Kedar Nath Thakur

Assistant Professor



[email protected]

Profile

Dr. Kedar Nath Thakur is an Assistant Professor in the Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management (OB & HRM) area at the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon. Prior to joining MDI, he was associated with the Goa Institute of Management, Goa, as an Assistant Professor in OB & HR.

He earned his Doctorate in Human Resource Management from XLRI Jamshedpur, where he was awarded the Gold Medal for “Outstanding FPM Candidate”. Before his doctoral studies, he completed an MBA in Human Resource Management from the School of Human Resource Management, XIM Bhubaneswar, and holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics.

His research broadly examines the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in the HR–OB spectrum, with a particular focus on employer branding and ethical AI adoption. Methodologically, he specializes in experimental research designs and quantitative methods, including randomized experimental flows, quantitative text analysis, and eye-tracking techniques. His doctoral dissertation, “Covering the Funny Side of GenAI: Exploring Recruitment Through Eye-Tracking, Text Analysis, and Pre-Hire Outcomes,” investigates how humor in job advertisements influences applicant perceptions, cognitive processing, and impression management strategies.

Dr. Thakur has presented his research at leading international conferences, including the Academy of Management (AoM) in Denmark (2025) and Seattle (2022), EIASM in Luxembourg (2024), and ANZAM in Wellington (2023). His work has been published in peer-reviewed ABDC A* and A journals, while a few of his manuscripts are currently under advanced stages of review in FT50/ABDC A* outlets. He has also co-authored multiple case studies with teaching notes published with Ivey Publishing and featured in Harvard Business Publishing. His scholarly contributions have been recognized through multiple awards, including:

  • Best Paper Award, CERE 2023, IIM Indore
  • Best Paper Award, MERC 2023 (OBHR Track), IIM Kashipur
  • Best Paper Award (Second), BSIM 2023, IIM Ahmedabad
  • Best Paper Award, AIRC 2022 (OBHR Track), IIM Lucknow

Before transitioning fully into academia, Dr. Thakur was the Founder of Integrity Studyz, an entrepreneurial venture in the education sector. He successfully scaled the organization across multiple branches, secured ISO certification, developed assessment tools for learning outcomes, managed faculty recruitment and onboarding, and designed training programs aimed at professional development and classroom management.

Hobbies: Photography & Travel
 

Group Dynamics and Team Building

Human Resource Planning

Employer Branding & Impression Management Tactic

Performance Management

Experimental methods in management research

Areas of Expertise:

  • AI in Recruitment
  • Employer Branding
  • Coopetition
  • Thakur, K., Singh, A., & Srimannarayana, M. (2025). May AI come in? Generative AI shaping gender-diverse recruitment in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 126, 104061.
  • Thakur, K., Mishra, T., Jena, L. K., & Pal, S. (2023). Psychosocial influence of blended working: The reciprocity of blended working and organizational optimism. International Journal of Manpower, 45(3), 521–538.
  • Thakur, K., & Kukul, Y. (2022). Impact of pedagogical changes in management education post-COVID-19: A comparison study. Decision, 49(2), 213–221.

Cases and Teaching Notes:

  • Randev, K. K., Jha, J. K., & Thakur, K. (2024). Quick Heal Technologies: Quest for a Performance-Driven Culture. Case Study and Teaching Note. Ivey Publishing.
  • Kukul, Y., Thakur, K., & Jena, L. K. (2023). Exploring Crisis Leadership During COVID-19: A Case Study on OYO. Business Perspectives and Research, 12(3), 462–473.
  • Jena, L. K., Thakur, K., & Kukul, Y. (2022). Cognizant Technology Solutions: Retaining Employees Amid Impending Crises. Case Study and Teaching Note. Ivey Publishing.

Conference Proceedings and Presentations:

  • Singh, A., Thakur, K., Singh, S., & Modukuri, S. (2025). Magnetic Effect: How Employer Branding Through Social Media Affects Organizational Attractiveness. Academy of Management Proceedings.
  • Thakur, K., Gera, N., Bellamkonda, N., & Jha, J. K. (2025). Walking the Talk: How Impression Management Elicits Word of Mouth and Job Pursuit Intention. Academy of Management Proceedings.
  • Thakur, K., Singh, A., & Srimannarayana, M. (2024). May AI come in? Impact of impression management as an employer branding tool on hiring outcome. EIASM Workshop on Talent Management, Luxembourg.
  • Thakur, K., & Gera, N. (2023). I tell you I like it: Experimental investigation of employer branding techniques to attract talent. ANZAM Annual Meeting, Wellington.
  • Thakur, K., Singh, A., & Jha, J. K. (2023). Humor as a hiring hook: The playful games organizations play to attract talent. CERE, IIM Indore.
  • Thakur, K., & Gera, N. (2023). I tell you I like it! Experimental investigation of creative job advertisement. MERC, IIM Kashipur.
  • Thakur, K., Mishra, S., & Jain, A. (2023). Experimental investigation of manipulation and moral disengagement: The game of cheating. BSIM, IIM Ahmedabad.
  • Thakur, K., & Mishra, T. (2022). An integrated training effectiveness scale for entry-level executives and influencing factors. AIRC, IIM Lucknow.

Reviewer Roles:
Dr. Thakur serves as a reviewer for leading academic journals, including:

  • Journal of Business Ethics (FT50 / ABDC A)
  • Annals of Tourism Research (ABDC A*)
  • Personnel Review (ABDC A)
  • Management and Labour Studies (ABDC C)
  • Business Perspectives and Research (ABDC C)

Employer Branding in the Digital and AI Era

Group cohesion and team building

Behavioral Biases in Hiring and Performance Management

Strategic HR Analytics for Business Impact

Designing High-Impact Assessment and Development Centers

Dr. Thakur has contributed to consulting and applied research projects across sectors. He has served as a co-consultant with Godrej Interio, leading an eye-tracking-based research project focused on attention spans. He has also acted as an Assessor with Damodar Valley Corporation, supporting a multi-method competency assessment centre through competency mapping and detailed assessment reporting.