Philosophies from Indian Mythological Characters in Modern Day

One of the most commonly used terms in today’s management scenario is Internal Marketing. It aims at treating the employees of an organisation as internal customers. Though the term and its concept are very recent, yet this study attempts to relate this concept with the activities of Shree Krishna as described in the Mahabharata and Shreemad Bhagawad Gita. The study analyses the character and activities of Shree Krishna in the epic Mahabharata, as a continuous user of Internal Marketing strategies who with his excellence, intelligence and a clear idea of the same sets an example for the modern day managers. The study highlights the fact that the then user of Internal Marketing did not know that he is actually boosting the art of hiring, training and motivating but he used the aspects of the same for maintaining efficient and effective human resources for achieving the goals and objectives.


INTRODUCTION:
Internal Marketing: Internal Marketing means treating the employees as customers and satisfying their needs and wants through proper motivation and reward system to attain desirable results. INTERNAL MARKETING is basically promoting a firm and its product(s) or product lines to its employees. It is a very recent term that has considerably been gaining attention since the last two decades. K.P.M Byju (2013), in his study describes that though some authors like Gronroos (1990), Vary (2001) and Tsai (2008) argue it to be a subsidiary of Human Resource Management, yet it is considered that internal marketing is very essential in order to build a competitive advantage in the business world. The term internal marketing was first coined in the 1970"s and subsequently was being analysed by different authors from time to time. ELSamen Amjad Abu & Alshurideh Muhammad (2012) mentions that Berry L.L in 1984 stated internal marketing as, "The Employees as Customers." They further added that various authors from time to time have defined internal marketing from different perspectives v.i.z Kotler & Armstrong (1991) defined internal marketing as "the building of customer orientation among employees by training and motivating both customers-contact and support staff to work as a team". They also forwarded the view of Vasconcelos (2007) that argued that the external marketing strategies will only be successful if the internal marketing strategies are adequate. This can be done by developing relationships with the employees as customers and satisfying their needs and wants and in turn motivate them to deliver better performances. Therefore, internal marketing is mainly concerned witha) Hiring b) Training and development c) Motivation and Rewards It means that whenever the saints would be tortured and the atrocities of the evil would rise; I would come to establish ethics on earth from time to time. So, it can be interpreted that Krishna had three basic objectivesa) To do good with people. b) To discourage wrong practices. c) To establish ethical policies

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
The study deals to achieve three basic objectives which can be enumerated as- 1) To analyse the character of Shree Krishna as an INTERNAL MARKETING manager. 2) To discuss and relate the strategies and principles adopted by Shree Krishna with modern Internal Marketing.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
The methodology adopted for the study is both descriptive and analytical. The study is based on the historical literature based on the contents from the Mahabharata, Shreemad Bhagawad Gita and related stories. Ten popular stories and teachings relating to Shree Krishna has been purposively selected which are further dealt as situation analyses.
On the other hand, the part relating to Internal Marketing is based on the views of various authors and management thinkers available in existing literature. Thus, the study is based on secondary information available in literature both ancient and modern. The selected cases are explained with the help of content analysis method relating these with the modern internal marketing strategies.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
Internal Marketing is a very recent concept in the field of marketing. It came into discussion about four decades back. There has been very less number of studies done in this area of marketing. This study is thereby an attempt to provide an insight into this area of marketing and analyse it as a part and parcel of every organisation which contributes significantly for the organisation"s survival and sustenance.
The study advocates the fact that Internal Marketing, though a very new concept, yet its existence can be dated years back. The study tries to relate the past with the present.

CASE STUDIES BASED ON THE ACTIVITIES OF SHREE KRISHNA:
Situation: Narayana (2011)

Analysis:
The case can be highlighted with the angle of hiring. It focuses that an internal marketing manager should have a sharp observation and intellectual power to identify the potential employees who could contribute to their fullest to the organisation"s success.
During the war of Kurukshetra when Krishna was trying to motivate Arjuna, he was in the opinion that the teacher should be a knowledgeable person who has enough experience who has good communication skills. He should teach his students by approaching them with respect and courtesy i.e. in the same manner that he wants to be treated by them. (Narayana, 2011) Analysis: It can be interpreted that the internal marketing manager should posses the requisite qualities if he wants to excel in the art of hiring, training and motivation. Any employee would feel more loyal towards his manager if he is treated with dignity and respect. Following these principles would lead to lesser employee turnover thereby leading to better performance.

