The Role of Ancient Indian Trade Practices and Chanakya’s Arthashastra in Shaping Modern Retail Management Strategies

Authors: Laxmi Singh Sengar, Hemlata Dhoke

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37082/IJIRMPS.v13.i6.232859

Short DOI: https://doi.org/hbgfwb

Country: India

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Abstract: This study examines the influence of ancient Indian trade practices, including insights from Chanakya’s Arthashastra, on the effectiveness of modern retail management strategies. While contemporary retail is often viewed as a product of technology, globalization, and evolving consumer behavior, historical evidence highlights the enduring relevance of ethical, relationship-oriented, and systematized trade practices in India. A quantitative research design was employed, with a sample of 100 retail managers, supervisors, and entrepreneurs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression to assess the relationship between the adoption of traditional trade principles and retail management effectiveness.
The results revealed a moderately strong positive correlation (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), and regression analysis indicated that adoption of ancient trade practices explained 38.4% of the variance in retail effectiveness (R² = 0.384, β = 0.58, t = 8.21, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that incorporating time-tested principles—such as trust-based customer relations, ethical pricing, transparent transactions, and long-term relationship management—significantly enhances operational efficiency, customer loyalty, and overall business performance in modern retail contexts.
The study provides empirical evidence supporting the integration of historical trade wisdom into contemporary retail strategies, highlighting its potential to create sustainable, ethical, and competitive retail ecosystems. The findings contribute to bridging the gap between ancient economic philosophy and modern management theory, offering actionable insights for practitioners seeking to strengthen performance while maintaining ethical and customer-centered business practices.

Keywords: Keywords: Retail Management, Ancient Trade, Customer Loyalty, & Profitability

Paper Id: 232859

Published On: 2025-12-21

Published In: Volume 13, Issue 6, November-December 2025

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