Values-based flexible systems management: insights from indian ethos

Flexibility has acquired added significance following current economic meltdown as a coping up strategy to deal with uncertainties. The fast growing field of flexible systems management based on this philosophy that started a decade ago and branched out in several directions has sufficiently matured as a full-fledged discipline to deal with difficult and uncertain situations. One area in which considerable efforts have been made in past is search of flexibility related ideas or metaphors in Indian culture, knowledge of which may help promote awareness towards flexibility. This paper presents summary of such ideas and interpretations with a view to create greater awareness and need for flexibility in all spheres of human activity, be it, workplace, home, or relations among nations.