Cultural Values of Indian Managers: An Exploration through Unstructured Interviews

The present research addressed and explored the cultural values that Indian managers may apply in their business activities. Criticisms of research in this area include the use of Western theories and methods that may ignore cultural factors. The present study sought to overcome this concern by using unstructured interviews to collect qualitative data. This approach allowed for exploration of value diversity and contextual influences, which both tend to characterize Indian organizational behavior. Results suggested evidence of cultural values such as yogic spirituality, non-attachment, interconnectedness with others, nonviolence, tolerance, and a sense of duty. Some respondents however espoused values in direct opposition to the traditional culture. The managers in this sample also largely espoused the use of participative management and employee empowerment. Results are discussed with regard to current literature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.