I see a lot of similarity between Religions and the corporate sector. While we accept a lot of things from the corporate structure, when the same thing is replicated in a religion, people feel offended. Let me explain…..
I believe every religion primarily has 3 components
1.
Principles/
Objectives
2.
Practices
3.
Symbols
Principles/ Objectives
As I see it, all religions seem to have the same principles. The message is the same only the language or the tone is different. Rest remains that same. Like in our corporate world the core objective is the same for all industries - Make Money. People in the company must be in a better position than they were when they joined the organization. They should grow personally and also professionally. This is universally true be it a FMCG Company, Insurance sector, Banking, Advertising or for that matter even a kirana store
Practices
Each religion has its own practices. Hindu has his vrats and temple prayers, Christian his Sunday mass, Muslim his Fasting during Ramadan month, etc. I feel these are just practices that a religion believes will help its members reach the principles set much faster. Each one has their own practices. A Hindu, Muslim and Sikh removes his slippers while he enters their sacred places. For a Christian this is not a big deal. For Hindu a once/ Twice a week vrat is good. A Muslim has set a practice of longer fasting period, but annually, during Ramadan. Each religion has festivals always with the intention for family get-together, thanking the lord for all they have and to create an atmosphere to give.
Coming back to this in a corporate environment. Every sector has its own practices. An FMCG Company has its practices for production, sales and distribution. A Consumer durable or Insurance or Banking sector has their own practices. Each sector has developed these practices over years to ensure that the objective is achieved. There have been CEOs (Saints) who have developed such practices which they felt are good and created policy papers (Holy books) which all in that industry have to follow. Again not all policies are time proof. Each policy is reviewed by the new CEO who adapts them to the new market conditions and sets the company in a new path. All this are done to ensure that the principles and objectives are the same and can be achieved with least resistance from the people under its umbrella. There are festivals created like founders day or a Anniversary with the objective for all in the company to bond.
Symbols
Here again I see that each religion has its own symbols. But these symbols of one religion can mean something else in another religion. As mentioned in the film PK, color of clothes mean different in each religion. For a Hindu and Christian a sculpture symbolizes their god but for a Muslim or Sikh it does not. Things like Teeka, cap, cloth on head/ Face, Cow, color, etc symbolize different things in each religion.
This is the same in our corporate structure too. Small thing like a security guard's log entry of a customer walking into their premises are treated differently in each industry. For the banking/ School sector it is a serious business. For a grocery store it is irrelevant. A Goods receipt note (a confirmation for stock received) has different meaning for all. Wearing Jeans/ Shorts to office will get different reactions in each sector.
As I see it people seem to be fighting over practices and symbols. One religion believing their practice is better and other believing that theirs is. Then they fight about it. People cannot comprehended how a symbol that is of great importance to them is disrespected by the other. How would you feel if a person from army says one should not wear Jeans to office and anyone who does is disrespecting their organization? If a person from Hotel Industry says that people who don’t welcome their guests with flowers are disrespecting their customers and are low life people.
I just feel that if people just accept that their industry is different from the next guys, his process to achieve objective is different from your process, most of the problems will be resolved. The core objective is actually make money and stay happy. We don’t see these problems in corporate structures because the objective is tangible like cash in purse or car at door step. In a religion it is peace and harmony which is something you cannot measure and compare. Hence all this.
Sorry if I have hurt your beliefs
