CONFLICT OF INTEREST: SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA IN CONTEXT

Abstract

Agents often find themselves at crossroads asking themselves whom should they be choosing when it comes to making a choice between shareholders and stakeholders. Should they serve and gratify the interests of the owners, who contribute through their direct investments in the initiation or resurrection of business or should they work with serving and gratifying several stakeholders diluting profit margins of primary stakeholders? A choice between their stakeholders or shareholders orientation creates several conflicts of interest. In this study, an effort has been made to bring syllogistic association between conflict depicted in Srimad Bhagavad Gita and that of corporate conflict of interest. Using hermeneutics as a method to make interpretation and associations, evaluation of conflict of interest has been made from 18 chapters of Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Finally, a prescriptive deontology has been presented to bring out a relevant perspective.  This study is important as it brings several deontological perspectives for the agents in the pursuance of their righteous duties towards stakeholders and shareholders.