Fellow Programme in Management (Non-Residential)

The Fellow Programme in Management (non-residential) is designed to cater to the scholarly needs of working business executives. It prepare executives for careers in management teaching and research, as well as in management practice, consulting and development. Therefore executives aspiring for the FPM (non-residential) Programme should be willing to devote time and energy that the Programme requires. Classes will normally be held during weekends or in the evening. The course work in first year will be completed in three terms, which are equivalent to approximately nine months.

Programme overview
The Fellow Programme in Management (Non-Residential) is designed to:
•   Enhance the research and consulting skills of the executive
•   Increase the executive’s understanding of research methodology and techniques
•  Build on the executive’s past experience and academic achievements
•  Help the executive maximize his/her effectiveness as an educator or practitioner

As a consequence, the executive is expected to develop/learn the following as part of the Programme:
•   an appreciation of the potential contribution of research in management practice
•   the ability to plan and carry out a research project in the field of management, and to ultimately implement the research findings
•   the ability to make an original contribution to know in the practice of management
•   the ability to improve personal performance through the analysis of past practice

The Programme is thus expected to help executives in their current senior management roles, as well as in preparing them for possible careers in academics or consulting. FPM (non-residential) Scholars have minimum 10 years of work experience in senior management positions and continue to be practicing managers. FPM (Non-residential) scholars may primarily be concerned with “application driven theory” where the “relevance is attained by starting with a concrete problem in the context of an actual application with approaches that are then generalized and made publicly available (e.g. publication) with sufficient rigor and precision to admit validation by third parties”. FPM (non-residential) scholars may therefore like to “identify a pressing problem or question, or a burning issue that afflicts managers in the field, to which no good solution exists” In terms of Programme design, the FPM (non-residential) Programme is similar to the FPM (residential) Programme.

Duration of the FPM Programme

FPM scholars have to complete the course work in Nine months (three terms).

The Programme has to be completed within 3-4 years after the registration, which may be extended up to 7 years maximum (seven years) depending on the merit of the case and favorable review of work progress by the FPM Committee.

Comprehensive Research Evaluation

The purpose of Comprehensive Research Evaluation (CRE) is to ensure a student’s multi-disciplinary appreciation of management issues and his/her readiness to undertake original research in his/her chosen knowledge domain. The evaluation is conducted by a Comprehensive Research Evaluation (CRE) committee constituted specifically for each student and chaired by a faculty member from the Area of his/her specialization. The Committee determines whether a student has developed an in-depth understanding of the inter-disciplinary nature of various knowledge domains, and is able to develop appropriate models / solutions based on the work of other scholars in these knowledge domains. Thus, the extent to which the Comprehensive Research Evaluation (CRE) is rigorous and challenging will in turn determine the extent to which the scholar is able to develop research competencies deemed fit for the thesis work.

The FPM Office will set up a Committee at the beginning of the Term- III, consisting of three faculty members; one of them will act as the Chairperson of the Committee and should be from the Area of the student’s specialization. It would be desirable for the Committee to meet together as a group, discuss the candidate’s progress, and decide a topic, which would test the knowledge and integrative capability of the student and his ability to connect issues and problems in the field of management.

Support

Financial Support

MDI Gurgaon provides one of the best financial stipends for FPM scholars. Apart from the stipend, the institute may provide accommodation (limited accommodation is reserved for the FPM scholars). There is also a contingency grant given to the scholars for stationery and other material.

Support for Attending Conferences

Scholars are encouraged to take part in conferences organized by institutions/associations of repute. The institute provides liberal financial support for this.

Exploratio - Research Seminar Series

First Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Abinash Panda, Associate Professor MDI Gurgaon
Date: 26 June 2021
The first seminar organized on 26th June 2021 aimed at re-connecting MDI Gurgaon research fraternity, including esteemed faculty, FPM-EFPM alumni, and current scholars. This series sims provide a platform for sharing expertise and experiences of senior MDI Gurgaon scholars from both the current and alumni batches for the benefit of researchers. In the inaugural session, Prof. Abinash Panda (MDI Gurgaon Faculty & FPM-EFPM alumni) spoke about his ‘Experi-ence with Research and Publishing’. He spoke about the challenges he faced while pursuing his FPM as a research scholar, mentors who supported him, how reviewer’s comments were received in the pre-email days and the memories of those good old days. He described the pains he undertook to conduct his research, the toil of compilation, and pushing forward towards his goals with determination despite all constraints. He spoke about the book, The Hero’s Journey, which had a great influence on him.

The talk featured valuable insights on how a research scholar should conduct research, what efforts need to be put in for gaining relevant permissions for initiating research work in companies, the skills needed to accomplish research in a timely manner and the multi-taking required to juggle personal and professional commitments. His inputs on preparing research papers to be publish worthy was invaluable. It was indeed an inspiring saga for all researchers and an enriching experience for the 51 participants.

Some of the golden nuggets from his experience sharing included getting the right mentor, synthesizing and conceptualizing regularly, and standing tall or standing apart. The next seminar in this series will be organized on the last Saturday of this month, i.e. 31st July

Second Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Nidhi Srivastava, Vice President Nielsen Bases
Date: 31 July 2021
The second seminar by Exploration was held on 31 July 2021 and was taken by Mrs. Nidhi V Srivastava (FPM MDI Gurgaon Alumni) on the topic ”My Journey from Research Scholar to a Practitioner”. Ms. Nidhi is a global product leader with Nielsen IQ Bases and shared her insights on the use of consumer analytics to derive a brand-related decision. On asking how her research degree helped her in her job, she claimed that the FPM programme trains the mindset for research. She reminisced her days at MDI Gurgaon, on how the peer discussions at the tea stall and the game of tennis with the fellow scholars enlightened her thinking. She also went on to do institutional research and highlighted how fun it was, while taking the session using marketing analytics. The highlight of the session was the differences and commonalities between FPM and the business world that Ms. Nidhi elaborated on.

