Download - kisan andolan: folk management driven behaviour - GGNIMT

A CASE STUDY

KISAN ANDOLAN: FOLK MANAGEMENT

DRIVEN BEHAVIOUR

Compiled, Composed and Authored By

Dr. Harpreet Singh

Principal, GGNIMT, Ludhiana

Dr. Parvinder Singh

Head, Department of Business Management, GGNIMT

Guided by:

Dr. SP Singh

Former Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar &

President, GKEC

Prof. Manjit Singh Chhabra

Director, GGNIMT

An initiative of

GUJRANWALA GURU NANAK INSTITUTE OF

MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Ghumar Mandi, Ludhiana

Under the patronage of

GUJRANWALA KHALSA EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL

LUDHIANA

© 2021 Selection & Editorial Matter, Editors & Authors

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or Transmitted in any form or by any means of electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or any information stored in a retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN No: 978-93-85835-59-9 Price: 100/-

The Responsibility for the facts or opinions expressed in the book is entirely of the Author. Neither the Publisher is responsible for the same.

Published By: Gujranwala Guru Nanak Institute Of Management & Technology

Ghumar Mandi, Ludhiana (PB)

Printed By National Press Associates

Admin Office: C-24, Ground Floor, Panchsheel Vihar, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi-110017, India

Regional Office: 79, Guru Angad Dev Nagar, Flower Enclave, Dugri, Ludhiana-141013, Punjab, India

PREFACE

Rural farmers account for the greater part of the population of any

developing country such as India. Government of the developing

countries have major responsibility for ensuring that there is

adequate rural development in their various communities and local

governments which would lead to effective and efficient

agricultural system, that will not only supply food and animal

protein but also foster the utilization of natural resources in a

sustainable manner. When the rural farmers lack access to

knowledge and information that would help them achieve

maximum agricultural yield, they will not only grope in the dark

but will be driven to the urban centers in search of formal

employment. In India, over almost three fourth of the population

relies on agriculture as farmers, as agricultural labour or both for

their livelihood. This publication is a result of our quest for

understanding whether large mass movements are planned like

industrial project undertaken by Business Organizations to achieve

objectives of growth, capacity expansion and market leadership in

their host countries or globally. We were also curious to understand

whether theories and practices of management are adopted by mass

movements in their campaigns, formally or informally. We also

needed to understand if generation of large resources, and their

allocation at multiple places for a long campaign, an outcome of

business management or a function of the behaviours of

participants and their shared cultural values. A webinar on the

subject of ‘Farmer’ Protests - Management Perspectives’ was

organized by the institution 10 January 2021 with a national and

international participation. In this Webinar, Mr. Gurinder J Singh, a

supply chain management expert, (Canada), Dr. Diljeet Singh Brar.

Their views and deliberations of this webinar are also shared as

appendices to this Case Study Publication. It is our hope that this

publication will provide the impetus for more academic research on

this movement from the perspectives of specific functional areas.

Shared learning from this movement, as a case study, with ‘folk

management’ as a body of thought may help in comprehending,

deliberating and further researching the managerial processes

involved which may somehow be replicated in organizational

theories and concepts and can also help in planning and executing

strategies and action plans for introducing social and occupational

reforms in their social eco-systems.

Dr. S.P. Singh

Former, Vice Chancellor

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

President, Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council

Prof. Manjit Singh Chhabra

Director, GGNIMT

Ludhiana

A Case Study: Kisaan Andolan: Folk Management Driven Behaviour

Page 1

ABSTRACT

There are established behavioural management practices and a lot of

literature on the subject is available as a result of valuable and critical

contributions by various authors. Whenever any organization of people is

to be done for a social cause or for a specific community purpose, such

established practices are implemented. If Olympic Games are taken as an

example, it is not less than a social gathering for a particular purpose of

social harmony, integration and establishing sports spirit. It takes a lot of

effort in managing Olympic Games, large fairs and festivals (especially in

South Asian countries) and other such events. The application of

scientific management practices in organizing such events are well

documented as case studies which are discussed and deliberated as

academic matter for understanding behavioural management. The

farmers’ agitation, which is ongoing currently (2020-21) in Indian

National Capital Region Delhi, is an altogether different and unique

activity. No formal organizations with pre-decided common objectives or

outcomes are engaged in organizing this mammoth exercise. In fact, the

Kisaan andolan (Farmers’ protest) and its entire organization is based on

‘folk wisdom’ driven behavioural management practices. The same has

been elaborated in the present case study.

Key Words:

Aarhtiya (Commission Agent); Andolan (Agitation); APMC

(Agricultural Produce Market Committee); Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP –

the ruling political party); Chapaati (Bread); Dharna (A sit-in for a

strike); Kisaan (Farmer); Mandi (Local Agricultural Market); Morcha

(Agitation), MSP (Minimum Support Price)

*****


Page 2

INTRODUCTION

To truly make an impact, a movement needs to pursue the following

steps:

Step 1: Define the outcomes objectively

The output and decisions should be tangible goals that they could build a

strategy around. The need for a clearly stated purpose becomes

strategically obvious when you look at successful movements.

Step 2: Understand the allies and oppositions

It is important to examine your spectrum of allies of oppositions. It is

important to identify from whom to expect active or passive support for

the cause and also identify those who are likely to oppose the cause.

Support for this strategy is drawn from the established military insight,

“Know yourself, know your enemy, and know the terrain.” Successful

movements don’t overpower their opponents; they gradually undermine

their opponents’ support systems.

Step 3: Identify the institutional support mechanisms

It is also important for the institutions to assess their resources, power and

experience to achieve the outcome sought. These “institutional

mechanisms” can be the associations of possible victims, legal institutions,

community organizations, communication and media, education system,

international agencies or other organizations.

Step 4: attempt to assimilate the opponents, not to discriminate or

differentiate

The agitations are a response

to the perception of risks and

injustices inflicted on one

side by the other. It is a

common response for an

aggrieved to attempt to

oppose and eliminate the

opponents, but Anger must

be controlled with logic and

patience. However, the

participants and leaders of a

campaign should avoid being tempted to believe that a swift or immediate


Page 3

action is critical for the desired outcome.

Step 5: Understanding behaviour and managing the same

A movement and its success is a function of behavioural management

principles and practices adopted by the participants. Be it motivation,

personality, perceptions, family functions, attitude formations or risk

management, the success is an outcome of managing masses through

consistent and uniform behavioural actions.

Step 6: Understanding social implications

The movement must get popular support, especially from people

belonging to dissimilar, unrelated walks of life. If opponents outnumber

the participants, the resources can never be generated.

Step 7: Managing time and resources

The resource mobilization and timely prediction of needs is as urgent as

the passion and patience for protests. Kisaan andolan may seem to us as

an ad hoc protest organized by a motley of farm organizations in tandem

with the Aarhatiyas to protect the MSP and APMCs, limited to the states

of Punjab & Haryana. Sites of trolleys, with rustic farmers may convey

that the rag tag combination of farmers and their associates are misguided

or shortsighted, not being able to understand their self-interest and

creating roadblocks in the liberalization of farm practices, and also

working on cross purposes with respect to increasing farmers’ incomes. It

was also believed at the outset, that the protest being limited both in

terms of numbers and also the geographical, would soon fizzle out,

against the machinery

and apparatus of the

government. This

perhaps, could be the

rationale for

procrastinating a

serious solution

oriented discussion on

the issue, with the

hope that the farmers being outnumbered and out communicated, would

tire out and settle for assurances than insisting on a repeal of the laws.


