ABSTRACT
In this chapter an illustrative case composed of two individuals is used – Hema and Ravi – as archetypal identities that represent the inner battlefield of the Indian manager. On one hand, Ravi represents the left spiral of the EUM framework – emphasizing on tradition, whole systems and collectives that get internalized within the Indian manager with all the virtues and blind spots. On the other hand, Hema represents the right side of the EUM spiral, symbolizing the world of modern market capitalism, its demands, its seductions and its oppressions. We believe that this is becoming more of an either–or as opposed to really integrating two powerful forces and that mere balancing act is of little consequence. The chapter offers an understanding of the three forces that are at play – that of the agent, the structure, and the communion – as we look at the interplay of Hema and Ravi. The chapter begins a journey that continues in the subsequent chapters, laying down the principle of ‘Jugaad’ and how it is more of a coping mechanism rather than an expression of Indian ingenuity.