Third Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Sumedha Chauhan, Associate Professor - Jindal Global Business School
Date: 28 August 2021
Brief: Prof. Sumedha Chauhan spoke on the topic ‘My Publication Journey’. She advised scholars to read multiple papers. She also advised them to convert subject assignments into papers. She gave a valuable tip of having others critique your paper and learn from the comments of the reviewers. She also suggested citing a few papers from the journal in which you are submitting your paper. She suggested that effort invested in any paper should not go waste. She advised improving it, modifying it, and submitting it again. She suggested that the scholars can get ideas by reading papers. An example of meta-analysis which she gave was to have an appealing topic. She advised going through the last two years papers in A-star journals and collaborating with people with complementary skills. Towards the end, she advised celebrating every success.

Fourth Seminar
Speaker: Dr Sangeeta Goel, Public Policy Consultant SIPA
Date: 25 September 2021
Brief: She spoke on the Topic ‘Case Based Approach to Research’. She pursued her doctoral studies at MDI Gurgaon, from 2011-2015. She has won an Award from Emerald and the Indian Academy of Management. She spoke about the relevance of qualitative sample to conceptual framework. She also elaborated on the potential of such a research to generate rich information and believable explanations. She also focused on the feasibility and ethics of such research.

Fifth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Ashish Pandey, Associate Professor-IIT Bombay
Date: 30 October 2021
Brief: Prof. Ashish Pandey spoke on the topic ‘Context-specific research in Indian Management’. Prof. Pandey Shared a novel model of relating Atomistic Constructs, Holistic Constructs, Emic research, and Etic research. He also explained about Core cultural ideals such as Panch-Kosh and Karm Yoga; How it relates to history, for instance cultural impact on economic behaviour and historical development of institutions. He then explained about Institutional Uniqueness and Hybridity. Thereafter he shared knowledge on behav-ioural manifestation such as nurturing task leadership, Lajja and Spiritual climate.

Sixth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Alok Yadav, National Sales Head-Escorts Ltd
Date:27 November 2021
Brief: Dr. Yadav spoke on the topic ‘Breakthrough Areas in Machine Learning —Artificial Intelligence and Role of Open-Source Resources for Research’. He spoke about how there is an increased need to marry traditional approaches in research with emerging technologies and data sources. He spoke about how research scholars for their thesis work generally have limited resources, data availability, information reach etc. So, in this situation can they rely and take help of free and open source resources (FOS) and include MLAI as a research method. In this session, he discussed how MLAI is being used or can be used for domains like finance, marketing, HR, logistic etc. And the FOS available to support research work.

Seventh Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Devasheesh Mathur, Assistant Professor - Goa Institute of Management
Date: December 2021 - held on 8 January 2022
Brief: Prof. Mathur spoke on the topic ‘Qualitative research to create substantive theories’. He spoke about choosing a research design that allows the researcher to maneuver through the maze of paradigms is critical. The session illustrated how to adopt qualitative research strategies for human-centric processes to allow contextualized exploration and explanation of the research questions and why is it important to understand the paradigms of the researcher’s voice and research objective (epistemology), the nature of knowledge (ontology), and the method of knowledge accumulation (methodology).

Eighth Seminar
Speaker: Mr. Anandan Pillai, Director Client Services, Merkle DWA
Date: 29 January 2022
Brief: Mr. Anandan Pillai spoke on the topic ‘Are marketing researchers ready for exponential growth?’. He spoke about the future of technology and how it is going to be complicated with the arrival of metaverse, blockchain, 5G, AI and other cutting-edge technologies. He shared the key learnings from his experience in the corporate sector while excelling in the digital marketing field. He shared some emerging research topics in the field of digital marketing which would be of interest to doctoral candidates.

Ninth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Anshu Sharma, Jindal Global Business School
Date: 26 February 2022
Prof. Anshu Sharma, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean at the Jindal global Business School, shared her experiences on ‘Academic Metamorphosis —Transitioning from Research Scholar to Early Career Faculty’. She spoke from her experience about the work roles and expectations from teaching, research, administration, and institution building. She advised the need of wearing different hats for different roles. She advised the scholars to look for support and mentoring opportunities, promotional policies, academic culture, and scholarly activities of the educational institution while making a choice on which one to join. She conveyed that the scholarly impact, contribution, and recognition of the institution at the international level should be an important criterion while deciding on one’s career, while embarking on the academic journey. This was a great learning for those research scholars who would like to make a career in academics by joining a higher education institution.

Tenth Seminar
Speaker - Puneet Bindlish, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Date: 26 March 2022
The 10th seminar of Exploratio was an insightful experience with Mr. Puneet Bindlish, who gave a new direction to the conventional modern management-centric research philosophies. Mr. Bindlish shared his views on the paradigmatic stance the indigenous researchers need to take to conduct context-specific studies and enlightened the audience with the use of Indian scriptures to highlight the various paradigms.