Page 4

What could then be the reason(s) for this andolan (agitation), that started

in Punjab state about 3 months back, and then migrated to the borders of

Delhi, the national capital, and has been staying put there for more than

50 days with the number of protestors swelling and the protest sites

multiplying, to be able to sustain.

Is it raw passion, religious zeal

and desperation that drives this

supposedly primitive protest, or

is there a system to it, a method,

a pattern or a behavioural

strategy framework that needs to

be identified. This has been the

primary objective of this case

study.

With an intent to understand the andolan, its dynamics and impact, a case

study was conducted by visiting the protest morcha at Singhu Border on

the Delhi-Haryana Highway. As the details about the protest in terms of

participation are well documented somewhat formally and mostly

informally, we shall restrict our study to understanding the game plan or

the grand design of the protest by focusing on behavioural management

strategies. Based on the observations and conversations with the leaders

and foot soldiers, it can be submitted that the protest carried a clear cut

strategy at all levels. This is a matter of academic interest whether such

behavioural strategies are planned and executed professionally through

established management practices or are a result of evolution through

folk wisdom and social interactions.

The size of the protests is not only based on impressions created by the

bonhomie of the campaign, but also on folk wisdom driven behavioural

management that has gone along to make this an effective movement more

interesting and thought provoking. There is a close connect between the

organization of the andolan and academic Management thoughts and

practices. The prevailing protest practices and responses clearly indicate

attention to detail, which would be the result of planning, organizing,

learning, innovating, deciding and implementing at each stage. However,

it is important to mention that a lot of improvisation and changes keep

taking place, which needs to be done in a dynamic environment, with

variegated stakeholders. The goals, objectives and tactics are clear to all

concerned, be that the leadership or those at the ground.


Page 5

The researchers, in the

present study, submit that

the protest is being run on

the theoretical framework of

Behavioural Strategic

Management. Behavioural

Strategic Management is

adopted by formal

organizations to achieve

their desired goals.

Behavioural Strategic

Management, as a functional domain, enables an organization to arrive at

a shared understanding about the rationale for its existence, its desired

objectives in short term and overall goals in long term, the time horizon

and generation of resources. To develop the shared understanding across

stakeholders at all levels, the formal organizations decide their mission,

vision and also their desired outcomes. Defining and developing these

postulates enables organizations, to then develop strategic plans and

operationalize them.

A mission is formally recognized reason of existence of an organization

where the sentiments of the people

involved are also attached to its

operations and organizational behaviour.

A ‘mission statement’ is a short statement

of why an organization exists, what its

overall goal is, identifying the goal of its

operations: what kind of product or

service it provides, its primary target

groups, and its geographical region of

operation. In the case of andolan, though

there is no specific formally written

mission statement, but based on the intent

as evident from the interactions and

observations, the andolan mission can be

interpreted as to be as, “The protests

should be a public movement and not only

a farmers’ agitation, should stay non-

violent, laws get interpreted to be anti-


Page 6

farmers, keeping farming free from influences of capitalism driven

business corporates, maintain consistent support of government and

eventually the repeal of these bills as the overall goal”. The prime

stakeholders are the farmers and the agricultural labour, though

continuation of the existing APMC system, is also an interest area for the

Arhatiyas, the commission agents of agricultural purchase system, who are

also the stakeholders for this andolan. Though the majority of gathered

farmers belong to Punjab & Haryana, the andolan is positioned as a Pan

India Movement with support from farmers from other Indian states, with

an objective of achieving wider support and greater salience.

A vision statement is a document that states the current and future

objectives of an organization. The vision statement is intended as a guide

to help the organization make decisions that align with its philosophy and

declared set of goals in a time frame. The vision is to keep farming free

from corporate control. If we are to understand the vision statement for

this andolan, it is to organize protest across states, at different levels,

with an objective to create a Pan India lobby or a pressure group, that is

able to take care of farmer interest. Though in the short term repeal of the

bills is the focal issue for this andolan, it may be submitted that these

associated unions will address farmers’ concerns from time to time, with

an objective of upholding the farmers’ interests.

As the mission and vision it seems were not formally decided, written

and communicated, but still they seem to be driving the protest for such

an extended period. This is a clear case of folk wisdom prevailing and

getting accepted and communicated. This folk wisdom is driving

behavioural strategies in this andolan.

Andolan is addressing the needs of farmers and the intermediaries, with

whom they have deep linkages, these being the participant groups, whose

concerns need to be addressed through the protests, farmers’ needs here

are expressed as Repeal of Bills, though these needs may be modified

later and methodology here is non-violent mass protests, due to their

moral appeal, and any counter move if violent, would only strengthen the

resolve of the participants and also strengthen its case.

Furthermore, the goals and objectives are also clearly defined from time

to time depending upon the response by the government and clear cut

deadlines are communicated and shared, for focused action. Further the

folk behavioural strategic planning process has been implemented. And


Page 7

as is evident from the time line and milestones, Strategic Leaders of this

andolan seem to have proceeded or are proceeding according to the

theoretical model.

Though we observe similarities between the theoretical framework of

folk behavioural strategic management and this movement on the ground,

it may be of interest, to become aware, if these processes were formulated

as a result of strategic dialogue or are a result of spontaneous decision

making, as the farmers are perceived to be simple, semi-literate

occupational group. It is submitted that the leadership of this protest

movement are seasoned in organizing protests, and as agricultural

scientists, agricultural economists, former civil servants, former defense

personnel are also a part of the think tank, these decisions are deliberate,

with clear cut goals, objectives, tactics and alternate strategies.

BACKGROUND OF FARMERS’ PROTESTS

Though the farmers are agitated but they are not aggressive in their

response verbally or through actions, most of the time. The teams are

village-wise making it a big unified peaceful, passionate group focused

on their core agenda. Though the communication about the protest is both

formal and informal, an effort has been made to forward a consistent

message to the stakeholders, members of public and the other party to the

protest by the leadership with an objective to prevent distortion or

diffusion due to grapevine or a misinformation campaign by those

opposed to the protest. Informal messaging as is likely to happen with an

event of such large participation gets contradictory which can be

attributed to grapevine.

There is also micromanagement on different aspects of the protest,


Page 8

however complementing to a larger unified response that is indicative of

a cohesive organization. The farmers are a mixed lot of highly educated

to illiterate with little formal school or higher education, but their hold on

agenda and context of the agitation seems to be channelized through

informal education among the peers about the so called contentious farm

laws making it a knowledge driven struggle. The aspects of the

organization of agitation of this scale and maintaining the consistency

over a period of more than a month could not have been possible

without professional managerial decisions.

