IMI Kolkata hosts ISDSI global conference, brings B-school leaders, scholars and investors on one platform

From 26 December to 29 December 2018, IMI Kolkata hosted the 19th ISDSI Global Conference in partnership with the following organisations: Directors of Business School, Research Scholars from around the world, Accreditors and other stakeholders, Policymakers at the National and State Level, Corporate Leaders, Investors, and Founders of Startups.

The conference was attended by representatives from 26 countries and was highlighted by a total of 1,218 research papers and 220 business/start-up ideas. All Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and universities/Business Schools and Incubators around the world were represented in total over the course of the conference. The scale of participation underscored ISDSI’s position as one of the largest global platforms for management research hosted in India.

The plenary sessions and panel discussions included senior academic administrators from institutions like production management, management science and information technology, and operations research, as well as many international scholars from North America and New Zealand who are affiliated with EFMD, AACSB and AMBA-BGA; other credentialing organisations.

Professor Bharat Bhasker, an IIM Ahmedabad faculty member, made a keynote address about the role of technology in achieving sustainability goals, stating that India must leverage digital innovation to maximise the benefit to society in alignment with the VIKSIT BHARAT 2047 vision.

Two directors’ panels anchored the academic discourse. The first panel discussion had a specific objective to identify the way that technology and digitalisation will impact the future of MBA programs. All of the panel members shared common views regarding the positive impact of technology on Productivity but emphasized that management education should focus on teaching how to use Good Judgment, to be Flexible and to create a Foundation for Long Term Career Success. The second panel focused on Business School’s Role in supporting India as it transitions to 0 emissions, including establishing sustainability as a core focus area within the curriculum, research, campus operations, and connecting with Industry Partners on this journey.

A separate panel on Indian Knowledge Systems explored how traditional wisdom frameworks could inform contemporary leadership and organisational decision-making.

The conference also marked the launch of IMI Kolkata’s Global Investment Summit under its business incubator, IKN Innovation Foundation. Following mentoring over two months, 57 startups pitched to investors, with nine ventures securing investment commitments worth Rs. 5.1 crore.

The conference concluded with a strong collaboration between academic institutions, industry, and policymakers, as stated by Professor Mohua Banerjee from IMI Kolkata (Director) and Professor Bhimaraya Metri from ISDSI-Global president indicating that the 2025 Conference would be an important and significant step forward for international management research.