Business to the Buddha

Tag: domino effect

Dependent co-arising

Interdependent co-arising is a very key concept of The Buddha’s teachings. The other interesting names of this concept are dependent co-arising and dependent origination. Dependent co-arising is a deep concept. The depth requires an understanding of the concepts of Buddhism. So, I keep writing at a very shallow level examples to drive home the point. Whenever I read the book – Old path white clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh I get itched to this very concept. He explains this concept in easy words – “From interdependent origins, all things arise and all things pass away.”

I have shared multiple examples specifically for dependent co-arising on my blog. These examples were shallow yet practical relationship between the teachings of the Buddha and the present-day Business.

Here are some examples

Vaccination and interdependence (pulse polio elimination initiate of Govt of India)
Societal impact
Interdependent co-arising a farmers example
Entrepreneurship
Intra-country example and macro-economic example

Whenever I try to interpret this concept; besides the interdependence, this concept touches on another concept of Hinduism (or Indic religions) – the concept of Karma. Karma gives us a guiding principle of cause and effect. It is easy to understand with the help of an English proverb – as you sow; so shall you reap. A very easy example of the cycle of Karma can be seen in an episode – Lucky penny – of How I met your mother.

However small we think we’re as an individual, we’ve the power to make an immense impact on the world. You may have heard – if a butterfly flutters its wings in Amazon forest, it may cause a hurricane in Japan. I came across this interesting Domino effect video. I could relate it to the butterfly effect and thus to dependent origination.

Watch this and relate the accumulated energy of the bar to Karma, the first piece as the butterfly fluttering wing and in effect interdependence of everything as a cycle.

December 13, 2020
Thank you Dubai

I landed in the city of world’s highest tower, Burj Khalifa, with big dreams as tall if not taller than the tower itself. Two of the dreams were, one learning and two becoming even more successful in career. I was naïve about formal education on economics and marketing (the specialization I opted for) I have learnt a lot, thanks to Prof Mankad and Prof Lopez for that. The foundation for learning is built and learning is still on, one dream is on going in that sense.

They say ignorance is bliss, it is right. I never knew how deep the rabbit hole of economic crisis could go before learning economics. In that ignorance I dreamt lot many things. Now, when I know something about economics I wonder – how easy it is to dream, yet difficult to realize it. Why, because dreams are a function of which ecosystem you dream to be in.

Let us take an example of my dream of career, this dream is a function of not only what I want to do but also where the world economics is heading. The news for last few days is suggesting a possibility of dip again. It could be bigger because already fragile world economy – affected by EU – resulting in affecting economics of USA and Asian giants – India and China. The domino effect we call it. So I infer the dreams are also a function of the context and content of the dream world. In my dream, context was world economy and content was – I have to reach at pinnacle in my career.

Now, I am dreaming again, not about myself but about the world. I thought that world would be a sensible, socially responsible and therefore spiritual place in say next 100 years or so (I wrote this in my blog “Why this title”) nevertheless it seems we are getting there sooner. Why? Prima-facie one of the reasons is – to save the economy of the world, policies are/should and will be formed to increase economic safety e.g. US government’s policy on banking reforms. Possibility of another dip is other reason which would force us to think collective benefits rather than individual success. These factors force us (whether it is governments or corporate) to keep society in our mind even at a ‘dollar level terms’. CSR is one such example which would take a central stage in future besides government control on possible problem sectors. This social world would be more educated social world unlike the social world of Pre USSR era.

People title Dubai as a ‘city of dreams’, in a way it is. A desert of 1970s has been transformed in three decades into a modern urban city that rivals the cities of Europe which developed over hundreds of year. I have dreams, thanks to Dubai and the Burj Khalifa which challenges to think big and think for “probable possible”. I am dreaming not for myself but for a world different from the current realities, a socially supportive world which would result in spiritual growth of human beings. This dream does not necessarily mean I am proponent of socialism, I would vote for a middle path (what the Buddha professed). This middle path would be a path where socialism and capitalism meets a place where a ‘capitalistic social’ or ‘socialistic capital’ world would survive e.g. unipolarity of economic thinking. Thank you Dubai you rejuvenated my dream, dream perhaps taller than the Burj Khalifa.

December 10, 2010
Next super power?

Germany? Is that… few days back President Obama was in India, he supported India’s candidature for permanent seat in UN. Germany and Japan the other contenders raised their voices on that. Germany is one of the two elected countries to serve as member of Security Council for two-year terms that begin Jan 1. Germany is also the protagonist for Unified Europe e.g. European Union (EU). Germany is the strongest economy of EU. And the trouble starts here – Germany being the protagonist and the strongest economy faces challenge of saving the EU and the cost could be cases against Government of Germany. Reason? German people were promised two things –
1. Euro would be as strong as Deutschemark
2. There would be a “no bail out clause”

These clauses seem to fail. Euro is struggling because of exposure to stupidity of investment banks and naivety of European countries for example Iceland. Next to show domino effect was Greece in first half of the year, Ireland now and perhaps –Spain, Portugal next to face economic doldrums. “With Great power comes great responsibility” said Uncle Parker [to Peter Parker – Spiderman]. Germany needs to understand it, they need to change their promises or the spiral of over exposure and unified economy [not only of EU but also the whole world] would eat half of our generation.

Balancing this would make Germany either very strong worldwide or make it pauper.

China, is that? According to the recent FT news by 2014 China would roughly touch 20% of world manufacturing production and has already equaled US. As I earlier wrote [reference Macroeconomics class of Prof Mankad] China is replicating Japan on many fronts and is doing it phenomenally well. China hold Treasury bonds of US in effect it can twist arms of USA any time. Yet it faces a few challenges –
1. for a strong economy of China, US and other nations importing Chinese products should be economically strong or China needs to increase consumption of its produce in China itself
2. growing % of population in old age e.g. less working population.

There could be many ways to tackle this issue –
1. Work Visas to people of different nationalities
2. Automation
3. A least unlikely one is mildness on communism to attract foreign nationals

India, is it? Perhaps, yes! I may be biased yet the economic, demographic and intellectual capital it posses, this country seems the contender for coming 10-20 years. The secret lies in the leadership, current duo of Dr Singh and Mr Chidambaram is a good combination. However, India needs to be cautious building next leadership line is the need of the hour.

Coming back to the troubles in EU, I strongly see a solution in applying TRIZ (the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) for the situation. As far as the super power is concerned, only time will tell us who the super power is, I would bet on India and China, more on India ten years from now. Cast your vote…

November 25, 2010