Eleventh Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Swanand Deodhar, Assistant Professor-IIM Ahmedabad
Date: 30 April 2022
"Sitting with the Giants: What's it like to work with your idols" the speaker shared his experiences of working with the research giants and the constructive role of criticism in shaping his research work. The event entailed a discussion around the research process, experience, and opportunities in the US and India. The talk covered the experiences of the speaker as he transitioned, Post-FPM, to the US (Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota) for his second Doctoral Program. The idea was to compare experiences of being part of a Doctoral-Level program in two different countries covering the factors that help in adding rigour to one’s research.

Twelfth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Brajesh Mishra, Director telecom startups mission, Departments of telecommunications, Ministry of communications India
Date: 28 May 2022
The speaker shared his practical knowledge and hands-on expertise on a wide range of research methods. These methodologies provide the researchers with the much-needed flexibility to pursue their academic passions while also adding depth to the results of their research. He discussed the lessons he had learned from his rapid-fire but in-depth experience with an academic fraternity. In particular, how the convergent mixed method research methodology benefited him on the rigor-relevant front, timely submissions despite the interruption caused by covid, and improving his ability to publish.

Thirteenth Seminar:
Speaker: Dr. Shikha Aggarwal, Associate Professor, Goa Institute of Management
Date: 25 June 2022
The speaker assisted the researchers in picking a publication that features a more streamlined scholarly review process and a quicker response time. Based on her ten years of experience working in the industry, conducting research, and teaching, she provided academics with direction by advising them on how to publish their work in reputable publications. The speaker offered research researchers some advice on selecting the appropriate publication to send their articles to ensure that the journal is among the highest ranked.

Fourteenth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Ronak Batra, Researcher, Mckinsey & Company
Date: 30 July 2022
The research journey requires a lot of exposure to different research methods and tools. In the 14th Exploratio Seminar, Dr. Ronak Batra, a Researcher at McKinsey & Company, provided an overview of the Delphi technique and enlightened the audience about how this technique can be aligned with their research work. Delphi techniques are structured group communication processes in which complex issues where knowledge is uncertain, and incomplete are evaluated by experts using an iterative process. This is based on the assumption that a group of experts and the multitude of associated perspectives will produce a more valid result than a judgment given by an individual expert, even if this expert is the best in his or her field. The defining feature is that the aggregated group answers from previous questionnaires are supplied with each new questionnaire, and the experts being questioned can reconsider their judgments on this basis, revising them where appropriate. The event was meant to strengthen the discussions around the Delphi technique in research.

Fifteenth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Sanjeev Varshney, Professor of Marketing at XLRI Jamshedpur
Date: 24 September 2022
The knowledge and experience that management consultants bring to the table is highly valued in the administration study as well as in the business world. Dr. Sanjeev Varshney from XLRI Jamshedpur summarised the scope and nature of the management consulting sector in order to respond to the questions that were posed by the research scholars. Following this, he focused on the unique contributions that have been made by individual management consultants and consulting organisations.

SixteenthSeminar
Speaker: Dr. Ankur Joshi – Assistant Professor at FMS- WISDOM , Banasthali Vidyapith
Date: 29th October 2022
Dr Ankur Joshi shared his views on the Topic of “ Interesting Tales of Research”. He shared his lived experiences and journey as a research scholar at MDI Gurgaon. He encouraged the scholars to never forget the human angle of the research journey. He stressed upon the various ways how the scholars can offload the academic burden and make the journey memorable and enjoyable. His succinct way of articulating his views kept the audience highly engaged during the session. One the Hindi quote shared by him “ Bhag Lo ya Bhag lo” (Participate or runaway) highlighted the importance of active participation with fellow researchers and how researchers should leverage rich experience of professors at MDI Gurgaon.

He also motivated the scholars to make data collection exercise interesting and relevant by sharing his own story of how he travelled across the country and how he interacted with his family and friends by telling stories and gathering their feedback. Probably one advice from him that can sum up the session could be “ We think that things are not going in the right direction but suddenly it turns in our favour. So never lose hope and keep persevering”

Seventeenth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. T T Niranjan, Associate Professor, Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay
Date: 26th November 2022
The speaker, Prof. T T Niranjan, Associate Professor, SJMSoM, IIT Bombay and an avid rock climber, spoke about and drew parallels between mountaineering and research. He talked about the common facets and virtues encountered in both research and mountaineering. While narrating his personal encounters, the speaker elucidated the vitality and relevance of the virtues of perseverance and passion while engaging in research as well as climbing mountain. While encouraging to nurture the attributes of perseverance and passion to all those who wished to be good at research or in mountaineering, he advised to develop the ability to absorb failures enroute the ultimate aim. He shared with the audience his adventurous climbing experience over the years and how traversing an unknown journey throws up challenges and the ways to tackle them. By drawing analogy between mountaineering and research, he touched upon importance of team viz-a-viz solo journey in climbing and authorship or research, talked about rigour and relevance, discussed the motivational aspects for both climbing and research.

Eighteenth Seminar
Speaker: Mr. Devashis Rath – Sr. Vice President at Ultratech Cement
Date: 24th December 2022

Mr. Devashis Rath , practitioner in the area of Talent Management, Organizational Effectiveness & Change Management shared his views on the Topic of “ Research implementation in Industry: A practitioner perspective”. He shared his lived experiences and journey as a research scholar at MDI Gurgaon and practitioner with Ultratech Cement. His guidance for conducting industrial research can present several challenges such as funding, access to data and resources, intellectual property protection, collaboration and communication, whoever researchers and organizations must navigate to achieve their research goals and deliver meaningful results for the industry related problem.

