Joan F. Marques, Satinder Dhiman, Svetlana Holt and Adam Wood
Strengthening awareness about the importance of mindfulness practices in business education and performance toward greater societal appreciation and compassion.
Abstract
Purpose
Strengthening awareness about the importance of mindfulness practices in business education and performance toward greater societal appreciation and compassion.
Design/methodology/approach
General Review: A Synthesis of Literature and Practice
Findings
The need to include mindfulness practices is not merely a wave in today’s era, but a well-considered shift that has already proven its advantage to business entities and their leaders.
Practical implications
The examples shared in this article are aimed to ignite interest about ways we can move toward cultivating awareness in making business a practice that is not merely profitable, but also socially constructive.
Originality/value
Four mindfulness enhancing practices are shared for possible implementation
Details
Keywords
Joan Marques, Satinder Kumar Dhiman and Jerry Biberman
The purpose of this paper is to review the implementation of two strategies that are actually un-teachable yet highly effective in higher education: meditation and storytelling…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the implementation of two strategies that are actually un-teachable yet highly effective in higher education: meditation and storytelling.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically focussing on workplace spirituality as a movement from corporate workers, and consequently, also a teaching topic in management education, the paper first indicates some problems faced in today's world, and relates these to the need for facilitating college courses in more compelling and comprehensive ways.
Findings
Spirituality and spiritual concepts can involve emotional and other non-cognitive experiences which cannot be taught using traditional teaching approaches such as reading and lecture. Specific approaches, such as meditation and storytelling are useful for teaching spirituality and spiritual concepts in a business school classroom setting. These two strategies provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their experiences and to become more self-aware.
Practical implications
Using the practical strategies discussed in this paper in management classes turns out to be a positive experience for both the course facilitators and the students.
Originality/value
Reflecting on the overhaul attempts of management education in universities, even those with the prestige of Harvard and Stanford, the authors discuss some interesting strategies that can help management educators take their course experiences and the results attained to the next level.
Details
Keywords
Satinder Dhiman and Joan Marques
The purpose of this paper is to present the experiences and findings of a university course in workplace spirituality in a time and stage where corporate greed and organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the experiences and findings of a university course in workplace spirituality in a time and stage where corporate greed and organizational instability run rampant.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyzed workshop dialogues and reviewed of participants' findings on corporations as well as their own changed perceptions.
Findings
There are some interesting common factors in corporations that perform according to spiritual guidelines and a highly interactive program on organizational analysis contributes tremendously to the levels of responsibility and awareness of participants.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations to the research are: the population used for data was limited, as it consisted of business and management students at the MBA level; and the findings were only gathered from one cohort, and might provide increased themes when extended over multiple courses in multiple semesters. Future research could apply this study on other populations for a greater foundation in findings.
Practical implications
Organizations that adhere to the spiritual mindset are more successful, have happier employees, and are more aware of their environmental responsibilities.
Originality/value
The paper shows that in these times when corporate greed, dishonesty, and environmental neglect have been exposed so dramatically, courses on workplace spirituality are of high importance and lead to valuable insights for immediate and non‐immediate stakeholders.