Corporate Conscience and Ethical Imagination: Pañcatantra Wisdom in an Era of Corporate Polarization

Abstract

Corporate polarization denotes the fragmentation of corporate values from both ideological and ethical perspectives. Today, we witness that corporate organizations are standing at a moral crossroads. The gap has been widening between corporate rhetoric and actions, clearly witnessed in the conflicting and inconsistent ethical positions, ethical indifference, and their focus on performative Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This study attempts to answer two interrelated questions centered on the reawakening of corporate conscience: How can Dhārmic reasoning revive corporate conscience? & Can folklore nurture dissent and moral imagination in the context of governance? The study explores the theories of Arendt’s moral conscience (thinking as resistance), Sen’s idea of justice (ethical public reasoning), and Gandhi’s Satyāgraha (truth-based dissent). Further, the study considers how the Pañcatantra offers ways to navigate complex ethical terrains through its wisdom tales, which are not only abstract moral idealism but also advocate pragmatic ethics (Chakraborty, 1995; Banerjee, 2021). The discussion brings out the alignment of Pañcatantra stories with the appropriate SDGs (SDG 8, 12, and 16), instrumental in handling corporate crises. The study also attempts to introduce a few cases at both the national and international levels to anchor the morals of the Pañcatantra within the corporate ecosystem. The study recommends the value-added course for both academicians and professionals to gain insights into the significance of Dharma and karma.