The welfare organization agenda

Purpose: The role of managers is crucial to achieve holistic organizational goals to benefit the key stakeholders. However, a Western perspective is dominant as management literature where the work of Anglo-Arab philosophers is largely ignored. This paper aims to fill this knowledge gap and promulgate the writings of Ibn Khaldun (a fourteenth-century Muslim philosopher) to advance management knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is primarily based on the review of Ibn Khaldun’s book Muqaddimah. Findings: This study provides valuable insights to the leaders as well as management practitioners by offering some useful directions to the management researchers for further research. The analysis revealed five themes: Fikr (mindfulness), Ta’awun (cooperation), Ta’akhi (brotherhood), ethical leadership and Adal (justice). Originality/value: This paper is an original contribution to the extant literature available on organization development and scant literature available on imparting employee welfare agenda in contemporary organization from the perspective of a Muslim philosopher Ibn Khaldun.