Article

A Study on Human-Centered Management from The Perspective of Perennial Wisdom

Abstract

The business world manages its operations only through a profit-oriented perspective, causing negative effects in multiple dimensions. The systems that are claimed to exist for human beings do not serve ‘humans’, on the contrary, they transform humans into objects that serve the systems. The purpose of this article is to propose a management approach centered on human freedom and well-being. In this article we use perennial wisdom and management experience to determine the principles and values that form the basis of the approach. This article primarily includes the meaning of being human, the place of human in the order of existence, and the purpose and ideals of humans from the perspective of perennial wisdom. Secondly, we discuss the purpose of human-centered management and the concepts that form the foundation of the model, namely, human dignity, human well-being, order and mutual dependence, justice and mercy, trust and worthiness, belief in afterlife and accountability. Afterwards, we address how these principles and values are related to business elements and how they give direction to these elements. In this study with a literature-based conceptual approach, we conclude that an entrepreneur with a transpersonal mission has an important role in applying the determined principles and values in the business. As a contribution to the literature, this paper presents a schema from the perspective of human freedom and well being, and link the elements which were regarded to be in different areas. Finally, we make a general discussion and recommendations for future research.

Keywords

Management business perennial wisdom human and human features human-centered management