Mr Rath enforced rigor and relevance are crucial factors for industrial research, as they ensure that research efforts are well-designed, scientifically sound, and ultimately useful for addressing real-world challenges and advancing innovation. He further motivated on achieving both rigor and relevance in industrial research, it is important to establish clear research objectives, carefully design experiments and data collection methods, use appropriate analytical tools and techniques, and ensure that the results are communicated effectively to stakeholders. Additionally, collaboration with experts in relevant fields, such as engineering or business, can help to ensure that research is both rigorous and relevant.

Nineteenth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Shilpi Jain, Professor & Area Chair - IT and Big Data Analytics, FORE School of Management (FSM), New Delhi.
Date: 18th February 2023
Brief: 19th edition of Exploratio was delivered by Prof. Shilpi Jain, Professor & Area Chair - IT and Big Data Analytics, FORE School of Management (FSM), New Delhi, who discussed a working paper close to her heart titled ‘Teaching Design Thinking and Sustainability through Social Campaigns on Twitter: A Mindshift Approach’. Through the said research paper, she explained how social media platforms such as Twitter could be made a valuable learning and evaluating tool for design thinking concepts to business management students using an integrative case method. The study helped in understanding how twitter analytics can aid decision-making among the campaign owners (students) and improve their customer targeting through message engineering. The discussion threw new insight into ways of integrating science with practice. It was also insightful in the context of demonstrating inter-disciplinary studies involving marketing, information systems and more. The session was very valuable and enlightening for the scholars in the field of social science research.

Twentieth Seminar
Speaker:Dr. Deepk Jain – Ex- Assistant Vice President Maruti Suzuki Ltd,
Date:26th February 2023
Dr Deepak Jain shared his views on the topic of “Sustainability: A Race against Time - How to Win the Race”.

Sustainability is a priority area where Academicians, Companies, Governments, NGOs and international bodies are contributing to achieve a common goal. Each stakeholder has a unique role to play and there is a need to synchronize, pool resources and knowledge within all stakeholders to achieve sustainability. He covered the SDG targets that are set by the Government of India and how the various states and union territories are performing on those targets. He also covered the Case study on the successful introduction of LED bulbs and Renewable energy in India, the initiatives of Maruti Suzuki limited along with how to set the Science Based Targets to achieve net zero by 2050 by companies.

Twenty-First Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Manu Amitabh, Dy. Director General, Central Public Works Department, GoI, India
Date: 25th March, 2023
Brief: As a part of Exploratio, Dr Manu Amitabh (FPM 2007 MDI Gurgaon) and currently Dy. Director General, Central Public Works Department, Govt. of India, Delhi, spoke on the topic "An Engineer-Technocrat as FPM candidate? Musings on how to make it count" on Saturday, March 25th, 2023. He shared his journey and model of his thesis and the challenges faced. He shared his thesis on entrepreneurial challenges in the construction industry immediately after the global financial crisis in 2008. His thesis was based on a mixed method and used the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) for its advantages of reducing bias, being more transparent, and direct conversion of qualitative responses to quantitative data. He was the first one to use it successfully in the Indian context. The main lessons from his journey included (i) write a bit each day (ii) spend as much time as necessary in ideation and planning, (iii) choice of areas to be of interest, (iv) proactive approach with work-life balance. His thesis which examined various elements of the entrepreneurial process concluded that while entrepreneurs display risk-taking behavior, it is no different from the general population in new venture settings.

Twenty-Second Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Harish Kumar
Title: Strength of the Weak Ties: Relevance in PhD and Publications
Date: 29 April, 2023
Brief: This session covered insights and tips on how to navigate the intricacies of the publication process, including selecting the right journal, crafting a compelling manuscript, dealing with peer review, and maximizing the impact of your research. The session also highlighted the importance of emerging technologies that can be used by budding scholars to design their manuscripts in a more engaging and relevant manner.

Twenty-Third Seminar
Speaker: Harshita Singh
Topic: Fostering student engagement through quality Pedagogy
Date: 24th June, 2023

Twenty-Fourth seminar
Speaker: Dr. Sunita Chugh, Founder: CEEE India, Director – Grid Consultants Pvt Ltd, Editor – Fortune Institute of International Business, and faculty HR and Leadership @ School of Inspired Leadership
Topic: Living Life a nutritious way: a societal and intellectual perspective
Date: 29th July, 2023

Twenty-Fifth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Suman Lahiri, DGM (Business Development), LENZE
Topic: Doctoral Research Journey
Date: 26th August 2023
Brief: The speaker for the 25th Exploratio shared his insights from his doctoral journey at MDI Gurgaon, beginning with the process of identifying a research problem to publishing in a reputed journal. He advised some smart practical tips for arriving at a research problem, educated on the data collection aspect, the relevance of literature review in research, and how we can leverage artificial intelligence ethically and beneficially for our research. From the session, the audience was informed about the relevance of pursuing education in a reputed B-school. Dr. Lahiri also discussed the importance of publishing in a good journal and offered some practical tips for moving in that direction. He advised on how and why to maintain a uniform workload for doctoral program throughout, averting a work saturation usually encountered towards the end. Lastly, the session ended with important inputs from the speaker on the research prevalent in contemporary academics, the importance of mixed-method research, and the pros and cons of it.

