Management Sutras Part 1

अन्नमयकोश Annamaya Kosh (Physical Layer / Physical Body) is related to the basic and physical entities of any business organisation. The physical aspects of an organisation, namely men, machine, and material, cannot by themselves create the products and services required by customers. It is difficult to imagine our body as a shape made up of material alone.

प्राणमयकोश Pranamaya Kosh (Vitality Layer / Pranic Body / Life)

The प्राणमयकोश Pranamaya Kosh takes the physical system to a functional system.

The body requires certain vital systems to be called a living organism. Existence and continuity of life depend on the respiratory system and the blood circulation system. While there are several other systems that support our body, these two are vital. For example, failure of the digestive system takes a longer time for life to come to an end, and the absence of the reproductive system has no impact on one's life. We know from current science that hope for a patient's recovery remains as long as blood circulation and respiratory function continue.

The basic understanding of these two systems tells us that together they are responsible for:

• Providing positive energy, which is vital for all organs to carry out their task or function.
• Removing negative energy, which can choke the functions of organs.

The ABC concept in first aid guides us to check and focus on airway, breathing, and circulation in any victim. If these are taken care of during the golden hour of a medical emergency, life can always be saved.

In any organisation, these vital parts can be equated to "process or flow," which enables use of physical resources. The processes within the system are necessary. Non adherence to process flow leads to scenarios of medical emergency in the organisation. While organisations may have generic or unique processes, they cannot survive in the absence of a process, formal or informal.

"Process flow in organisation is what ABC is in first aid."

मनोमयकोश Manomaya Kosh (Consciousness Layer / Senses)

Medical science has established over time that the central nervous system, CNS, is possibly the most important system to make our life meaningful. Even though the functioning of the CNS requires the same ABC, the direction to the organs and their function is controlled by the nervous system. The key components of the CNS are the brain and spinal cord, through which the entire body system and its organs are managed and controlled. It is the CNS that enables us to use our senses.

The brain has three levels of consciousness:

• Conscious
• Unconscious
• Subconscious

A business organisation requires a similar system to enable its processes and resources to give the desired outputs. Policy and goals drive the organisation's resources to do what the think tank within the organisation wants it to achieve. The think tank, the brain equivalent of the organisation, decides what needs to be achieved. Policies and goals are defined and drilled down through a chain of systems and processes to each part, or organ, of the organisation.

The alignment of the goals of each part with the larger picture is critical to success. Its absence leads to organisational problems similar to psycho-motor disorders in the human system.

Like our brain, the think tank of an organisation exists at different levels. The think tank works to create:

• Vision and mission
• Strategy
• Values system

An excellent organisation needs to provide support and maintain प्राणमयकोश Pranamaya Kosh (Vitality Layer / Pranic Body / Life) and मनोमयकोश Manomaya Kosh (Consciousness Layer / Senses) in good shape at all times.

I will continue with the other koshas in the next issue.