The Parable of the Sadhu

Group 1
#46 Shantanu
#02 Abinash
#05 Anshuman
#06 Amitav
Preview

- Parable is defined as a statement or

comment that conveys a meaning indirectly
by the use of comparison, analogy, or the
like.
- This case brings about the debate of an
Individual Vs the group ethic., super
ordinate , subordinate goals and leadership
The case facts
- Author McCoy was on a six month sabbatical.
- He along with his friend Stephen were on "once in a lifetime" trip to
Muklinath a place in Nepal for which they had to cross a 18000ft pass
over a crest.
- They were camping at 14500 ft. where they were joined by four New-
Zealanders, a Swiss couple and a Japanese hiking club.
- The New-Zealanders left first followed by Steffen and Mccoy with their
porters and Sherpa followed by the Swiss, and the Japanese.
- They were resting at 15500ft with Stefen suffering altitude sickness also
some porters were suffering from the height.
- The New- Zealanders found a half naked sadhu in the mountains.
- The New-Zealander asked Mccoy to help the sadhu as they had porters
and went back to join his team.
The case facts
- Mccoy found that the Sadhu was suffering from Hypothermia but he
was alive.
- Stefen and the Swiss couple immediately clothed Sadhu.
- Mc Coy & the Swiss couple left soon after leaving Stephen alone with
the Sadhu and some of the porters.
- Stefen asked the Japanese to help shift the Sadhu to a village down
below as the Japanese team had a horse with them. The Japanese
refused but gave Sadhu some food and left.
- Stefen asked the Sherpas to carry the Sadhu to the hut but they also
refused as they thought it was not possible to shift the Sadhu to a hut
below and crossed the crest before the snow melted.
- They didn't know whether the Sadhu lived or dead.
Breakdown between individual ethic
and corporate ethic
No one was willing to take responsibility for the sadhu.
-
Each was willing to do his bit as long as it was not too inconvenient.
-
No person willing to assume ultimate responsibility.
-
Where is the limit to our
responsibility ?
- No one on the mountain was willing to commit
himself beyond a certain self imposed limits.
Individual Vs Group Ethic

- Stress is the real test of personal and

corporate values.
- Not every ethical dilemma has the right
solution. It is essential that managers agree
on a process for dealing with the dilemmas.
- The group reacted instinctively as individuals.
- The cross cultural nature of the group added
a layer further of complexity
Ethical Choice
- Immediate response
- Decision to act.
- Action & implementation together.
- Not developing consensus.
- Group reaction as individual under stress.
- Cross cultural group.
- No leader identified.
- Only Stephen, but not support.
- Should have mutually accepted & shared value.
- Members need to have preconceived notions.
- Correct behavior or business ethics.
 Parallel to business situations
- Failure to act was a decision in itself.
- Managers come up with answers to problems.
- Organizations that do not have mutually accepted ,
shared values tend to become unhinged during stress.

Preconceived Notion “Business Think of it as a positive

of correct behavior Ethic” force, not a constraint
Effective managers can not run away from
risk.
- Need to confront & deal with the risk.
- Notion of shared value & agreed on process to be at
the heart of ethical issues.
- Need leaders to understand, interpret to manage
corporate value system.
- Need effective managers, who are action oriented,
conflict resolving, tolerance of ambiguity, stress,
change, strong sense of purpose of themselves &
the organization.
- One can fulfill the need for individual success along
with group support, corporate support. Without
corporate support, individual is lost.
The lesson

- Individual requires deserves support of the

group.
- With support forthcoming, individual can
contribute to the success of the group.
- Managements challenge is to be sensitive to
individual needs,to shape them direct focus
them for the benefit of the group as a whole.
The Sadhu lives………

- For each of us the Sadhu lives

- Whether to stop to comfort him or to rush up
towards the high pass.
- Which is more ethical?
- Perhaps, the best decision would have been
to change the value of the group and with all
its resources,act the otherway.