Twenty-Sixth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Shallini Taneja, Associate Professor, FORE School of Management
Topic: Living the PhD Journey - Reflections & Way Forward
Date: 8th October, 2023
Brief: The 26th session of Exploratio saw Dr. Shallini Taneja sharing the importance of networking in a doctoral journey and research. She expressed how networking helped her immensely in her doctoral endeavors and why a scholar must not shy away from taking some time out and interact with people, whether it is fellow students from their own or other domains or it is professors, or other part-time industry practitioners. Sharing her own experience, Dr Taneja informed the audience of various hurdles that could come during data collection and how to prepare oneself to confront them. The speaker concluded the talk by preaching the mantra of networking and socializing to the doctoral audience. The talk had a lot of practical utility, was inspirational and valuable for budding research scholars, and showed the path for persistence and relentless pursuit toward one's long-term goals.

Twenty - Seventh Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Sakhhi Chhabra, Assistant Professor, Marketing, XLRI Delhi-NCR
Topic: To Hustle the Hurdles: From Student to a Scholar
Date: 04 November, 2023
Brief: Prof. Sakhhi Chhabra shared her experiences of FPM journey on how to hustle her hurdles, in a way, from hustler to achiever. She provided her enriching experience of the journey full of uncertainties. She explained how the FPM journey is entirely individualistic. The speaker deliberated upon the academic profession talking about the work-life balance, time management aspect, and the preferred routine in the domain. She also talked about the future rewards awaiting in the field of academics in terms of incremental knowledge gain and multiple research and consulting opportunities. Prof. Sakhhi harped upon the necessity to have a collaborative work without shying away in sharing each other’s work. Elaborating how discussion is the key to achieve new edge in the research process, she informed that one needs to complement the same with effective utilization of the resources at the disposal. Finally, she affirmed that, in academics, money comes but with time and patience. Overall, the session was a very much practice aligned and offered basic insights into the FPM journey and the academic profession beyond.

Twenty - Eighth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Joffi Thomas, Professor, Marketing, at IIM Kozhikode
Topic: Ongoing exploration into the Management Learning Process and Impacting Management Practice
Date: 25 November, 2023
Professor Thomas began the conversation to inspire current scholars by sharing his journey as a scholar at MDI Gurgaon and then as a faculty at IIM Kozhikode, Professor Thomas emphasized the importance of experimentation during the journey of a scholar as it will lead to enriching experiences. Professor Thomas highlights the role of the experiential learning cycle in comprehending management theories. Professor Thomas highlighted that research involves gaining deep knowledge of a subject area while also at the same time being dynamic in identifying changes at the institutional or macroeconomic level which can potentially have a significant impact on the subject area. The rigor needed for research was explained by Professor Thomas and he also made the scholars worry about the fact that the journey of a research scholar is not an easy one and is best with frequent setbacks. The two major career choices for research scholars in the form of Academia and Corporate were discussed by Professor Thomas along with the pros and cons associated with them. Professor Thomas stated that the main goal of knowledge is to be able to view events and objects from multiple perspectives and effectively induce the desired change in the behavior of the learner. The discussion concluded with Professor Thomas sharing testimonials of his students in the PGP Program at IIM Kozhikode and how the course he taught helped them to improve their journey as professionals by being able to successfully apply knowledge gained in the classroom to real business problems. In his ending remarks Professor Thomas impressed upon the need for continuous learning for scholars and how it will help them in time to apply the knowledge gained in academia to solve business problems and provide consultancy services to major corporate houses.

Twenty – Ninth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Shweta Jaiswal, Workplace Learning and Employee Engagement Consultant University of British Columbia
Topic: Crucial Epochs: A Narrative of Learning, Research, and Professional Evolution
Date: 30 December 2023
Dr. Shweta Jaiswal in the lecture discussed her journey as a research fellow where she faced challenges as well as successes. Dr. Jaiswal at the very beginning of her lecture emphasized that research and FPM is an individual journey and it is unlikely that the experience of a group of scholars will be the same. She highlighted the importance of being
comfortable with one’s own process and journey and comparison with peers most of the times will lead to stress and anxiety. She stressed on the importance of maintaining a work life balance to insure that scholars don’t get burnt out and are able to sustain a high level of productivity through the long and arduous journey that is FPM. Dr. Jaiswal stated that the process of selecting a research area is critical as the academic journey of a scholar will for the
foreseeable future revolve around it. Dr. Jaiswal provided pointers to scholars in selecting potential research areas by giving due consideration to the interest the scholar in a particular research domain and at the same time insuring that the domain is of relevance to both the academicians and the industry. Dr. Jaiswal shared her insights on how she selected HR Analytics as her area for the purpose of FPM, she impressed upon the need for selecting a
cutting edge research area which will sustain for a long period of time. Dr. Jaiswal concluded the lecture by charting out the potential career paths which scholars can follow post FPM. The three major career options that Dr. Jaiswal highlighted were, Teaching and Research positions in Academia, Industry and Corporate roles and Private Consultancy. Dr. Jaiswal
ended the lecture by stating that the career options with experience cease to be mutually exclusive however scholars should be considerate of their own goals and expectations before selecting any of the options available initially.

Thirtieth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Gaatha Narang, Senior Analyst, Accenture Strategy & Consulting | Talent & Organization
Topic: Scholar Meets Suit: Navigating the Pathway to the Consulting Landscape
Date: 27 January, 2024
In an insightful session titled 'Scholar Meets Suit: Navigating the Pathway to the Consulting Landscape,' participants delved into the nuanced differences between scholarly research and the dynamic realm of consulting. Dr. Gaatha skillfully guided the audience through real-world consulting scenarios, unraveling challenges, and meticulously mapping each research stage - from 'Problematizing' to 'Implications' - to its equivalent in the fast-paced, client-centric consulting environment. This one-on-one mapping provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the essential skill sets required, equipping them with the knowledge to seamlessly integrate scholarly excellence into the vibrant practitioner world.

