A Human Resource Development Program to Foster Individual Moral Development in Indian Corporations: Aligning Corporate Governance with Natural Law

The problem of corruption can be approached from each of three sets of factors that influence ethical behavior in organizations — individual characteristics, organizational factors, and opportunity. This paper emphasizes individual characteristics — in particular, development of the consciousness of the individual, including the individual’s level of moral development. We review these stages of moral development, as identified by psychological research. At pre-conventional stages individuals are tempted by opportunities for personal gain. In conventional stages, individuals may go along with corruption to fit in with the norms of their social group. At post-conventional stages individuals have the independence of character to resist corruption and to act according to what they hold to be universal principles of right and wrong. We describe a highest state of moral development — a natural law orientation — in which individuals spontaneously act to promote the general good. Natural-Law Based Management is presented as an approach that employs techniques to cultivate individual development in the direction of a natural law orientation. The Maharishi Corporate Development Program has applied this approach in numerous corporate settings in India and around the world to improve the overall effectiveness, well-being, and right action of managers and employees.