Organizational Relationship Management according to Buddhist Principles: In Case of Pouring Water over the Head to Ask for Blessings during the Songkran Festival, Thai New Year

Abstract

This academic article aims to decode the concept of management through the lens of Songkran traditions and the water-pouring ritual. The methodology involves generating keywords and utilizing ChatGPT to assist in drafting the content, combined with documentary research, academic studies, and participatory observation. The article is presented in a semi-academic format. The findings conclude that relationship management is a form of knowledge that emerges among individuals, members of society, and communities. Specifically, in the context of this article, relationship management is explored through the ritual of pouring water for blessings during the Thai New Year (Songkran) in 2024. This ritual is interpreted as a metaphor for relationship management within organizations—between subordinates and supervisors, and among all levels of hierarchy—aimed at fostering dynamic and collaborative relationships. The article addresses three key aspects: (1) personal relationship management, (2) power-based relationship management, and (3) image enhancement in management. All of these are approached through principles of Buddhist teachings, focusing on the management of relationships with oneself and others in society. It positions relationship management as both a science (knowledge) and an art (practice) that can effectively serve as a tool for managing human relations.