Title: Sustainability from the lenses of spirituality: a new perspective

Authors: Kanupriya Gupta; Rajat Agrawal; Vinay Sharma

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India ' Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India ' Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India

Abstract: The present course of development is under question for its sustainability. The increased thrust on sustainability has promoted activities like green manufacturing processes, green products and marketing, ecological concern, social sustainability, etc. The limited approach of individual choices and decisions to adopt the sustainability notion creates a huge gap in the movement leading to ineffectiveness of the whole drive. An awakened consciousness leading to spirituality can play a magnificently important role in creating the sensitivities and self-responsibility in augmenting, aiding and enhancing the sustainability movement holistically. The role of spirituality in the present mode of development has been analysed through in-depth interviews of various senior academicians from premier institutes. The findings suggest that present development is lopsided, where absence of spirituality has given rise to various problems and crisis of sustainability. Spirituality should be developed in individuals through role models, education and society, to create an awakened and responsible society.

Keywords: governing philosophy; sustainable development; consciousness; spirituality; academicians; sustainability; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIE.2016.078633

International Journal of Intelligent Enterprise, 2016 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.297 - 310

Received: 19 Jun 2015
Accepted: 02 Dec 2015

Published online: 29 Aug 2016 *

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