Thirty-First Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Sonam Chawla, Faculty & Assistant Dean, OB&HR, Jindal Global University
Topic: Teaching (Facilitating) Triumphs: Small Changes, Big Impact with Learning Science.
Date: 28th February 2024
Prof. Sonam Chawla provided a very effective session with insightful learning which was aimed to help us to facilitate a learning session. The session was very interactive which helped to have a ground reality of how to deal with the audience. The audience can be of varying demographic characteristics. She provided us with directions on how to engage our listeners and have a wonderful and interactive session. The session showed us how to create a fertile ground to deliver insightful learning. It made us realize how one can dig upon one own knowledge and connect to prior learning as well. It evolved a thought of how to connect with students and the learners when we dig into a session.
It guided us to develop experimentation with the students where one can make the learning like a beautiful journey rather than a goal to achieve. The session evoked that the learning process can be developed as a need that the students will enjoy and connect with themselves. The learning should never be aimed just to score marks. Rather, it should aim to have mental growth of the learners where the theory can be connected to the practical world. This will provoke the students and create a willingness to learn. Finally, the contributions of the session made us think that teaching can be so fun and impactful. Also, one can learn maximum when one teaches or facilitates a session.

Thirty-Second Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Deepak Pandit, Chair Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, BML Munjal University, Gurugram
Topic: The Challenge of doing Applied Research
Date: March 30th, 2024
Attracting enthusiastic scholars ready to delve into the nuances of applied research, Prof. Deepak's latest session on Product Architecture and Assessing Innovativeness in India’s Automotive Sector was a great success. Prof. Deepak explained how product architecture and innovation levels inside companies are related, based on a wide range of actual data and previously published research.
The creative way in which Prof. Deepak established a concrete connection between product architecture and innovation by leveraging publicly accessible data from a well-known Indian automaker was one of the session's highlights. In-depth knowledge about how various architectural strategies can greatly impact a firm's capacity for innovation was imparted to scholars.
The practical ramifications of these findings for businesses working within the highly competitive automobile industry were also the focus of the stimulating and energetic conversations that took place during the event. Scholars also discussed how these insights can be useful to upcoming researchers who want to work in both academia and business. The seminar gave scholars practical methods for fostering innovation inside their companies and a road map for negotiating the ever-changing terrain of Indian automotive innovation.

Thirty-third Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Nikhita Tuli, Assistant Professor, Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad
Topic: What is an Experimental Research Design
Date: 27th April, 2024
Summary: In this edition of the Exploratio Seminar, Dr. Nikhita Tuli discussed the intricacies associated with Experimental Research Design. The session began with Dr. Tuli highlighting the importance of identifying the objective for carrying out research, she elaborated that research is for the purpose of exploration of a new phenomenon or concept, for the purpose of classification and describing an existing phenomenon or object and to finally establish relationships and causality between two events or phenomenon which were previously treated as unrelated or distinct. Dr. Tuli explained experimental research as the testing of the hypothesized relationship between an Independent and a Dependent variable by manipulating the Independent Variable. The seminar moved towards designing an experimental research framework as Dr. Tuli elaborated on the process using examples of her research that focused on assessing the impact of inclusive advertisements vs non-inclusive advertisements. She highlighted the importance of control variables in the research framework to obtain reliable results by factoring these variables in the research design. She concluded the session by discussing a prospective experimental design which dealt with evaluating the use of AI in classroom teaching.

Thirty-fourth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Preeti Jain, VP - Corporate Finance, Accenture
Topic: From Seedling to Scholar: Achieving Breakthroughs!
Date: 21st May, 2024
In the 34th Exploratio, Dr. Preeti Jain illuminated the power of small, consistent improvements. She eloquently shared how even a 1% enhancement in often-overlooked areas can yield exponential results over time. Drawing inspiration from Toyota's incremental innovation, Dr. Jain emphasized that cultivating minor habits leads to significant transformations. Her insights highlighted the profound impact of aggregation, showcasing how these tiny steps can collectively create extraordinary outcomes. Attendees were left inspired by the notion that remarkable success is within reach through deliberate, steady efforts.

Thirty-fifth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Alaknanda Menon, Asst. Professor, Business Environment and Strategy, School of Business Management, NMIMS Mumbai
Topic: Navigating hats and Balancing Academic roles: Research, Teaching, Admin and Consulting
Date: July 06, 2024
Prof. Alaknanda in the 35 th Exploratio scrambled the collusion between teaching, research, administration and consulting. She focused on providing a balance between these four domains. As a young scholar entering into academia brings a lot of responsibilities and expectations. The individual has to decide and make a balance between these phenomena. Usually, a fresher in academics is expected to have teaching hours ranging from 90 to 270 hrs.

The availability of courses is distributed among the trimesters. The assistant professor has to take up the core courses as well. Also, the schools might have a combination of UG and PG students. The content, complexity and example of the cases involved for both the groups are really going to be very different. Now, when it comes to research, the fresh entrant is not expected to have publications in the initial five years of the career. But, as time progresses, the expectations are built up and one is involved to have more of publications.

The administration roles are the ones that nobody can escape. One must get involve in such activities no matter what. The administration activities can be either related to placement activities or admission activities or maintenance of the different cohorts of the college. The last important part being considered is the consulting activities. Such instances come with huge money but still, one must balance between the consulting and the research activities.
Thus, it can be concluded that these four are the major elements of the academic profession. It depends on the priority and balance of the individual about how one is going to carry it in the future.

