India needs global managers: Q&A with Dr Kamal Singh, Director, AIMA-CMD
The need
to disseminate the best management practices to a wider audience in India is
urgently required in today's scenario.
With
updated knowledge and skill-set, India can leapfrog into a global resource for
managerial talent. One organization that is playing a significant role this
domain is All India Management Association's Center for Management Development (AIMA-CMD).
AIMA-CMD
was established to provide working managers and students with new knowledge and
to equip them with the best management practices and techniques available in the
world.
In a
Q&A with MBAUniverse.com, Mr Kamal Singh, Director, AIMA-CMD shares how the
organization are playing a role in management development domain, and what are
the future plans.
Excerpts
from the interview:
Q: How has the management education sector evolved over the last decade
or so?
A: As Indian economy has grown at a rapid pace, management
education sector has evolved dramatically. There is a great demand and challenge
for B-schools to create managers for the industry and economy. India has the
demographic advantage at a global stage, and it can create global managers.
I see a huge change in the B-schools programmes to create the managers to meet
the industry requirements. Some B-schools that have been established in last 3
or 4 years are not only offering programmes in general streams but now offering
more specific programmes that are functional programmes. This is so because
Industry has also become much wiser. When industry recruits students from
B-schools, they also evaluate the differentiation that B-schools are offering.
Q: What role does AIMA's Center for Management Development play in
developing the managerial talent in India?
A: The Centre for Management Development plays a very positive
role in development of managerial talent. Today the biggest challenge for Indian
industry is to enhance the competence of Indian management professionals.
Towards this need, AIMA's CMD contributes by organizing Management Development
Programmes (MDPs) and National Events and Games. These programmes update the
knowledge and skill base of the business managers.
Q: How many MDPs does
AIMA CMD host in a year?
A: We have hosted 58 MDPs in the last year. We conduct MDPs on
various subjects which include Marketing, Human Resource, Information Technology
and others. Some of these MDPs were hosted outside India too.
MDPs are conducted for professionals to prepare them for tomorrow. In MDPs, we
not only give them conceptual framework in the beginning but also bring in the
real and live experience from the industry.
Some of our key MDPs include: What every manager should know about labour laws; Managerial
effectiveness; Knowledge management for Competitive Advantage and Success that
succeeds.
Q: What are some of the
key initiatives in the near future that your center is taking?
A: We are taking five big initiatives this year. The first
initiative that we are taking this year is 'CEO Retreat'. This is a two-day
programme where we are bringing all CEOs to understand the leadership challenge
that they face. This programme will be held on June 6 & 7, 2008 in Shimla.
The second initiative is that we are taking our Advanced Management Programme to
China. This will happen for the first time. Further, the programme will also be
taken to University of Maryland and Stanford University in United States.
The third initiative that we are holding a programme in New Delhi to bring
synergies, strengths and opportunities that exist for Brazil, Russia, India and
China (BRIC) countries. We have also added Mexico. There will be five delegates
from each country. These delegates include CEOs, Corporate leaders, Government
officials and others.
The fourth initiative is that we are organizing the India-US summit. The
objective of this summit is to discuss the management issues and challenges and
how both of these countries working on it.
The fifth big initiative is that we will hold a unique programme on diversity
and employability which will be led by Dr Deepak Jain, Dean of the Kellogg
School of Management.
Q: What is the focus of
your AMP? How is it doing…
A: The focus of AMP is on strategic leadership. The programme
has received an overwhelming response from corporate India and drew a full house
from reputed companies. Top level leadership development is a very important
area for India's growth.
Q: AIMA's National
Management Convention is perhaps the biggest management event in the country.
What are the plans for the coming NMC?
A: The next AIMA's National Management Convention will be held
from September 29 to October 1, 2008 in Mumbai. We expect 1100 professionals
from all over India. Last year, AIMA and Asian Association of Management
Organizations held the National Management Convention at Kolkata. The convention
was chaired by Mr Sanjiv Goenka, Vice Chairman, RPG Enterprises.
Q: Moving on, what is
your advice to young management graduates for becoming better managers?
A: I would like to say that the biggest challenge for students
and young managers is to leapfrog and be a global manager. Indian managerial
talent can perform at a global stage, and this is what they must focus on. There
is a huge demand in the industry for such talent.
But there are issues here. Not all B-schools are offering such globally oriented
education and training. So, students should take their own initiatives and move
in the proper direction.
Courtesy:-
www.mbauniverse.com
