Title: Organisational development and the Hindu trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on leadership, culture and change

Authors: Patrick Kim Cheng Low, Balakrishnan Muniapan

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Economics and Policy Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE1410, Brunei Darussalam. ' Human Resource Management, School of Business and Design, Swinburne University of Technology (Sarawak Campus), Jalan Simpang Tiga, Kuching 93350, Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper uses the metaphors of the Hindu trinity &ndash Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and its relevance to organisational development (OD). It explores roles on leadership, corporate culture and change for increasing organisational growth and effectiveness. By employing hermeneutics, a qualitative methodology in interpretations, the parallel roles of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are drawn to show key strategies and ways of creating, maintaining and eliminating (changing) the organisational culture and organisational leadership renewal. This paper is expected to provide a new dimension in studying OD from the Indian philosophy and cultural perspectives.

Keywords: Hindu trinity; Indian culture; corporate culture; organisational development; metaphors; leadership; organisational change; Brahma; Vishnu; Shiva; India; hermeneutics; organisational culture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2011.042321

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2011 Vol.4 No.5, pp.491 - 505

Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article