Situation:
Shakuni once played the strategy of sending sage Durvasa to meet the Pandavas in the forest. It was quite sure for him that when the Pandavas would fail to provide proper food to him Internal Marketing due to poverty, it would offend Durvasa and would in turn curse the Pandavas. Krishna when knew of the incident, he immediately offered the Pandavas the "Akshaya Patra"the vessel that produced continuous food in order to save them from the plight.

Analysis:
This case can be analysed in light of trust gaining. It is the first and foremost duty of any internal marketing manager to gain the trust of the employees. It is only when the employees have enough trust on their manager; they would work their heart and soul for the benefit of the organisation. Krishna knew it very well beforehand that it is only the Pandavas who could stand on the side of ethics and do well to mankind by winning the probable war that was going to initiate between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He therefore did not lose the opportunity to win the trust of the Pandavas and therefore helped them at their Internal Marketing of need. It also depicts that if a manager stands for his employees at their Internal Marketing of need, the employees would trust on the manager as their companion and not only as a superior. In other words, it would develop smooth superior-subordinate relationship which is very essential for better Human Resource Management.

Analysis:
Any organisation is owned by people, run by people and is made for people. When the organisation hires any employee its main objective is to fulfil the good interests of the owners of the organisation. When the employees are being trained, the main objective is to let them perform better so that their work can satisfy the needs of the customers and when the employees are being motivated, the main objective is to do well with them and satisfy their wants. As all the three aspects are to be performed by an internal marketing manager. It is suggested that the activities of hiring, training and motivating are to be done keeping in mind welfare of the people concerned. Shree Krishna has succeeded in achieving the ultimate goals of his life because he performed all these activities with the only intension of welfare of the people. He believed that when people around him are happy, they would contribute to their fullest; and when people contribute to their fullest, success is imminent.

Analysis:
An internal marketing manager also plays the duty to protect his employees from external threats. Competitors often try either to attract the competitive employees from other organisations or try to destroy their career in order to play a win game by pushing them to conspiracies. It is the duty of the internal marketing manager to effectively train and motivate the employees and also keep a track of the external threats so that his employees are on a safer side.

FINDINGS:
The major findings of the study are-1) The origin of Internal Marketing can be dated back to history where an informal practice of it is evident.
2) The theories of internal marketing that were framed in the late century were seemed to be practiced thousands of years ago.
3) The main objective of Internal Marketing was always to boost the art of hiring, training and motivating effective and efficient employees to reap the best out of them. 4) Internal Marketing always focused on ethical principles and was meant mainly for guiding and developing the employees in a positive direction.

CONCLUSION:
Though it is widely accepted that INTERNAL MARKETING is a concept which is very new that came into existence only a few decades back, yet it can be deciphered from the study that its practice is as old as 3228 B.C (Krishna date of birth, n.d.). The cases illustrated in the study successfully relate the activities of Shree Krishna to the modern day practices which prove the previous statement. The study proves it very well that in every tactic of Shree Krishna was focused upon how to achieve his goal by satisfying the needs of his followers, especially Arjuna. He managed himself well between the activities of hiring, training and motivating his employee. This aspect helps us in confirming our first objective to be fulfilled.
The study constantly depicts how the strategies applied by Shree Krishna are relevant in real business scenario in day to day life. Every business house, in order to climb the ladder of success more or less follows the same principles and strategies once Shree Krishna suggested. The study proves with the various examples that his techniques of achieving success are not age old or out of date. They are in-fact very advanced techniques of gaining a competitive advantage. Therefore, it states our second objective of the relevancy of Shree Krishna"s strategies to be effective in present day time to be fulfilled.