The three farm laws which are at the centre of conflicting perceptions,

analyses and viewpoints are ‘The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce

(Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020’, ‘The Farmers (Empowerment

and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act,

2020’ and ‘The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020’. The

Central Government has enacted these laws, though Agriculture is s state

subject as per the Constitution of India. The Central Government claims

that these acts are a milestone development, breaking inertia of

agricultural policy making in India and these would lead to an increase

in farmers’ income, whereas the farmers feel that this is illegal and mala

fide intention of the government to facilitate entry of corporates into

agricultural operations thereby challenging the rights of land and

ownership. he agitation is being spearheaded by “Samyukta Kisaan

Morcha”, a federation of around forty m a jo r farmer u n i o n s a n d

a b o u t 5 0 0 s m a l l a n d s c a t t e r e d l o c a l i z e d f a r m e r

organizations, the agitation has got escalated seemingly because of

delayed response of the government in accepting farmers’ concerns.

Initially, the government dismissed the protests as ill-informed and

motivated and lately the Central government led by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi has offered to make ‘amendments’ to the laws, but the

farmers have now called for a complete repeal of these laws. Lakhs of

farmers are camping on the outskirts of the national capital Delhi and

are skeptical of the government claim that these laws are aimed at

making agriculture more lucrative and secure by allowing market forces

to play. The major fear among farmers is that the new regime will

dismantle the system of procurement under Minimum Support Price

(MSP) and leave farmers at the mercy of business houses . Responding to

concerns, the Centre has suggested safeguards to prevent land alienation

via contract farming; strengthening the State-run mandi system and


Page 9

ensuring that it is at an equal footing with private buyers through

equalizing taxes; allow grievance redress in civil courts than in the offices

of Sub-Divisional Magistrates; and also ensuring proper verification of

private traders. Central Government has not, however, offered legal

guarantee of MSP and the question of power subsidies also remains

contentious. The farmers feel that the government assurances and

intentions are more of a political tactic than reality. The agricultural

scientists and economists along with farmers. The Laws have been held

in different parts of the nation, to convey that andolan is not restricted to

or by farmers from a specific region, the concerns and support for the

andolan is pan India, though the extent and impact of the same may vary

from region to region.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Though a narrative was

set by the government

and ruling political party

Bhartiya Janata Party

(BJP) that the protests are

local, politically

motivated among farmers

of two agriculturally

developed states of

Punjab and Haryana, yet

the presence of farmers in varied numbers from other states of India

could establish that the narrative of the government is wrong. The

following statements recorded from the participants sum up the

demographics of the participation:

“I am from a village and I have to prepare food for all labour

when sowing and harvesting is done. Our labour teams are

permanent since many years. They are all with us here ,”

- A woman participant (Amritsar)

“Then what if we are children, we also work at our fields with our

parents. We cannot leave our parents alone. We shall take care of

our online studies”.

- A student (Bathinda)


Page 10

“Age does not matter, what is age? The older people will be ready

to sacrifice more for generations to come”.

- A group of old farmers jointly from Punjab and Haryana

“As we saw the need to support farmers is a necessity, we could

not waste time in deciding our role. We are here”.

- A farmer who was also an ex-army man

“We are doing jobs in private companies. It is difficult to get

leaves sanctioned. But we could manage it for a few days.”

- A group of employees of a private company

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Supreme Court

acknowledged the

right of farmers to

non-violent protests

and mooted the idea

of putting on hold

the contentious

farm laws to enable

negotiations with

the agitating

farmers. The top

court said it was of the view that the farmers' right to protest should not

infringe the fundamental right of others to move freely and for procuring

essential food items and other supplies as a right to protest cannot mean

blocking the entire city.

“The provision in the new farm laws in which disputes between farmers

and traders can only be adjudicated by Sub-Divisional Magistrates

(SDMs) and Additional District Magistrates (ADM instead of the courts

was aimed “only to deprive the farmers from getting any justice”.

- Advocate Rajiv Khosla, Chief Co-ordinator of Action Committee,

Bar Council of Delhi

“A protest is constitutional till it does not destroy property or endanger

life. Centre and farmers have to talk. We are thinking of an impartial and


Page 11

independent committee before whom both parties can give its side of

story.”

- S A Bobde, Chief Justice of India

“The top court's intention was to encourage talks between the

government and the protesting farmers. There's no improvement in the

situation at all. We understand the situation and we encourage talks,"

- S A Bobde, Chief Justice of India

The farmer leaders are trying to create behavioural perception about laws

being illegal and anti-farmers by approaching and including advocates

whereas the government is explaining its legal part through its own legal

department in the honourable supreme court of India.

TROLLEY LEADERSHIP THROUGH ASSIMILATION

Though farmers may be belonging to a few farmer organizations, but the

assembly at the protest sites, is by and large through self-driven

motivation at individual

family level or at the most

village level. Most of the

trolleys have banners

mentioning the names of

the respective villages

from which they hail. The

farmers and their families

have assembled at

outskirts of Delhi, and most of them are self-motivated and not associated

formally with the so called farmer unions. As leadership is not

transactional or transitional, it is more through assimilation at trolley

level and then at larger level in gatherings and meetings at the protest

site(s). In each trolley, though there might have been some differences

during their stay at villages, but the common cause of agitation has

brought them together, and leaders are recognized and accepted as they

emerge from their behaviour in small groups. Those persons are

recognized as leaders who share the concern as a common agenda,

explain the process, thank everyone for participating, review outcomes

for meeting: list expectations, encourage discussion about questions and

expectations (use facilitator), gather insights from the new leaders and


Page 12

teams and then facilitate an open dialog to build a shared understanding

of key issues and latest developments, set trolley teams operating norms

and also build relationships that will enable the leader and team to

achieve full performance in an expedited timeline.

To share an

interesting

observation at the

site, young people

with an urban

background seemed

to be there for fun

and had come to

‘enjoy’ their day.

Some of them were

even in favour of ruling party. Their agenda was to ‘see and enjoy’ how

farmers have been pushed to corner as a punishment to stay against the

prime minister. As they passed through the agitation, they saw the

women, children, old people and even their own age mates sitting there.

As it was raining heavily and weather was bone chilling. The difficulties

in reality was beyond their tolerance. They were talking among

themselves of having made a wrong decision to visit the site. They were in

a car, but were visibly in trouble because of weather. They seemed tired

due to travelling. A middle aged man knocked at their car window and

offered hot snacks and tea. They showed their reluctance. One of them

said that they cannot have tea here as protest is anti-national. The middle

aged man smiled amd in the meantime, an elderly lady came and said

“Puttro chaah ta pee lao, saanu jinha marzi kos laina. Tusi vi mere layi

mere aapne puttaran vaang ho. Tuhaadia maava ne tuhanu eda thand ch

nhi si maran dena. (Dear sons! Have tea first, then you can criticize us as

much as you want. I regard no difference between you and my own son.

Your own mothers would not have let you die in such chilling weather)”.

On her plea they agreed and sat around a bonfire. One young boy of

their age gave them a blanket to wrap around. Another started explaining

them about the real issue and helped them understand that though they are

against the laws, they are not anti-national terrorists. The youngsters

were impressed and thought that they had been carried away by media

stories. They later affixed a flag of protests fixed in front of their car.

