A Paradigm Shift: From Textbook Theories To Real-World Impact

Business schools are playing a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of change-makers for India and the world. Their mission is to instill not just business acumen, but also innovative thinking and global leadership. 

"Global, inclusive and responsible are the values we instill in our students to empower them to become future changemakers, driving positive transformation in India and the world," said Sujata Shahi, Vice Chancellor of IILM University, speaking at a panel discussion on ‘How B-schools Are Developing Tomorrow’s Changemakers’, at the B-school Summit and Awards 2023, organised by BW Education. 

Tomorrow's changemakers are being shaped through a holistic approach that goes beyond traditional business education. Moreover, there is a growing emphasis on fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.  

 “Now that we are talking about ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India) by 2047, it's important to make sure how our students are going to contribute to this,” she added. 

Pooja Jain, Director of JIMS Rohini, said, "Change is the only constant, and sensitising students to adapt and thrive in this dynamic environment is crucial. We want them to be responsible leaders, contributing to an inclusive and sustainable future." 

"We must ensure that our students are capable of working in the business and economic spheres and are sensitive to these changes," she added. 

All of us seek inclusive development. Their ability to see things holistically will help them become better leaders. 

“We need to make sure our students are sensitive to these changes and responsible to work on the business front and the economy front,” Jain added.   

"We are all looking for inclusive development. Having holistic perspectives is going to make them serve the country better and become good leaders.”  

Prasoon M. Tripathi, Director, IMS Ghaziabad, said, “We need to ensure that everyone gets the benefits of the boom. Making sure there is 100 per cent attendance in the class is crucial as well. We need to make sure to make our students learn and become responsible.”  

“Ensuring they are becoming confident in their areas. Action is the prominent factor and we need to inculcate action in our future changemakers", Tripathi added. 

Mukul Jain, Director, St Thomas Management Institute, Jhajjar, shared, “The B-schools should also make sure to teach how to deal with failures. Sessions like time management, team building and stress handling should be held in the institutes.”  

Addressing the challenges of the future Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Glocal University said, “Throughout our lives, we have learned to study hard and work hard and only then will we be able to get into a very good company or a good job.” 

He further said, “We are baby boomers teaching our Z generation the industry cycles for the coming years. So, we need to be more involved and create a mind to go through all the coming hurdles and their thought process as well.” 

B-schools are integrating experiential learning, case studies and real-world projects into their curricular, providing students with practical insights and problem-solving capabilities.  

"The use of artificial intelligence has the most crucial role in this era. And teaching them all the new technologies and making them get a hang of them is going to play a major part", Mishra added. 

He said that global exposure is another key aspect. Many business schools are establishing collaborations with international institutions, facilitating exchange programmes and inviting industry leaders from around the world to share insights. 

In essence, B-schools are not merely churning out business graduates; they are shaping responsible and innovative leaders, equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. They are redefining the business landscape, one changemaker at a time.