Thirty-sixth Seminar
Speaker: Ms. Anishya Obhrai Madan, Industrial Liaison Officer, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Topic: Overcoming Common Research Challenges: Practical Tips for Managing Time, Resources, and Academic Setbacks
Date: 27th July 2024
36th Exploratio Seminar was held on 27th July 2024. Ms. Anishya Obhrai Madan, Industrial Liaison Officer, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, was the esteemed guest speaker, sharing her valuable insights on the topic, “Overcoming Common Research Challenges: Practical Tips for Managing Time, Resources, and Academic Setbacks.”. Being an alumnus of MDI Gurgaon, Ms Madan reiterated to the scholars that MDI Gurgaon provides them with a lot of critical resources, which they should use efficiently and effectively.

For assignments, papers, and readings, she advised the scholars develop the habit to annotate. They should make a system for how they will keep track of all the amount of work that they’re doing, to ensure it doesn’t become overwhelming later. She reminded them they had to be very efficient in how they use time & balance all the multiple things they do in order to succeed.

Ms. Madan counselled that PhD is a journey which is to be driven by self-motivation. The onus lies on the scholars, thus, there’s more responsibility on them. And if they don't manage their time well, then it'll lead to delays and reduce research quality. Some strategies suggested by her for efficient time management & utilization of resources were Structured Planning, Pomodoro technique, Eisehower / Covey matrix and so on. One useful Mantra shared by her was “Do, delegate, delete, and schedule” based on urgency of tasks. She also advised the scholars to become familiarized with the language of their profession—the language of their readings, classes, and research papers, to survive.

She emphasized on the significance of the role of mentors in the PhD Journey of a Scholar’s journey. It is important to have someone to guide them through this journey when they’re stuck, whether personally, professionally, or emotionally, which is why support systems are equally important.

In the context of publishing, she remarked that as they go through the journey, they will have to learn how to handle rejections constructively and to take negative comments in their stride. Since it's their work, they want it to be published as soon as possible. But if at first they get negative feedback, not to take it personally but to look at the comments, incorporate them, and end up with a better product. Getting negative feedback doesn't mean the end of their research career. It just means they have to resubmit after incorporating the feedback till it gets published.

On work-life balance, Ms Madan commented that the line in between is not so distinct. In research, it's just managing things with life going on around you. So, the two will come together. And if you’re a working professional, then you have work, research, and life like a triangle, and all 3 are important in your life.

In closing, she concluded, Challenges in research will come up: They are not obstacles, but opportunities to innovate and grow. Each problem encountered will be a chance to deepen your understanding and push the boundaries of knowledge because now you have entered the zone of production of knowledge. The entire journey is a learning experience in itself. You will grow as a person and come out a different person at the end of it.

Thirty-Seventh Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Paramjit Singh Lamba
Topic: Building a Robust Research Framework: Strategies for Effective Data Collection and Analysis
Date: 31 August, 2024
The seminar, titled "Building a Robust Research Framework: Strategies for Effective Data Collection and Analysis," explored key aspects of constructing a solid foundation for research. The session was organized into four parts: a presentation of slides, an interactive discussion with the participants, real-life scenario explanations, and a case-based discussion on data collection.

The presentation covered essential topics, starting with an introduction to research frameworks and their importance. Participants were guided through the core components, including how to define research questions and hypotheses, research design, and methodology. A focus was placed on the framework for selecting appropriate methodologies, sampling techniques, and various data collection methods. Ethical considerations, data management practices, and the interpretation of data were also emphasized as critical elements for maintaining quality in research. The presenter also discussed common challenges in research and recommended best practices, including the use of research software tools to streamline the process.

A lively discussion ensued, with participants being asked to share real-life examples of inductive and deductive approaches to research. Toward the end, an engaging brainstorming session took place, centering on potential data collection strategies for three unique contexts: the LGBTQ+ community, third-stage cancer patients, and e-commerce delivery workers. This discussion prompted participants to draw from their personal and professional experiences, making the session both insightful and collaborative.

Overall, the seminar was informal yet constructive, fostering a conversation where participants could openly share their experiences, challenges, and ideas related to research and data collection.

Thirty-Eighth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Jaya Priyadarshini, Assistant Professor, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon
Topic: Transitioning from ideas to impact: Making your research matter
Date: 5th October 2024
The seminar, titled "Transitioning from ideas to impact: Making your research matter," explored key aspects of constructing a solid foundation for research. The session blended a structured presentation and an interactive discussion seamlessly, thanks to Dr. Jaya Priyadarshini’s oratory skills.

The session revolved around two central themes: How to identify you research topic, and how to craft a successful FPM journey from it. When identifying your research topic, professor emphasized the need to start early, and using the opportunities in coursework to flesh out one’s ideas. Interestingly, professor also emphasized the value in exploring corporate and industry reports in better understanding the ground-reality of one’s topic and the research gaps in it. She further explained how to incorporate such literature in systematic literature reviews. This was something new that many of us had not come across in our study of the systematic literature review method.

With regards to crafting a successful FPM journey and finishing your FPM course on time, professor explained the merit of bifurcating your topic on conceptual lines and tackling each part separately through coursework and thesis work, in a manner that allows it to be woven into an integral whole in the form of the thesis. Coming to publications, both for completing course requirement and for progressing one’s career, professor emphasized that quality triumphs quantity, but at the same time FPM students must prioritize the requirements of the program in mind. So, The purpose of FPM is to demonstrate expertise in theory-building and research methods, not win the nobel prize. So, students should first prioritize papers for fulfilling the program requirement, and then focus on top-quality journals only.