“We are ready to discuss our points of disagreement with those who feel


Page 13

that the laws are beneficial for the farmers.”

- An educated youth at protest site

“We are all Indians and we love India as much as anyone else does. We

want to be heard equally. We want our rights peacefully. Everyone is

welcome.”

- A village based family in a trolley as makeshift place to reside

(Jalandhar)

PERSONALITY PERSPECTIVES

Personality refers to the inner psychological

traits and behavioural aspects of a person, apart

from physical and social aspects, that

differentiates person to person. Many internal

and external factors influence personality

of the human beings. Personality is an inner

factor that influences the choice of behavioural

decisions. Hence, leaders must develop a

behavioural strategy that matches the

personality of the people to be associated with

a movement. In this agitation, the personality of

farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana,

has been seen to be marked with emotions,

readiness to sacrifice, community associate

ship and love with the land. Moreover, farmers’ personality is associated

with their being sturdy enough to face vagaries of the nature. All these

personality traits have been highlighted by assimilation leaders so that the

farmers, in general, feel intrinsically that the laws are an attack on their

inner self and eventually a large gathering of like-minded personality

people have congregated at the agitation sites, and these are not only

farmers but people from other walks of life viz. shopkeepers, traders,

daily wagers, vegetable vendors, small scale industrialists, students etc.

who feel that their personality traits match with those of farmers. This

personality driven behavior could be the reason that this andolan is becoming a

peoples’ movement than only a farmers’ agitation.

Another interesting story could be seen there. An old man, probably


Page 14

around 70 years, came on his bicycle after pedaling for about 300

kilometers. He shared his plans to move further to Tikri Border, the other

protest site. As the interaction was about his journey, he shared that he

was positive and in high spirits. Meanwhile, a man placed a bottle full of

sugarcane juice in the bicycle basket and said smilingly’, “Baapu, ganne

da ras lai ja raste lai, fer na kahi, puttar nikamme ne, dhyaan nhi rakhde.

(Father, carry the sugarcane juice for your further journey. We hope you

won’t complain that your sons i.e we had not taken care of you.)”. As this

conversation was going on, a young man started massaging his legs. The

old man was thanking to them with his teary eyes. In meanwhile, another

young man started massaging his other leg. All were asking if his bicycle

needs any repair. The old man was feeling overwhelmed and so were

people around him. That was explaining all about personality of the

participants.

The personality traits of participants are attracting the people to get

involved. It will not be wrong to say that historically documented Sikh

values and Punjabi culture of hospitality are influencing the people’s

behaviour to adopt, reemerge, dominate and express their personality

traits and behaviour, which is getting transformed through a trait ‘to serve

others’ and this credo is being imbibed person to person. The emerging

and adopted human values are leading to behavioural skills to organize,

stay calm and composed yet remain focused on the shared objectives.

It is important to mention that human values were found to be so

dominant expressions and ‘to serve others’ was the guiding personality

trait. A few people were found managing a kiosk serving repair of shoes

of participants free of cost. The people managing it were youngsters and

middle aged, but none was having shoe repair as their family business or

occupation. They acquired the shoe repairing skills while serving others

and they were found to

enjoying the job. The

onlookers were

admiring the group.

Similarly, a group of

people had brought

washing machines and

were providing free

service of washing and

ironing clothes of


Page 15

participants in the specially brought washing machines. When asked, they

said they could themselves feel the need of such a service as People are

expected to stay there for many days. Most of them had no prior

experience of washing clothes.

SEGMENTATION STRATEGIES

The behavioural strategies

are different for different

segments. It is important

to identify social classes

on the basis of occupation,

income, social

associations and even

religious commonalities.

In this agitation, the

segments have been

identified by the leaders

and they are assimilating such identified different and diverse social

classes for a common cause. The major segments identified and

associated are farmers, farm labour, commission agents of agricultural

purchase systems (Aarhtiyas in vernacular parlance), artists and singers

(because of their influence on masses), medical professionals and social

activists. It is important to mention that political class is being

intentionally dissociated and kept out as the movement needs to be

identified as a peoples’ movement and not a politically influenced

agitation. The government has been projecting it as a localized, regional

and political movement so that the general masses do not sympathize, and

also the size of agitation does not go beyond an unmanageable limit. The

assimilation leaders could visualize the government strategy and kept

political class out by not

allowing leader of any

political party addressing

the gatherings. Many social

classes, as mentioned above,

have been assimilated in the

struggle through such

segmentation based

behavioural strategies.

The other dominant


Page 16

segmentation has been on the basis of states of India and also as national

and international. The strategy of the government has been to project it as

an agitation limited to one agricultural state, Punjab, which happened to

be governed by principal opposition party, The Indian National Congress.

The andolan leaders, by influencing farmers and union leaders from other

states also to participate in scheduled press conferences, pictures of the

people from all states and social media support are positioning the

andolan, as an agitation of farmers and labour from all over the country.

The support by non-resident Indian supporters by protesting at their

countries of adoption and also joining of international supporters at

agitation sites is being highlighted as NRIs reactions influence behaviour

back home. Interestingly, to make sure the agitation does not exclude

small and medium farmers, the images of bullocks also emerged on

stickers, flags and posters, which were of tractors only initially.

This sudden

change of

thought from

tractor images to

bullocks was not

the one which

was planned and

executed, rather it

emerged out of

the folk wisdom.

A few people had

come there on

their bullock

carts. Those, who were against this agitation, were projecting this agitation

as that of influential rich farmers and also a ‘picnic’ or an outing for the

participants, through their social media posts. The transition of tractors to

trolleys was a spontaneous act and it emerged out of folk wisdom. This

behavioural change could change perception about the agitation as that of

small farmers.

During an interaction with a group of housewives and their school going

children, it became obvious that the families of people from occupations

other than agriculture have also participated with zing and zeal. “It is not

a question of only farmers, but it is going to impact my kitchen budget

also. These laws will blow out fire in my kitchens,’ a women roared


Page 17

while explaining their presence. A young child of seven years was

holding a placard. It was told that he was raising slogans against the laws.

When asked if he should have been at home for his studies, he reminded

of sacrifices of Chhote Sahibzaade (younger sons of the Sri Guru Gobind

Singh Ji, tenth Sikh Guru who were bricked alive by the Mughals). “If

they can sacrifice, why I cannot. Do not underestimate me,” was his

prompt reply.

It is quite evident that such behavioural changes were brought about at

the agitation sites through behavioural strategies adopted by the leaders.

A few days ago, the day of sacrifice of Chhote Sahibzaade was

commemorated there. Their story of sacrifice is a part of folk wisdom

which guides the behaviour to be ready to meet all challenges, however

tough they may be.

PERCEPTION STIMULATIONS

There are different

behavioural strategies for

creating and influencing

perceptual formations

through selective

stimulations. These

stimulation strategies include

knowing the self, making to

empathize with others,

maintaining a positive

attitude, favourable impression formation, open and targeted

communication, comparing of opposite situations and managing diversity

issues.


Page 18

To create self-awareness and also enhance their self-image, the farmers

and agricultural labour have been projected to see themselves as Ann

Daata (God who gives food) and other members of the public have also

been stimulated to see them as Ann Daata. The stimulant for this has been

the slogan in English and vernacular languages ‘No farmer-No Food-No

Future’.

