Aligning With Technology Is a Big Challenge for Management Students: Dr. Seema Shenoy

Retail management and its industry have been your area of expertise. What things should management graduate heed if they opt retail management as study, both in the context of e-retail and offline retail?

The dynamics of retailing are changing rapidly on daily basis and as a management professional I would advise students to be foresighted and innovative. Whether it is E- Tailing or Offline retailing, both require strategies that are new and engaging, only then will customers be interested in buying from any online or offline stores. Showcasing attractive offers coupled with customer relationship management are the two engaging strategies that have worked well for the retail sector time and again. Omni channel presence is also going to be the game changer in the coming years. As management graduates, students should be thorough in their knowledge about the latest retail formats and strategies that have helped in luring customers to generate sales and enhance the bottom line of businesses.

What challenges do you see in the management study, in current times and future as well?

The major challenge for management students in the current times and the future is to combat/align with technology. Today with advancement in technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning doing major part of the analytical jobs, a time may soon come when management jobs at the organisation level will also be handled with the help of software programmes. The management students should be in a position to be in line with the fast changing technologies and work an extra mile to adopt such technologies.

Would you please explain how do you ensure that each section and domain of the institute get proper attention and opportunity to thrive?

At SDM College of Business Management Post Graduate Centre for Management Studies and Research, Mangalore we have the culture of bringing the students to the centre of all activities. From classroom learning to research, cultural to sports, management activities to co-curricular events, workshops to conferences, students are at the centre of planning and execution. What sets SDM unique is the culture of grooming students to become job creators rather than being job seekers. The institute leaves no stone unturned in ensuring that students are capable of identifying their domain of interest and chiselling them to pursue their interest as their career. This approach has helped us in crafting great individuals who contribute immensely to the society with their entrepreneurial acumen and top notch corporate performances. We have also seen students run successful NGO’s, dance academies, take up career in politics and entertainment industry.

Students of the institute completed Taster’s Programme at Scotland, the U.K. Please point out about other accomplishment of students of the institute.

Our institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with City of Glasgow College, United Kingdom through which they got the opportunity to pursue a certificate course in Innovation and Productivity in City of Glasgow College, Scotland in November 2019. This programme also enabled them to learn the nitty-gritty of innovation and broaden their horizons of learning. The seven day certification programme that involved continuous assessment has kindled in them an urge for learning and also enlightened them on new dimensions for thinking.  The students also enjoyed city tour of London and visited various places in Scotland that made the experience more enchanting. The international study exposure has not just been helpful in learning new concepts but also students had the glimpse of new cultures. Students who were a part of the study tour were enriched in knowledge and their course certificate proved its worth in their placements. One student also went again to UK after his MBA to pursue higher studies. Everything included, the tour was fulfilling in more than one way.

Last year, the institute begun its Research Cell, a cell wholly dedicated towards research. Would you please tell us more about this cell?

Research initiatives at our institute have been phenomenal with several valuable research contributions by our faculty members published in reputed indexed journals. The awards received for research paper presentations have kept the faculty focus on research. What initiated us to start the research cell at the institute was growing student interest in research projects and research papers. It is noteworthy that the establishment of a dedicated research cell at our institute has fostered students to receive three Student Research Minor Projects from Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology and also completed one minor research project from Manipal University. Besides this, the students have also presented research papers in National and International Conferences and are now keen on learning new models and techniques for research. The great accomplishment of the year is that our Institute is recognised as Research Centre by Mangalore University. With this recognition, our Institute will now be offering Ph. D programme in Management discipline.

The institute is the foundational product of Padmavibhushan Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade. Please inform us about some other achievements of the institute.

Our Visionary leader Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Padma Vibhushan Awardee, is nominated as the member of Rajya Sabha recently. His wife Dr. Hemavathi Heggade is also honoured with Honorary Doctorate by Mangalore University for her notable services in the field of education and social service. Taking inspiration from our leaders our institute has also marched steadfast in the path of success. Some major achievements of our Institute are as follows:

• Hundred percent admissions and results.
• Consistency and continuity in bagging University ranks.
• MOU with two foreign universities for certificate courses which has enabled students to complete Tasters Programme from City of Glasgow College, Scotland, U.K. in 2019 and Grimsby University, U.K in 2016.
• Faculty at the Institute have received several prestigious awards for research and academic achievements.
• Over 25 MoU’s signed with Institutions, NGO’s and Companies of repute for exchange of knowledge and resources.
• Sound vibes generated by students have won them several paid internships in India and Abroad.
• Progressive placements and noteworthy entrepreneurial ventures by alumni.
• In-house E-Journal published by the institute.
• Authorised Microsoft partners-Active Edu Technologies offer Microsoft Certification and Badges to students.
• Student Social Responsibility Initiatives have been commendable.

Please tell us the future aspirations of SDM College of Business Management

The future aspirations of our institute is to be in line with the New Education Policy and steer the institute as a Centre for Research and Professional Learning by tie –up arrangements with renowned Foreign Universities.