Human Values in Management - Research Paper Example

The question, however, that is always being asked is to how can human values be defined in context of organizations. Is this a measurable entity or can be weighed in terms of general cognition or perceivable notion. Some scholars say that human value cannot be defined; some suggest it can only be cognitively grasped, or felt instinctively, and shared as an experience. Modern scholars consider conceptualizing human values is a difficult task on account of intertwining of several ideas and thought strands encompassing the term.

If classical literature is to be reviewed, then not much of a difference is found between human values. When values are looked into, the search leads to several facets of human existence. But, of late, and in context of organizations, theory of values is being considered for separate study, mainly hailing in the philosophical domain, and widely known as axiology. It is, in fact, the recognition of the importance of human values that has triggered off a wave of discussions on organizational ethics which, unfortunately, is often done in isolation and not in conjunction with human values in the same organization.

It is normally said that organizational ethics starts getting degraded where human values begin to end. Studies that are normally considered as intellectual or idealistic exercises on human values can be found to have a distinctive and purposive acceptance in areas like management, where it is used in team building, leadership programs and human resource departments. It has always intrigued management studies whether or not human values can be "imparted" to modern managers. Whether it is possible to impart human values as knowledge to these managers?

If so, how feasible would that be and what is being done in this direction within and outside of organizations throughout the world. During the last two decades workshops pertaining to this sort of training for managers have become fairly popular among management circles because they are seen as an impetus-giving activity to boost individual, group and organizational performances. Pertinently, the best part of these programs and workshops is that they tend to lap up the content and presentation from the cultural background of the country in which they are held.

Each nation has its given traditional set of values that have been passed on from generation to generation and are based on 'ethos' governing the territory. More often than not these values are wed to the human psyche and human values when imparted to the modern managers actually aim at distilling the mind, purging it of negativity and instilling it with purity of thought, word, deed, and action. It is like taking the science of management towards the divinity of an art by nourishing compassion, humbleness and friendliness; and by giving up arrogance, jealousy, and greed.

Sticking to the human values always refers to sticking to positive attributes and managements realize that such practices can have positive repercussions on businesses through enhanced creativity, selflessness, and enhanced cooperation, better output of work and creation of a general platform that is full of ethico-moral soundness (Chakraborty, 1991). When human values are discussed in organizational context the thrust is primarily on two different types of values. One is at the inter-personal level and another at intra-personal level.

Both are related to each other,