For helping other understand or appreciate their concerns examples are

shared and farmers are influenced to empathize with others, by

comparing what their peers had experienced, due to the intervention of

corporates in USA and also Indian states like Bihar where such policies

were implemented earlier leading to disaster. By maintaining a positive

attitude and favourable impression formation, which are necessary for

desired perceptions based behavioural outputs, the protesters are being

advised to stay calm, not to indulge in violent reactions, control their

language, helping people, donating blood, community kitchens, book

stalls, cleanliness, caring and sharing etc. are being highlighted to

maintain positivity among protesters as well as sympathizers.

Communication is an important tool for behavioural management,

especially of the masses. Uniformity of communication and feedback

systems are important to ensure that these behaviors, attitudes and

sentiments persist for a longer time. As the participants may get tired out,

it is important to engage with them consistently. As formal media is

alleged to be pro-government, it was important for leadership to control

behaviour through various communication channels which can be seen as

authentic and correct. The emergence of online newspapers like Trolley

Times, Facebook pages, Twitter handles and frequent press conferences

are some of the components of communication strategies adopted by the

leaders. When the Facebook page got deactivated, a perception was

stimulated that deactivation is at the behest of the government. Facebook

restored the page and even gave a formal clarification that it was a system

error on the basis of their algorithms for maintaining community

standards.

There is another story which cannot be ignored to mention. A thunderous

sound emerged from the crowds from far away signaling an approaching

ambulance. As the news spread, the volunteers started managing the

traffic at the site to ensure smooth and quick passage for the ambulance.

A young man was running along the ambulance. He asked with a sense of

worry, “mareez nu khoon ta nahi chaihda? Asi hasptaal chaliye? (Let us


Page 19

know if the patient needs blood. We can go with you to hospital?)”

Another pair of young boys was asking the members of the family if they

need money. The driver of the ambulance was in tears seeing the passion

of the protesters to help. When patted on the shoulder, the driver

responded, “Guru Dekh Liya” (I have seen the God). He vowed to join

the protesters after leaving the patient at Delhi.

ATTITUDE FORMATIONS STRATEGIES

When set of emotions or beliefs about a particular subject of discussion, a

person, an object, an organization, any personal or social issue or an event

stay for a longer period and can be termed enduring emotions or beliefs,

we term them attitude. Behaviour is an outcome of attitudes which are

formed over time after a persistent exposure to similar or same stimuli

and subsequent evaluation. For behavioural leadership, this is important

since attitudes can be changed, positively or negatively, based on

emotions, experiences or beliefs.

As the people are getting information from Ground Zero of protests or

they visit the sites or interact with the people who have visited, the

sharing of experiences, thoughts, emotions coalesce into attitudes which

are reflected in behavior. If behavioural leaders can help people make

evaluations based on thoughts, analyses and feelings, they can anticipate

desired attitude formation and also a positive reinforcement of that

attitude. Particularly during this agitation, the hot-button issues, if

communicated well, can easily articulate attitude and the reasons for it.


Page 20

The availability of free medicine stalls, blood donation camps,

physiotherapy make-shift clinics, massage centres were changing

attitudes. The leaders and participants told that these were never on their

agenda when the agitation started. The crowd was getting swollen, many

such people were joining to serve farmers as the word of agitation needs

spread. The people were making their own judgment and were

responding to different ideas through social media about the need for

such services. The helpers poured in from all over, including from foreign

countries and the attitudes were being formed positively. Such

behavioural strategies were an outcome of people to people interaction

during the agitation. ‘Serve others to stay united’ was the mantra of folk

wisdom driven behavioural strategies. No leader specifically planned for

the same. It just emerged.

The book stalls had books of Indian history, The Sikh history, literature

of wars, humanity and service etc. Various organizations like Shromani

Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an organization also called

Mini Parliament of the Sikhs, Khalsa Aid, Khalsa Sikh Sewa-Canada

established their book stalls, Kisaan Malls for free of cost commodities

of daily needs, cleanliness and hygiene, caring of patients, ensuring

supply chain of fuel, food, medicines and literature to all the protesters.

The adoption of such never-before model of any agitation in the history

of mankind is a very strong behavioural change strategy which got

imprinted on the minds of the people. It is difficult to find such folk-life

driven behavioural strategies in literature of Management Sciences.


Page 21

FAMILY BEHAVIOR PATTERNS

No two individuals have same decision making styles. The behavioural

tendencies of individuals vary as per their age, need, income, lifestyle,

geographical location, willingness to spend, family status and so on. An

individual’s immediate family members play an essential role in

influencing his/her buying behaviour. An individual tends to discuss with

his immediate family members before behaving in a particular

manner.

Family members may support or stop an individual to behave in a

particular manner or can suggest few other options. Different families

develop styles and standards of behaviour differently, based on what is

and what is not acceptable within the family. Daily family interactions

reinforce the behaviour. The sudden and unanticipated, but desired,

behaviours may need to be adapted or changed to meet family situations.

In the context of present protests, the families which are flexible and can

be made to adapt to changing social situations, can have a favourable

decisions to participate collectively as a unit or by any individual

member. Rigid families may have difficulty in adjusting to stressful

situations. Therefore, the flexibility is being managed through village

level interactions and participation in protest is being made to be

recognized as a social prestige issue for each family. What an individual

imbibes from his family becomes his or her cultural expression. The

culture of belonging to a family of farming community with special

reference to his or her caste makes families more flexible.

“My family is a strong family. We live together, we shall die together.”

- Members of a family (Patiala)

“We cannot think of staying at village back home. We shall not be able to

show our face to our village folks in future. It is a matter of social life”

- Members of a family (Ferozpur)

OPINION LEADERSHIP

Two different relationships i.e. moderating and mediating, are significant

for social involvement through opinion leadership. The trait of opinion

leadership motivates activities such as information sharing, attitude


Page 22

formation, cooperation in decision making and readiness to take risks.

Opinion leadership initiates word-of-mouth communication which is an

informal communication. These days, it can also occur through a

telephonic conversation or on social media or through blogging on the

Internet.

As people communicate with one another regarding the common cause of

belonging to farming and eventual risks emerging out of these three laws

of the government, one of those involved in the informal communication

process is able to influence the attitude and behavioural actions of others.

By handling social media by IT teams of farmers (by educated farmers

themselves) are able to create such opinion leaders The dynamics of the

opinion leadership process are very helpful to the behavioural strategists

in such situations when seemingly running out of time. Once the protest

leaders identified the opinion leaders, they can target their efforts to them.

The opinion leaders through word of mouth communication or through

social media interactions can make the task easier for protest leaders.

“We are young and educated. We shall support our elders through social

media communications.”

- A group of college students from different villages of Punjab and

Haryana

I have come from Canada and I am well versed with Punjabi culture as

well as foreign culture. People listen to NRIs diligently.