Lastly, we discussed how researchers can bring a positive impact on society. Professor emphasized that to do that, we must bridge the gap between industry and academia, and that stems from challenges in research applications, and challenges in research communication. By overcoming these barriers, we can become part of policy change and bring a net positive to society. It was an honor to receive her as a guest speaker; an honor that MDI Gurgaon would love to have again.

Thirty-Ninth Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Arpita Srivastava, Associate Professor, XLRI Jamshedpur
Topic:  The Big Transition: from being taught to teaching!
Date:  05th November, 2024
The 39th Exploratio Seminar, led by Prof. Arpita Srivastava, an Associate Professor from XLRI Jamshedpur, offered a unique and candid exploration of the early career journey of academics in business schools. The session began with a thought-provoking question: "What do you think the journey of an early academician in a business institute would be like?"
Prof. Srivastava shared insights from her own experiences, emphasizing that initial impressions—including personality and appearance—often play a role in a new professor’s experience. She highlighted the critical influence of student feedback and research publications on building credibility. Additionally, she discussed strategies for creating engaging and meaningful classes, stressing the importance of preparation, subject expertise, and effective course delivery.
The professor also addressed practical aspects of teaching, such as the timing and process for introducing elective courses, and she underscored the value of networking through conferences, fellowships, and grants, as these establish the academician’s potential. Throughout her talk, she noted how perception can significantly impact a new faculty member’s journey in a business institute.
Following the talk, Prof. Srivastava engaged in an interactive Q&A session, where students posed thoughtful questions. Her responses provided further depth and practical insights, making the seminar both engaging and valuable.

Fortieth Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Ratan Kumar, Assistant Professor - Marketing, School of Management, Bennett University
Topic: Beyond Academia: Building a Personal Brand in the Knowledge Economy
Date: 27th November, 2024
Prof. Ratan Kumar, a Sales and Marketing Fellow from MDI Gurgaon and faculty at Bennett University, conducted an insightful session on personal branding and the role of social media in the knowledge economy. He emphasized the importance of selecting the right platforms—like LinkedIn for professional networking, Twitter for real-time updates, and Instagram/Facebook for visual content—based on target audiences. He highlighted the need for consistency in branding and a clear content strategy to build a strong online presence. The session also underlined how personal branding and social media are critical for professional growth in the evolving educational landscape.

Forty-first Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Sanjeev Kishore
Topic:  Developing Theory using Case Study Methodology
Date:  21st December 2024
Dr. Sanjeev Kishore, an advisor with RITES, superannuated as general manager of south-western railways in 2023. Dr. Kishore painted a vivid picture of theory building in case research using his own thesis work as an illustration. His thesis work studied discontinuity management in complex projects. The presentation introduced the idea of theory building, drawing from Dul & Hak, and Eisenhardt. The core revolved on how Dr. Kishore actually conducted his thesis work. The end knitted together the fundamental ideas of theory building and the actual thesis work to illustrate how theory is developed from case research. Dr. Kishore further discussed how he derived recommendations for improving practice. Overall, the session was insightful and we sincerely hope we get another opportunity to interact with Dr. Sanjeev Kishore in the future.

Forty Second Seminar
Speaker: Ms. Saleha Ahmad, Founder - GPS Goal Academy
Topic: Executive Coaching - A Career Option
Date: 30th January 2025

The session was conducted by Dr. Saleha Ahmad, an EFPM and founder of GPS Goal Academy, which offers executive coaching to leaders from top organizations. She highlighted the rapid growth of the executive coaching industry, with a 12.9% annual growth rate, particularly in the USA and Asia Pacific regions. Dr. Ahmad shared her journey from being a behavioral scientist at SBI to pursuing an EFPM from MDI Gurgaon, which strengthened her theoretical foundation and enabled her to establish her own venture. Her coaching approach focuses on enhancing seven areas of wellbeing: physical, mental, relational, career, financial, learning, social, and spiritual. She also emphasized the importance of communication skills for FPM/EFPM students aspiring to work in the industry. In the Q&A session, she addressed the practical relevance of theories, stating they are evidence-based but often require effort to convince practitioners. She also touched upon gender bias in hiring, encouraging students to remain confident despite such challenges.

Forty Third Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Sunil George Mathew
Topic:  Navigating Academia with Work Life Balance
Date:  22nd February 2025

Dr. Sunil George Mathew, an accomplished academic and industry expert with over 12 years of experience and nearly four years in academia, took the session. He is currently an Associate Professor of Practice at Jindal Global Business School, and has taught a wide range of Marketing courses at prestigious institutions. 

The session provided valuable insights into navigating the transition from industry to academia, balancing PhD studies with personal and professional commitments, and preparing for an academic career. Dr. Sunil George Mathew shared his journey from the corporate world to academia, highlighting the challenges and advantages of having an industry background in a PhD and faculty role. He discussed strategies for managing workload effectively, including the use of the *Eisenhower Matrix* to prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. The session also covered key aspects of work-life balance, coping with the uncertainties of a PhD, and adapting to the demands of academic life.  

Additionally, the session included a Q&A where Dr. Mathew addressed common concerns of PhD students, such as organizing research papers, preparing for the academic job market, and dealing with stress and burnout. He emphasized the importance of adaptability, perseverance, and a strong support system in successfully navigating the academic journey. His insights and firsthand experiences provided practical guidance for students, especially those transitioning from industry or managing multiple roles.