Second Training Program on Interfacing Social Sciences with Management Education

Venue: Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa

Dates: 16-18 September 2009

Organized by: Centre for Management of Innovation and Technology (CMIT) of the International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi

Supported by: Technology Management Programme Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), India

Since the early years of independence, we have been talking about social issues, whether of employment, poverty, equity, access to a decent quality of Life, empowerment, etc. There are explicit statements in policy statements and development plans about what the country must do to resolve social problems or to alleviate their impact. The enunciations of what needs to be done, however, do not seem to find any direct expression in the educational preparation of managers. Management education seems concerned primarily with imparting knowledge and skills related to the subject matter of the individual disciplines/functions, but not as much with preparing individuals with sufficient understanding of the social context in which they would practice their profession, or developing the attitudes and sensitivity that would be needed if their activities were to impact meaningfully and positively on the lives of individuals, groups and the society as a whole. In a 'developmental society' we are not looking merely for highly intelligent and skilled though sociologically innocent/inept/ indifferent 'technicians'. We are looking for people who are not 'cocooned' in their managerial disciplines with little interaction or concern for the social milieu around them, but people who participate fully and meaningfully, and who can bring their specialized knowledge and skills to bear on the larger social development issues, and the uplift of the society in general.

Context

Teaching of Humanities and Social Sciences has always been considered essential for making a person 'educated' in a broader sense. According to the National Policy on Education 1986 (para 1.14), "They (the coming generations) have to be imbued with a strong commitment to humane values and to social justice". It is for this reason that in independent India the planners of management education had consciously provided for education in humanities and social sciences as an integral part of such education. However, over the years, teaching of social sciences in management education has not found the space it deserves, Even more alarming development has been the increasing de-emphasis on social sciences in the curricula both in the minds or the teachers as well as the students who have come to regard the social sciences component as marginal to the larger purpose of producing competent management professionals, Ironically this is happening at a time when the social context has become infinitely more complex, and serious dysfunctionalities have begun to emerge in the society. These dysfunctionalities may well jeopardize any constructive role that managers can potentially play.

Management is a profession of practice. Its context as well as the ult1mate beneficiary is the society. Special emphasis needs to be placed on equity in development, so that the benefits of growth reach the majority of the population, particularly the disadvantaged sections, leading to an improved quality of life for every citizen of the country. Managers should be helped to understand the interface between managerial and social issues, and learn 'how to operationalize' the social and other processes by which managers can indeed contribute to resolution of social issues, Advocacy and building support for managerial interventions to social issues is as important as developing a purely managerial solution, Managers need to know the art of advocacy, sometimes as much as their managerial discipline, if they are to be allowed to proceed by the society towards implementation. For instance, building an automobile plant or SEZ project is not a managerial issue alone but a complex social one with many layers of possible managerial solutions underneath.

Another reason for incorporating social science education in management education has to do with the growing concern for 'values' in the profession the world over. The National Policy on Education, 1986, as modified in 1992, lays down in para 8.4 that "The growing concern over the erosion of essential values and an increasing cynicism in society has brought to focus the need for readjustments in the curriculum in order to make education a forceful tool for the cultivation of social and moral values". The National Policy on Education, 1986 states in para 8.1, thus: “De-culturisation, de-humanisation and alienation must be avoided at all costs". People must be able to consider the implications of emerging managerial options in areas which impinge directly upon their lives, including the ethical and moral, legal, social and economic aspects.

A more immediate reason for incorporating social sciences and humanities into management education has to do with building ability of managers to deal with people effectively. Managers have to deal with people constantly, whether at the broader societal level or the more immediate level of colleagues, workers, clients, vendors, etc. They need to understand elements of human psychology, individual and group behaviour, management of conflict, securing cooperation and collaboration, and providing leadership.

The need for providing better understanding of social sciences and integrating social sciences seamlessly with management education cannot be overemphasized. If this is to happen the agents of change will be teachers of management and indeed social sciences who are fully sensitized to the issues of social sciences as they impinge on the preparation of managers and can bring about the needed curriculum change.