- A youth (Toronto, Canada)

CROSS CULTURAL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

Cross-cultural analysis is aimed to determine to what extent the people of

two or more communities, states, social backgrounds or even occupations

are similar or different. One of the major objectives of cross-cultural

behaviour management is to determine, communicating and making

people understand and accept the similarities and differences. The protest

leaders devised appropriate strategies to reach people from different

states and occupations. Though, there is greater similarity among farmers

and labour, yet behavioural strategist through cross-culture management

people from dissimilar cultures were also made to join. The slogans like “I

love Kheti (farming) have been coined for similar cultures and “We


Page 23

support our farmers” and “Kisaan Virodhi- Desh Virodhi” relate to

joining people from dissimilar cultures. Projecting the protest as the laws

are not only against farming, but may also result in inflation by corporate

houses by overpricing has resulted in influencing people from almost all

cultural backgrounds and beliefs. The farmers are showing price tags of

packaged food items (maize, wheat grains, rice etc) to substantiate their

perspective with an objective of outreach and involvement from urban

areas.

“Punjab is not a foreign land. They are also Indians. They showed us to

stand together when challenged.”

- A group of Haryana elderly farmers

“When there will be no food how can we survive. Our scriptures tell us to

regard farmers as Ann Daata. If they are in a problem, it is our

responsibility too.”

- A group of families from Delhi

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RISK CONCERNS

Modern societies are exposed to a myriad of risks viz. diseases, natural

climatic hazards and even technological disruptions. Understanding how

the spread of risk awareness and how it can trigger assimilation of people

in the protests, farmer leaders required a deep understanding of how

common farmers perceive risks of these three laws. This understanding

helped them to communicate the agenda among farmers in particular and

common citizens in general about the issues, risks and reasons of

agitation. The learning and social interactions has been employed as the

core mechanisms driving such processes. Methodological approaches of

leaders that range from purely communication-based to data-driven

methods have been used to accommodate context-dependent messages

and social interactions. It has been observed that leaders are successful in

activation of individuals’ intelligent judgment about risks and thus

ensuring their acceptance of participation in the protests as a coping

strategy as village level groups and even individuals deciding alone. The

communication of risk perceptions through social interactions were

considered essential for both individual learning and group learning.

Communication model of people to people risk concerns helped in


Page 24

overwhelming involvement.

“We can have half chapatti each, but none will stay hungry.”

- Group of Villagers (Panipat)

“Weather was always known to all of us. But we can take care of our

elders and children.”

- Village Youth (Barnala)

“The respect of women is our responsibility. If we can take care of lands,

we can secure women of our families too. Women must feel safe and

secure. We are responsible for everything.”

- Group of Villagers (Tarn Taran)

“Though it is a general perception that women are not safe at public

places and they have to face eve-teasing. But perceptions change when

you visit protest sites.”

- Group of Village women comprising young and elder members

(Kapurthala)

SYNERGY

For any successful management of a movement, it is important to ensure

convergence of behaviour and manage how multilevel interventions can

be successful for bringing synergy among diverse stakeholders and

participants. Enhancing interactions and mutual engagements in a

controlled manner, supporting people with uniformity in communication,

authentic information sharing, common objectivity and hassle free

coordination among stakeholders and systems strengthening interpersonal

relationship based behaviour are important for synergy. The protest

leaders are dividing their tasks to manage each of the above mentioned

domains for ensuring synergy among participants.

“Everyone is not good at everything. We thought of feeding the brethren,

we arranged food stalls (langars”,

- Representatives, Sharomani Akali Dal (Sarna Group)

“The perceptions are different in urban areas and rural areas. The TV

channels will speak language of the government. It is our duty to make


Page 25

people aware about what is truth.”

- A group handling social media

BEHAVIOURAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT

In any crisis driven movement, the crisis of behaviour must be

immediately addressed for sustainability and maintaining hope till the

protests linger on. As hope is replaced with despair, the results can be

violence and finish of the movement. A behavioural crisis cannot be

ignored. For dangerous situations may emerge, the purpose of crisis

management is necessary. The participants in this struggle are facing

crises of varied nature like those of resources, extreme winters, pandemic

time, distance, family home- sicknesses, consistent failures of talks

between farmer leaders and government, the despair is possible. In such a

situation, the leaders are managing behavioural crisis by calling to protect

the individuals from harm and despair through teamwork and small group

engagements. Sloganeering is actually to revitalize the confidence of

participants than it is expected to be heard by the government. If there is a

socially unacceptable behaviour, restraining the individual is considered

necessary through persuasion methods than using force. Anyone who is

in danger is being removed. The leaders and participants are managing

annoying or distracting or unacceptable behaviours successfully by using

positive, non-violent, persuasive behaviour support strategies. Leaders

have incorporated the understanding that forced crisis management is a

temporary solution and positive behaviour support is permanent. The use

of positive behavior support is resulting in fewer crisis situations.

TROLLEY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

As observed and communicated by protest participants, each trolley team

has pooled money or material without any force and even formal request.

As the emerged trolley leader shared the agenda, the need for finances for

meeting the needs was recognized and financial resources or materials

were pooled as per personal capacity of participants. Most of the financial

requirements were met through material pooling including food items,

beddings and blankets, tarpaulins, tractor fuel, tractor and trolley by the

leader who had a new one and bigger one,


Page 26

“We grow sugarcane in our village, so we brought a truckload by

collective sharing. Sugarcane juice gives energy”

- A village family, Goraya

“The weather is so adverse and protests seem to stay longer. We are

contributing with blankets, shoes, socks etc.”

- Industry representatives, Delhi

“There is no fun being rich if we cannot share with those who need.”

- A group of NRIs

CONCLUSION

There is no doubt that the andolan has been called and run, seemingly in

a popular folk systems driven people management methods. Though

initially, perception about the andolan was that it is a normal protest and a

dharna, with limited objectives, which would be called off, by offering

assurances. Due to this instead of addressing the farmers concerns in

a systematic and holistic manner, the government seemed to prefer, the

strategy of handling the issue as a routine law and order issue, with the

operational strategy of tiring out the protestors. It was perhaps believed

that data driven rebuttal by the government in the media, would result in

the movement losing its traction, also as it would also not be supported

by members of the general public. Ground Reality is however very

different, as even after 50 days of protests, farmers are firm on their agenda,

continuously modifying their strategy and tactics, in response to the

government’s response.

The following conclusions can be drawn from the observations and

interactions:

Our observations, interviews and secondary research establish

that the andolan was never planned in meticulous detail with

established strategic insights. It was more of spontaneous and

simultaneous behavioural responses to situations that emerged.

In the beginning, there was seemingly no complete clarity among

the leadership about their mission and vision. The mission and

vision if made to be understood, conceptualized and


Page 27

communicated though integration of folk wisdom and desired

objectives of the organization, can be more stable, better defined

and such behaviourally managed missionary and visionary

insights percolate deep among the workforce.

Supply chains, though can be formally planned, yet the

spontaneous management of supply chains through behavioural

integration of needs and peer group help can be more effective.

Supply chain for the organization should be well communicated

through emotions and feelings than orders and instructions on a

piece of paper. What we need or may need is a part of social

wisdom after processing the knowledge of materials needed.

