ISME National Conference was held on 11th Dec, 2010. Theme of the conference was “Impact of Globalization on Management Education: Curriculum to Careers”.
The conference brainstormed how globalization has immense impact on Management Education and continue to influence due to changing work environment, rapidly changing technology and social cultural influences.
We got an opportunity to hear to 4 keynote speakers in following order.
Prof A.K.Choudhary
He hit the topic directly by asking a question “Management Education can we meet the challenge”?
To explain this he discussed, the recession that struck entire world in 2008 and the crisis presented the International Community with some effort to find a solution and that is improvement, constant improvement was key to this.
He further discussed six Principles of Responsible Management Education namely:
- Purpose
- Values
- Method
- Research
- Partnership
- Dailogue
His next question was “Are companies satisfied with average professionals going out ?” this led to another fundamental fact that even organization are not clear of what they want from students. This was a pointer for corporate to understand their needs.
Another question was “Is it necessary to consolidate the legitimacy of Management Education?”
The answer was obvious yes but he emphasized Management students to be honest, financially secure and disciplined in their approach.
Change their teaching source and methodology, t make sure that we have updated ourselves with latest knowledge.
He suggested a few pointers to institutes to incorporate in their teaching style and curriculum:
- New approaches to Strategic Management, both in basic and applied research.
- Implications and all the efforts to change all disciplines in management education and requested ISME to review and check all the changes made in subjects in last 6 months and that will tell we are alive.
- Faculty to change their teaching source and methodology. Update themselves with latest developments.
- Risk Management
- Innovation and value
- Human Rights and Labour Rights
- Integration of social concerns and Climatic Change and their adverse effects and sensitize Management professionals to be aware and ready to tackle this problem in their workforce.
- Transparency and anti Corruption.
- Strategic Philanthropy
- Social Investment
- Embrace the new vision of business, innovate management model to teach.
- Global Quality Management
- Sustainability
He also explained that Core DNA of the firm has changed since globalization and we have moved to an era where Customer is the most important and as a Management Professional one should be aware and trained to handle this in the best possible manner.
Mrs Shoma Bakre
She appreciated for such a relevant topic of the conference in the current scenario. Being cofounder of a marketing research organization and having about 350 young , smart and dynamic professionals, she felt she understand the relevance of this discussion at a point when globalization has impacted every aspect of our lives.
She insisted on the Management students to be ready to be part of workforce and embark on a career without geographical boundaries. The times have changed and they need to be well prepared for such global careers in coming years.
She emphasized that Education was one way to change the current scenario. Basic tenets of management will not change, management education will be way it has developed and way ISME is delivering it is very sound. But what we need to is to evolve with times and apply current requirements of economies and global nations and apply to fundamentals of management education.
She also bring out the fact that we are no longer cocooned in geographies and are affected by everything that is a happening everywhere.
She emphasized on the following:
- Knowledge of cross boundary happenings, cross boundary disciplines and cross boundary cultural and economic realities are very important. Every function of organization is affected by globalization
- A Management professional should think of himself a successful contributor in terms of his career, professional growth and value to society, Need of a holistic employee.
- Sustainability in terms of Climatic disruption and be innovative to find ways of preserving it.
In the end, she concluded that ISME is progressive institute and will readily amalgamate the changes to curriculum and translate them into reality.
Dinesh Gopalan
Mr Dinesh in a very simplistic manner explained that we all understand the impact of globalization, all we need to do is to devise a system that adapts constantly. He emphasized on the following:
- Question of survival
- Cross Country corporations breaking the geographies
- Globalization has an impact on work style. Old Style of Management is no longer relevant.
- Quite an emphasis for students to be very good at MS Excel and MS PowerPoint. New organizations hazard “death by ppt”.
- Cultrul sensitivity is a very important aspect for Management professionals to collaborate and be adaptable.
- One company, one job and one career will not work. Linear career path is relevant today.
- Learn how to learn ie, constant learning. One should regularly update oneself of current happenings and ability to collate and present this updated knowledge.
- Keep current at all times, be inquisitive and aware of happenings around. This is the only way to survive in this constantly changing work environment,
He finally concluded by talking about Employability, emphasizing on the following fact that “be conscious of your employability” to the management students.
Mr Chandran Natrajan.
Mr Chandran Natrajan defined globalization in different light and said that Globalization is optimal combination of enjoyment and happiness.
He suggested globalization as a phenomenon and learn to adapt to globalization. He also emphasized that uncontrolled globalization will accelerate conflicts and it’s the institutes who should know how to impact education to control globalization?
Next he talked about how management is getting disturbed due to globalization because management ethos is authoritative. But due to impact of globalization, we need to make management more democratic, participative and collaborative. In this case institutes need to teach how to democratize management?
He then emphasized that teach how to avoid corruption? How to change political systems to adapt to globalization?
He concluded by saying the globalization is marriage of differences and education should be 360 degree , implying the complete understanding to deal with globalization as suggested in his talk.
Written By: Prof. Sheetal Kalra
