| dc.description.abstract | The human resource development (HRD) goals and objectives are not confined to individuals and organizations driven by profit, preparation for employment, workforce planning, employee, and organization performance. But it extends its scope and boundaries to volunteers of not-for-profit organizations (NPO) that play a critical role in holistic development at various levels- individual, group, nations, and cross-nations and involves a gamut of activities that impact our existence. This study is about one such populace whose voices, stories, and contributions to HRD have gone untold and unnoticed. This study is about highly educated monks/spiritual leaders (SL) experiences related to spiritual transformation and their role in HRD.
A preliminary literature review showed many young, highly educated individuals are becoming monks/SL, and very little is known about why these individuals decide to become monks/SL and how they contribute to society in the HRD context. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the triggering factors that led them to become monks/SL and identify their HRD related activities and their impact. Transformational learning theory, leadership theories and models, literature related to spirituality, HRD and social entrepreneurship concepts provided a theoretical and conceptual framework to this study.
The researcher employed a qualitative, multi-case study approach to conducting this study. The approach included in-depth interviews with eight monks/SL, observing their activities, and collecting data from NPO documents and websites. Eight themes emerged identifying triggering factors that led individuals to become monks/SL, and six themes emerged identifying the monks/SL HRD related activities. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded that monks/SL are potential HRD partners. They are servant leaders, transformational leaders, and social entrepreneurs. Several implications and future research suggestions have been discussed that would help inform the organizational practices of HRD, multidisciplinary fields, and NPO working with this populace.
Additionally, the researcher presented the eastern Vedic perspective of spirituality, spiritual leaders', and spiritual leaders' characteristics based on Vedic texts on spirituality and her interaction and observation with spiritual leaders with a view that this lens may add new knowledge and values to the academic literature on spirituality and emerging spiritual leadership theories. | en |