In addition, leadership can take of well-designed resource

planning by mobilizing the same both in terms of funds and also

in kind from multiple resources. The resources can be managed

through behaviourally organized manpower.

The behaviourally organized behaviour of all the recruits is more

important than formal degrees and stated skills. Skills emerge out

of organizational behaviour and behaviourally managed

workforce can be deployed across different functional areas for

the competitive strength of leadership as well as workforce.

Every sub-unit (for example trolley in this case) should be

behaviourally managed to uniformity according to strengths and

organizational needs. Duplicity of efforts, abundance of a few

resources and deprivation of others at the same time can cause

disorganization in the long term.

There is strong possibility of establishing the belief that the tasks

can be organized on the principles of behavioral management

where the focus is on positive outcomes than employing negative

energy.

Assimilation based leadership of the organization, though

workforce being diverse for belonging to different ideologies,

cultural contexts and regions can attract and assimilate people

through uniformed behavioural practices and this model may be

used for business organizations also.

The organizations can stay longer if they are coordinated well


Page 28

through behavioural strategies, problems can be predicted, varied

and diverse perceptions can be brought in uniformity and lack of

resources cannot create behavioural stress.

The opposing environmental forces, for any organization, always

think of tiring out by reducing competitors’ life cycle, create

divisions in the workforce and dissociations. Spontaneous

Behavioural Management, if pursued scientifically, can make

organizations sustainable and stable.

The leadership must care about a continuous thought process to

plan, control and organize the large organizations and can apply

folk wisdom driven (i.e. of workforce) human resource

management practices for keeping them united, avoiding spread

of misinformation and misperceptions and above all keeping the

morale high can be possible through scientific and established

behavioural management practices only. Such management

practices may have emerged out of workers personal and social

life, but democratically managed behaviour bring better results.

Individual energies become a synergy, risk perceptions become a

stimulus of encouragement, sacrifices of personal gains for

organizational goals become a source of strength if spontaneous

behavioural instincts are regularized.

Though each successful organization should have formally

recognized leaders, yet every member of the organization should

individually be a behavioural leader.

It is important to mention that a lot of improvisation and changes

keep taking place, which needs to be done in a dynamic

environment.

Government has its own set of rules and responsibilities to follow.

The democracy drives the moves and actions of the government.

Government cannot stay mute and also cannot accept everything

to avoid any such situations from other groups in future. It is

important to make a balance of polity and governance and

therefore, government responses to such protests is scrutinized

widely across various social groups. Government has been doing

their best within their own aspirations of acceptance and farmers

are asking for the maximum trade of acceptance of major


Page 29

demands. Ultimately, everything can be managed and solutions

are arrived at by mutual agreements and following democratic

practices make the path of reaching agreements easier.

Demographics are important and variety of representation in the

organizational team can become a potent force if behaviourally

managed. Spontaneous individual and group behaviour

management assimilating in a unified organizational behaviour

can turn varied demographics of the workforce a strength than a

threat. The organizations with uniform or monotonous workforce

have higher risk of disintegrating than a diverse behaviourally

managed workforce.

Everything stay, legally upright if individual and group behaviour

stays regulated. The right is always right if individual behaviour

matches the organizational culture.

The personality of every individual is unique. The training of the

workforce should be planned and executed keeping personality

aspects in mind. The human values, religious values and social

values are strengths and can lead to organizational absorption

through available and acquired skill development. As in any

organization, job sculpting is done keeping organizational needs

in mind, it can be better done if it is matched with recognized

personality traits.

The organizations also carry a brand as it carries its products.

Perception stimulations can be simulated through behavioural

practices for wider acceptance, positive responses and deeper

outreach.

The agitators will be so behaviourally well trained during their

stay at the protest sites. They must have learnt keeping focused,

calm, social service, social harmony, identifying legalities,

accepting social diversities and also occupational affection. It can

be imagined how such participants will be feeling behaviourally

trained to carry out personal, social and occupational tasks and

thereby bringing higher personal outputs. Similar behavioural

exercises can be adopted in other organizations.


Page 30

SCOPE OF FUTURE RESEARCH

The resilience shown by farmers coupled with their clarity of

communication about their goals, their tactical responses, and being able

to strike an emotive response among the general public, and being able to

elevate this as a central issue, can also be a motivation to do further

research about the correlation if any between the andolan and

behavioural management theory and practices. The future research can be

adopted on spontaneous behavioural responses, perception simulations,

evolutions of vision and mission, folk though evolutions, folk wisdom

driven behavioural modeling etc.

You must challenge and change the beliefs that lead to actions. History can

be created and new paths can be defined and everyone can be persuaded

including those who are initially on opposite side or are skeptical.

Democracy is a journey worth embarking on. The present case study can be

discussed in the classes of management, politics, public administration,

psychology, literature and other major disciplines.

(The authors submit that the present case study has been an attempt to

contribute for academic purpose. There has been no attempt, thought or

action to influence, explain or to justify anything. If any disagreement

emerges out of any portion of the write up, that may be coincidental and

inadvertent.)


Page 31

APPENDICES

Excerpts of Expert Talks during a Webinar on Framer’s Agitation:

Management Perspectives organized by GGN Institute of

Management & Technology, Ludhiana dated 10 January 2021

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

In aerospace to the farm laws enacted by Government of India, the

farmers pan India has expressed their concern with the epicenter of the

protests around Delhi. These protests, arguably the largest ever by

farmers in Asia, have generated considerable interest in terms of their

effectiveness and scale with over five lakh farmers protesting for more

than 2 months. To understand if there is a correlation between the protests

and management practices, GGNIMT, Ludhiana organized a Webinar as

a platform for discussion between stakeholders, academicians and

practitioners.


Page 32

Dr. SP Singh, former Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University,

Amritsar & President, Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council,

Ludhiana

This protest is related with social life as well as

academics. Any kind of moment or protest or outcry,

which is related with land and which persists for a

longer time, is always important as it is the voice of

people. Impressed with the democratic management

that evolved out of experiences of life, many people,

who have or who have no concern with farmers, have

joined this protest on global level with their physical

presence or emotional support. Whatever be the result of this protest, this

agitation has given a new understanding about personality profile of

Punjabis in particular. The Punjabis have exhibited that they know how to

be well managed, stay disciplined and share goodwill with everyone. The

management related to food, health or essential amenities has been

impressive and phenomenal. This management style is as near to as it can

be termed “Folk Management” which is based on local knowledge and

sociological systems maintained and practised by people in their daily

social life, rather than being based on text book literature. While

comparing the management styles followed at Singhu border and Tikri

border, the two locations of the protests, it is important to observe that

Khalsa Aid International is following organized management style (for

example – Kisaan Mall). Khalsa Aid International is an organization of

trained workforce and follows scientific management techniques. On the

other hand, Baba Nanak di Hatti follows a management style which is

developed from folk life of the people defined by social and religious

values.

Mr. Gurinder J. Singh, Canada Service Executive, IBM Watson Health

The corporates can learn many lessons form the

farmer’s protest. Framers have brought human

capital to the table which is beyond the

comprehensions and cannot be calculated in terms

of money only. The procedure of formulating a

policy for the country msy have not been followed.

