices could uniquely contribute to identifying moral agency and responsibility, and addressing the practical challenges related to business ethics in a market economy. This article attempts to dissect the Buddhist worldview, as proclaimed through the three marks of phenomenal existence: 1) impermanence, 2) suffering, and 3) non-self, and evaluate its relevance to the theories and practices of business ethics. The significance of this worldview in contemporary society is further explored through the lens of epistemology, ontology, soteriology, and a six "I"s strategy. Two case studies are presented to illustrate possible frameworks of moral decision-making inspired by Buddhist ethics.