Strategic Approach to Goal Achievement in Ancient Jain Literature: Rediscovered in Sthananga Sutra

The study displaysstrategic approach to goal achievement with an excellent insight into code of conduct of a Jain followers behavior, where Jain community acts as an organization. It is a well-known fact that achieving goals is important to meet long-term objectives, whatever be the structure and goal of the organization. No matter whether it is a profitable organization like a business unit or a non-profit or religious organization, goal achievement is equally significant for all kinds of organizations. The author has rediscovered Jaina way of managing goal achievement and it has been found that 2500 years ago also the Jain community was managing their religious goal achievement with a strategic approach. That ancient strategic approach is relevant for modern businesses also and if implemented appropriately, it can lead to a speedy long term goal achievement with short term goals being used as steps of a ladder to the goal. The Jaina scripture Sthananga Sutra speaks about various dimensions of this strategic approach -In verses 538 to 540, degrees of goal achievements and continuums to measure goal achievement are provided. Scope of the research is an ancient Jain book Sthananag Sutra and observation of code of conduct of Jain followers. All the types of tapa penance chains (likeKanakawali, Ratnavali, sarvatobhadra or Mahasaravatobhadra etc. mentioned in HarivanshPurana and Uttradhyayana Sutra. ) are strategies to achieve the goal of Moksha and karma eradication. Under formulation of goal achievement strategy, factors like assessment of environment, creation of vision, setting measureable objectives, executing the strategy and controlling and evaluating the entire process are considered.