Organization of the Program

For developing awareness and sensitizing teachers of management programs to a host of issues relating to management and society so as to enable them to make curriculum changes and implement them, a Training Program is proposed to be organized for three days. The Program is being organized by the Centre for Management of Innovation and Technology (CMIT) of the International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi, in association with the Goa Institute of Management (GIM). Financial assistance for organizing the Program is being extended by the Technology Management Programme Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Program Objectives

The Program will have the following objectives:

• Develop awareness, amongst teachers of management programs, of the socio-economic scenario and diversities in terms of access to economic opportunities, education, healthcare, employment and infrastructure.
• Discuss the relationship between corporate management and society and measures necessary to enhance benefits and minimize disadvantages of management of change to the people.
• Analyze the role, functions and performance of the managers in making management people-friendly and the mechanisms required to protect the interests of the people in the short run as also on tong term basis.
• Identify behavioural strengths and weaknesses of managers and people/groups they interact with, and suggest how managers can imbibe social and human values in order to enhance ethical standards in the working of individuals, organizations and the society.
• Study how the aspirations, motivations and capabilities of people can generate conflict of interests and measures necessary at the organization, local and national levels to facilitate managers to increase people's participation in taking decisions on development issues.

Contents

For pursuing its objectives, the Program will discuss, amongst others, the following topics.

• Trends and Prospects of Socio-economic Development and Technological Growth and Role of Institutions in Making Development People Oriented
• Tradition and Modernity in a liberal Democratic Society : Governance, Power Equations, Rights of Individuals and Groups, Dispensation of Justice, Empowerment, and Sustainable Development
• Strategies and Institutional Mechanisms for developing skills amongst Managers, for Awareness Development, Advocacy, Information Sharing, and Influencing Opinions in Organizations and Society
• Collaboration, Cooperation and Conflict Management, leadership and Management Styles Human and Professional Values of Managers and their Impact on the profession, economy and society
  Strategy for Interfacing Social Sciences with Management Education

Methodology

The Program will be conducted in an interactive mode through a mix of lectures and discussions. Eminent experts will be invited to make presentations for sharing their expertise and perceptions with the participants on identified topics. Simultaneously, participants will hold discussions in groups on curriculum for students of management (or social sciences. Towards the end, participants will make presentations of their groups' recommendations on the structure and contents of curriculum they would endeavour to introduce in their institutions, for sharing the same with the rest of the participants.

Target Group

Participation is invited from teachers of management and social sciences working in IIMs, IITs, NITs and other central/state funded institutions, universities and AICTE approved institutions imparting postgraduate level education in management. Teachers/ officials working in other institutions dealing with the subject, e.g. NUEPA, UGC, AICTE, etc. are also invited to participate. In order to facilitate mutual sharing of experience, the number of participants will be limited.

Duration and Place

The Program will be held in the campus of the Goa Institute of Management, Ribandar, Goa for three working days from 16 to 18 September 2009 from 9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Participants will be expected to continue their discussions beyond working hours in order to complete their group work and present the same on the final day.

Output

Output of the Programme comprise of two components as follows.

• Learning material comprising of texts of lectures and/or presentations of speakers.
• Reports prepared by the participants as group work.

Participation Arrangements
There is no registration fee. Operational expenses for conducting the Program will be met from funds provided by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Program will provide one set of learning resource material to each participant. Working lunch and tea will also be provided during the relevant breaks on the days of the Programme. Participants shall have to make their own arrangements for travel, local conveyance, lodging and boarding and other personal expenses. GIM can arrange for accommodation and boarding facilities and participants may avail of the same on payment of specified charges. Participants are expected to report at the venue half an hour before the commencement of the Program on the first day and attend all the sessions up to the close of working hours on the final day. They may have to devote evenings to group work assigned to them as a part of the Program. They will be required to submit their group reports on the final day of the Program.

Nominations for Participation

Nominations of intending participants should be sent by post as also by email latest by 5 September 2009 by the heads of departments/ institutions giving the following particulars.

• Name of the nominee:
• Designation, department and institution:
• Office address:
• Phone number:
• Residential address and Phone number:
• Email ID:

Nominations should be addressed to:
Prof. M. K. Khanijo
Coordinator (CMIT)
International Management Institute
B-10 Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016
Email: khanijo[at]imi.edu
Telefax: (011) 46013050

• Last Date for Registration: 5 September 2009