Before making any law by the government detailed

analysis of data related to agriculture, case studies,

interjurisdiction studies have to be undertaken .


Page 33

The detailed discussion among different interest groups , focus groups

takes place to minimize the gaps between what the people expects and

what the policy would bring about. The motives of any govt. policy

should be clearly laid down. Moreover, were few stakeholders have been

involved for these farmer's bills, which created a lot of uncertainty among

the farmers leading worldwide protests. The protest of farmers has taught

the organizations and leaders much needed lessons. The need to engage

with the stakeholders should never be underestimated. Do not discard the

skills and knowledge of stakeholders, especially of hard-working citizens.

Show empathy towards your stakeholder concerns. In Steve Covey's

words, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood". Honesty and

transparency, while managing disparate stakeholders, make change

management less cumbersome. Staying calm during difficult times and

maintaining respect for the community of stakeholders simplifies the path

to success. To sustain and further grow a pursuit, the organizations must

plan, stick to the guiding principles,have realistic goals, and anticipate the

risk in their decision making Never underestimate and ignore even the

risks of low probability and severity. Never let the risks grow to the level

that they become unmanageable or manifest in the form of new and high

severity risks.

Dr. Diljeet Singh Brar, MLA, Winnipeg, Canada

People vote for the governments because the

governments work for the people. This agitation

may have been there as a few things could have

gone wrong. For doing any job or an organized

work, a person needs knowledge, skill, attitude

and passion. The farmers are protesting

efficiently against these farm laws because they

are deriving their behaviour out of eternal

passion and love for the mother land (as they call

their agricultural land as Mother land), exiting political philosophies and

a social experience to relate it to their future. Protests are being carried

out in all parts of the world- India, Canada, France, Italy. Indian diaspora,

including the students in particular, are also protesting against these laws

at their own countries of adoption just because of this passion and

affection. A passionate person and an opportunistic person can be

differentiated. These protests are successful because farmers are real

managers and they already possess managerial skills for being trained in


Page 34

handling their agricultural operations effectively. The farmers allege that

the present Union Government of India is concentrating on the corporates

to run the economy in order to justify their budgetary cuts. They feel that

the new farm laws are laying a foundation for the corporate control,

power and interference in our agricultural system through political

interferences. No farm organizations have demanded such laws, though

they want reforms. Allegedly, Government did not even consult any farm

organization before bringing such laws for them. The question arises why

the government wants to implement those laws that minimizes their own

control over legislations. The farmers feel that these laws for agriculture

would invite more private investment in agricultural sector and bring

more opportunities for private profit-making corporates putting the

ownership of their lands at risk. This is a case of managing trust deficit.

The Mandi system (The agricultural marketing system) in India already

has some issues i.e. more dependence of farmers on middlemen

(Arhtiyas, the commission agents) to buy fertilizers, seed and even for

selling there produce. The farmers are afraid that the new contract

farming law would further weaken the position of the farmers as now, in

case of any dispute farmer can go only to sub-divisional magistrates. The

unequal distribution of wealth is the real cause of such protests.

Dr. Joga Singh Virk, Professor and Former Head, Department of

Linguistics and Punjabi Lexicography, Punjabi University, Patiala

To understand the spirit of any public protest, it is

important to understand the language. The same is

true in this case, in which the farmers' dissent has

been articulated. A farmer's language is not in the

sense of elite discourse, but is an expression about

his folk life. That explains the cultural, social,

political, religious and moral matrix of farmer's life.

Language is not a barrier. English was considered as

language which was considered a status symbol. It is not any particular

language which is contact language in this agitation, rather the vernacular

languages of all the participants form different states are assimilating to

convey messages, verbal as well as nonverbal. When behavior is

uniformly organized the distinction of languages become irrelevant. The

myth that professional wisdom and folk wisdom are positively

correlational to the English language are broken. The agitation has proven

that all languages are equally good for the managerial communication.


Page 35

Languages should not be asocial barrier.

Prof. Manjit Singh Chhabra, Director, GGNIMT

While talking about the social, political and

economic aspects of the farmers’ agitation, the

present agitation of farmers is unique in itself when

compared to similar public protests in the past. It is

difficult to see such a behaviourally controlled large

group of people gathered angrily, yet staying

restrained in a pleasant manner. There is social

discipline and goodwill is the key to success. Each

and every member in the protest is so patient,

disciplined, compassionate and contended that they do not need police to

control them. People are serving the humanity as a responsibility, where

nobody is asking to them to perform a particular task. The innovative

styles and self-motivation levels are phenomenal among the members of

the agitation. The protest has witnessed unique forms of solidarity and

brotherhood among different segments of society. In the agitation

members are suffering from risk of health and hygiene but their risk

management, stage management and leadership qualities are meticulous

enough to stay streamlined towards objectivity of protests by staying

peaceful and focused. There is constant help at the agitation points by

doctors and nurses from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other States

in providing regular medical care. Also community kitchens are so well

managed that they are taking care of farmers and also boosting their

morale. The scenes from actual sites are more heart-warming. Farmers,

who stayed back to tend to the farms and fields, have displayed a spirit of

good neighbours and have shown spirit of brotherhood. They are

volunteering to sustain the farming activities in the fields of those who

have gone to Delhi for the agitation.

Dr. Harpreet Singh, Principal, GGNIMT

The agitation is a battle of managing behavior. It is a

battle of managing morality, sense of serving others

and capacity to contain aggression and despair. The

human values driven behavioral management, helps in

managing diversities of personality traits of the

workforce. The organization is a function of managing

emotions, passion and objectivity. If behaviours can be


Page 36

regulated uniformly through objectivity of the purpose of the

organization, the organizations run smooth and last long. The

organizational strategy for any movement is reaching to the heights by

obtaining support of relevant and unrelated social classes. The family

behavior of each particular segment is complementary to unified behavior

of the organization. The personality traits and behavioral styles may be

diverse and those become the strength through managerial efforts. The

congruence of diverse behavior may be a challenge, but is possible if

strategic framework is objectively communicated among all stakeholders.

The participation by people from various segments is a testimony that the

behaviours are synchronized towards common goals. The leaders can

attempt at attitudinal formation strategies as unifying tactic for such

movements. “Serve others” has been a unique and unparalleled

behavioral strategy implemented in the farmers’ agitation. There is no

parallel in the literature about protests across the world.

Dr. Parvinder Singh, Head, Department of Business Management

The self-governing eco system created by the

farmers at the protest sites with voluntary work and

pooled-in resources is unparalleled. It is important

to understand whether the farmers had planned their

protests for such a long duration after detailed

deliberations regarding resource generation,

allocation of manpower, goals, objectives or the

gradual development surpassed the estimations of

all concerned. Another aspect important to

deliberate is if they had created comprehensive

roadmaps for their andolan. Similarly, whether it was a result of

techniques of professional management with respect to supply chain,

resource generation and project management or the intended intervention

had evolved. It is a matter of applied research to explore the possibilities

how the learning’s from this andolan for their application of managerial

thought and practices be a reference point for such activities and

initiatives in future. Another aspect to deliberate through discussions and

analyses is if this model of protest, with the same or similar objectives, be

replicable for exponential results.