Call For Papers| ASBM Literary Seminar 2026: Intersection of Literature and Management: Decoding Leadership through Literary Heroes

17th January, 2026

IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND DATES:

Abstract Submission: 30th November, 2025

Full Paper Submission: 10th December, 2025

Registration: 15th December, 2025

Seminar Date: 17th January, 2025

Publication: As per the selection process, papers will be published in one of the following: 

• The ASBM Journal of Management, or 
• A compendium.

Submit abstracts and full papers to: literary.sem@asbm.ac.in

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/qbo96ZD7ZG39xHdA7

Concept Note

“The Leader’s Duty,

Ordained by his Nature,

Is to be Bold, 

  Unflinching and Fearless,

Subtle of Skill,

And Open-Handed,

  Great -Hearted in Battle,

A Resolute Ruler.” 

- Lord Krishna (Prabhavanand and Ishrewood 1982: 261)

The evolving demands of the professional world call for leaders and managers who are not only strategic thinkers but also empathetic communicators, ethical decision-makers, and culturally conscious individuals. Literature, with its timeless insights into human experience, dilemmas, and narrative strategies, offers a rich and often underexplored reservoir for rethinking principles of leadership and management.

This literary seminar on the theme “Intersection of Literature and Management: Decoding Leadership through Literary Heroes” seeks to foster dialogue between literary scholarship and management studies, encouraging the integration of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary perspectives. By examining literary texts through the lens of management theory—and vice versa—the seminar seeks to explore how storytelling, character development, conflict resolution, persuasion, and ethical complexity shape our understanding of leadership, organisational behaviour, and strategic vision.

From the strategic wisdom of Odysseus in The Odyssey and the spiritual transformation of Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, to the unwavering loyalty and mission-driven leadership of Lord Hanuman in The Ramayana, literary figures offer a vivid canvas to decode leadership traits such as emotional intelligence, courage, resilience, visionary thinking, risk-taking, ethical clarity, adaptive thought, servant leadership, collaborative decision-making, self-mastery, and a deep sense of duty and service.

The symbolic frameworks in literature, at their finest, give nature a voice—allowing birds, animals, landscapes, and elements to mirror human aspiration and growth. A striking example is Jonathan Livingston Seagull, whose refusal to conform to his flock’s survival-driven mindset, and his relentless pursuit of excellence and higher purpose, reflect visionary leadership and self-actualisation. In contrast, Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea foregrounds the quiet dignity of endurance in Santiago, whose solitary struggle against nature reflects a stoic, resilient model of leadership in adversity.

At the same time, the symposium also turns the lens towards the managerial structures that shape the literary world itself. From the economics of publishing and book-selling to the branding of authors and the politics of literary awards, the production, circulation, and reception of literature are deeply intertwined with market forces and managerial strategies. The roles of publishers, agents, editors, and cultural institutions comprise a managerial ecosystem that influences which literary works reach the public—and how they are framed, received, or forgotten.

From epics to corporate storytelling, and from literary traditions to cultural ecosystems, literature and management remain in constant dialogue. This platform invites papers that explore both dimensions of this intersection:

• How literature can inform, humanise, or critique managerial thought and leadership models.
• How management systems shape the production, dissemination, and reception of literary works.

Sub-themes

1. Leadership styles and models in literary narratives,
2. Law, ethics, and leadership in literary narratives,
3. Storytelling as a management and communication strategy,
4. Leadership and Literature: Representation of Gender and Subaltern,
5. Psychological dimensions of leadership and management through characters,
6. Literature as a pedagogical tool in management education,
7. Power structures and organisational behaviour in literary settings,
8. Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), management principles, and literary reflections,
9. Capitalism, entrepreneurship, and economic systems in fiction,
10. Branding, metaphor, and persuasion in corporate and literary discourse,
11. The business of literature: Publishing, marketing, and literary production,
12. Eco-critical literature, sustainability, and leadership ethics.

* The sub-themes are suggestive, not exhaustive. Participants are encouraged to present research aligned with the main theme.

                                                                             Paper Submission Guidelines

• The cover page of the paper should contain the title, the author's name and affiliation, address and email ID.
• The length of the paper should not exceed 6000 words, including the title page and reference.
• It must be accompanied by an abstract/summary(in about 250 words)and 4-5 key words.
• It should be typed in Times New Roman style, with font size 12, 1.5 line space, and 0.75-inch margin on all sides.
• All In-text citations and references must adhere to APA 7th edition formatting standards.