Aligning Indian Knowledge Systems with SDG 8: Strategic Insights from Kautilya’s Arthashastra
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64882/ijrt.v14.iS1.1036Keywords:
Arthashastra, Indian Knowledge Systems, Sustainable Business Strategy, Inclusive Growth, SDG 8, Ethical ManagementAbstract
The pursuit of sustainable economic growth and decent work, encapsulated by Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8), remains a pivotal challenge in contemporary management and policy, often complicated by the limitations of conventional business models. While modern business strategies emphasize efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness, they often overlook ethical governance, labour welfare, and long-term societal well-being. "Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), particularly Kautilya’s Arthashastra, offer a robust and distinct framework for economic management. Its emphasis on ethical leadership, inclusive growth, and welfare-oriented governance provides a compelling alternative perspective that warrants rigorous exploration for its contemporary applicability and potential to enrich current sustainable business models. Employing a conceptual and interdisciplinary approach, this study uniquely bridges ancient Indian economic thought, specifically Kautilya's Arthashastra, with contemporary sustainable business discourse by systematically aligning its core principles with SDG 8 targets and modern management constructs. This offers a culturally grounded alternative to conventional sustainability frameworks. A conceptual framework is proposed linking Arthashastra-inspired strategic principles with sustainable business outcomes. The paper contributes to management literature by demonstrating how ancient Indian economic thought can inform modern sustainable business strategies and inclusive growth agendas.
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