AKTU Universal Human Values and Professional Ethics (BVE401) Syllabus PDF – MBA (Agribusiness Management) 4th Semester

Course Objectives

1. Distinguish between values and skills, and explain the need, basic guidelines, content, and process of value education
2. Reflect on personal goals and initiate a process of self-inquiry to determine what they ‘really want to be’ to become in life and profession
3. Comprehend and articulate the meaning of happiness and prosperity in the context of human well-being
4. Analyze the concept of harmony at all the levels of human living, and live accordingly.
5. Apply the understanding of harmony in existence in their profession and lead an ethical life

Course Outcomes

1. Understand the significance of value inputs in a classroom, distinguish between values and skills, understand the need, basic guidelines, content and process of value education, explore the meaning of happiness and prosperity and do a correct appraisal of the current scenario in the society
2. Distinguish between the Self and the Body, understand the meaning of Harmony in the Self the Co-existence of Self and Body.
3. Understand the value of harmonious relationship based on trust, respect and other naturally acceptable feelings in human-human relationships and explore their role in ensuring a harmonious society
4. Understand the harmony in nature and existence, and work out their mutually fulfilling participation in the nature.
5. Distinguish between ethical and unethical practices, and start working out the strategy to actualize a harmonious environment wherever they work. Course Description Every human being has two sets of questions to answer for his life: a) what to do? and, b) how to do?. The first set pertains to the value domain, and the other to the skill domain. Both are complimentary, but value domain has a higher priority. Today, education has become more and more skill biased, and hence, the basic aspiration of a human being, that is to live with happiness and prosperity, gets defeated, in spite of abundant technological progress. This course is aimed at giving inputs that will help to ensure the right understanding and right feelings in the students in their life and profession, enabling them to lead an ethical life. In this course, the students learn the process of self- exploration, the difference between the Self and the Body, the naturally acceptable feelings in relationships in a family, the comprehensive human goal in the society, the mutual fulfillment in the nature and the co- existence in existence. As a natural outcome of such inputs, they are able to evaluate an ethical life and profession ahead.

UNIT-1: Course Introduction - Need, Basic Guidelines, Content and Process for Value

Education (6 Hours) Understanding the need, basic guidelines, content and process for Value Education, Self- Exploration–what is it? - its content and process; ‘Natural Acceptance’ and Experiential Validation- as the mechanism for self-exploration, Continuous Happiness and Prosperity- A look at basic Human Aspirations, Right understanding, Relationship and Physical Facilities-the basic requirements for fulfillment of aspirations of every human being with their correct priority, Understanding Happiness and Prosperity correctly- A critical appraisal of the current scenario, Method to fulfill the above human aspirations: understanding and living in harmony at various levels.

UNIT-2: Understanding Harmony in the Human Being - Harmony in Myself (7 Hours)

Understanding human being as a co-existence of the sentient ‘I’ and the material ‘Body’, Understanding the needs of Self (‘I’) and ‘Body’ - Sukh and Suvidha, Understanding the Body as an instrument of ‘I’ (I being the doer, seer and enjoyer), Understanding the characteristics and activities of ‘I’ and harmony in ‘I’, Understanding the harmony of I with the Body: Sanyam and Swasthya; correct appraisal of Physical needs, meaning of Prosperity in detail, Programs to ensure Sanyam and Swasthya.

UNIT-3: Understanding Harmony in the Family and Society- Harmony in Human-

Human Relationship (8 Hours) Understanding harmony in the Family- the basic unit of human interaction , Understanding values in human-human relationship; meaning of Nyaya and program for its fulfillment to ensure Ubhay-tripti; Trust (Vishwas) and Respect (Samman) as the foundational values of relationship, Understanding the meaning of Vishwas; Difference between intention and competence, Understanding the meaning of Samman, Difference between respect and differentiation; the other salient values in relationship, Understanding the harmony in the society (society being an extension of family): Samadhan, Samridhi, Abhay, Sah-astitva as comprehensive Human Goals, Visualizing a universal harmonious order in society- Undivided Society (AkhandSamaj), Universal Order (Sarvabhaum Vyawastha )- from family to world family!.

UNIT-4: Understanding Harmony in the Nature and Existence - Whole existence as Co-

existence (8 Hours) Understanding the harmony in the Nature, Interconnectedness and mutual fulfilment among the four orders of nature- recyclability and self-regulation in nature, Understanding Existence as Co-existence (Sah-astitva) of mutually interacting units in all-pervasive space, Holistic perception of harmony at all levels of existence.

UNIT-5: Implications of the above Holistic Understanding of Harmony on Professional

Ethics ( 7 Hours) Natural acceptance of human values, Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct, Basis for Humanistic Education, Humanistic Constitution and Humanistic Universal Order, Competence in Professional Ethics: a) Ability to utilize the professional competence for augmenting universal human order, b) Ability to identify the scope and characteristics of people-friendly and eco-friendly production systems, technologies and management models, Case studies of typical holistic technologies, management models and production systems, Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal Human Order: a) At the level of individual: as socially and ecologically responsible engineers, technologists and managers, b) At the level of society: as mutually enriching institutions and organizations

Suggested Readings

1. R R Gaur, R Sangal, G P Bagaria, 2009, A Foundation Course in Human Values and Professional Ethics.
2. Ivan Illich, 1974, Energy & Equity, The Trinity Press, Worcester, and Harper Collins, USA
3. E.F. Schumacher, 1973, Small is Beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered, Blond & Briggs, Britain.
4. Sussan George, 1976, How the Other Half Dies, Penguin Press. Reprinted 1986, 1991
5. Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jorgen Randers, William W. Behrens III, 1972, Limits to Growth – Club of Rome’s report, Universe Books.
6. A Nagraj, 1998, Jeevan Vidya Ek Parichay, Divya Path Sansthan, Amarkantak.
7. P L Dhar, RR Gaur, 1990, Science and Humanism, Commonwealth Publishers.
8. A N Tripathy, 2003, Human Values, New Age International Publishers.
9. Subhas Palekar, 2000, How to practice Natural Farming, Pracheen (Vaidik) KrishiTantraShodh, Amravati.
10. E G Seebauer & Robert L. Berry, 2000, Fundamentals of Ethics for Scientists & Engineers, Oxford University Press
11. M Govindrajran, S Natrajan & V.S. Senthil Kumar, Engineering Ethics (including Human Values), Eastern Economy Edition, Prentice Hall of India Ltd.
12. B P Banerjee, 2005, Foundations of Ethics and Management, Excel Books
13. B L Bajpai, 2004, Indian Ethos and Modern Management, New Royal Book Co., Lucknow. Reprinted 2008