Best Human Resource Management Practices: Prescriptions in Panchatantra

Abstract

Human Resource Management has come into prominence only recently and its strategic importance recognized only very recently. The literature on human resource management is based largely on the western thought. The contributions to human resource management practices from India are rich and very effective but long remained ignored by the scholars. For instance, Lord Buddha and recently Mahatma Gandhiji have all proved the effectiveness of Indian human resource practices to the utter disbelief of the rest of the world. The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the human resource management principles prescribed in Panchatantra (one of the ancient Indian works on management using the case method, a method to be discovered by the West only 5000 years later!) related to employee qualities and work, leadership, motivation, employee turnover and retention, research and development personnel, conflicts, and employee care. It will of great interest to both scholars and practicing human resource managers to note that the human resource management principles found in Panchatantra are not only easily practicable but also look as if they were written for today! Practicing these HRM principles would result in better management and utilization of human resource and thus would enhance the efficiency and performance of the whole organization.