SCMS Cochin School of Business maps international management trends to offer the best Management education in India

Management education needs to continually evolve to meet the challenges of today’s disruptive and uncertain economic environment. SCMS Cochin School of Business continually evaluates and updates its curriculum to ensure that the graduates of the institute are world-class leaders. Recognized as one of the best MBA colleges in India, SCMS Cochin has identified the key challenges management education faces in 2015.

     ·         Digital Transformation: Convergence in the new digitized world has thrown up new learning curves, both for organizations and management professionals. It is becoming imperative to focus on courses, including digital marketing, social media marketing, and digital media planning and buying. New media has changed the business landscape making new media literacy an imperative for global leaders.

     ·         Follow the flow: Emerging economies are lucrative to established businesses and they are shifting to these countries. These businesses need to be agile in order to be able to profit from this window of opportunity. SCMS is trying to map this requirement by preparing management students with:

-          Conceptual frameworks to understand cross country differences

-          Openness to foreign cultures and ideas

Problems faced by organizations are due to the inability of managers to deal with these shifts in the markets. Contemporary management education should cater to these requirements.

     ·         Fresh approach to problem solving: To succeed today, managers have to possess the ability to reframe problems in order to find optimized solutions. Human-centered innovation is another key trend this year. It will continue to grow as ‘individualism’ in the field of innovation becomes a focus. It is now necessary to move from rhetorical to critical thinking to find innovative solutions.

     ·         Learn by doing: Management schools like SCMS have realised the importance of experiential learning. SCMS curriculum has built in live-learning ecosystems to ensure interaction with entrepreneurial projects.  Other ways of creating these learning systems are SIPs, incubators, events etc.

     ·         Social responsibility: Corporate social responsibility is an essential part of a sustainable business strategy. Management schools have the responsibility of stimulating thoughts and discussions around socially important issues.

SCMS Cochin School of Business has been identifying gaps in management education, ensuring that students understand the emerging business milieu before they leave campus. 

Prof. Mariakutty Varkey, with her invaluable industry experience, shapes students at SCMS Cochin School of Business into the Professionals of tomorrow

Prof. Mariyakutty Varkey

Prof. Mariyakutty Varkey is one of the few women of her times who tried to conquer unchartered territories and make a place for herself in the industry. An engineer and MBA, she has around 22 years of experience working in the IT industry, including Keltron. A Kerala government initiative, Keltron was one of the flagship IT industries in India and offered her an opportunity to work with Germany on a software development project. Prof. Varkey has carried her vast experience to academia and, since 2006, has been an invaluable member of the faculty team at SCMS Cochin School of Business. 

Prof. Varkey started her journey with the institute as a Professor in  Operations and  Systems department , and today she also functions as the HOD of the department. She talks about her journey from the industry to academia, saying, “I was enamoured by the idea of working in the industry, especially on the factory level. Later on, I moved to software and had several exciting opportunities along the way. I joined Suntech Business Solutions, and helped set up their software testing company in Cochin. It was then that I felt I wasn’t able to spend time with my son, who was growing up. Therefore, I decided to take a break and get into academics.”

For someone who thrived on the day to day challenges of the industry, it wasn’t an easy choice; however, it is clear that Prof. Varkey has grown into it and started to embrace the responsibilities. Going back to the first days at SCMS Cochin, she remembers being a bit nervous: “I wasn’t sure I would be able to teach at all. But it takes time and the best thing about SCMS Cochin is that you are able to contribute. Here your industry experience is valued and you are able to change the syllabus by adding latest content. Given our industry experience, we also know what to expect from junior colleagues and together we fine tune the syllabus to give students an advantage.”

And the results are there for all to see, as students from the institute have managed to get placements in top rung companies. Today, the faculty team has a strong mix of individuals with solid industry experience and they try to give students as much valuable industry exposure as possible. However, Prof. Varkey is quick to point out the many things that today’s students should work on to make their place in the industry. “For starters, they need to upgrade themselves constantly because the technology changes fast”, she says. “The IT industry is also a lot about teamwork and your individual brilliance might not account for much. Your flexibility as a professional, however, surely will”.

Prof. Varkey suggests different focus groups, forums, magazines and the Internet as ways for students to continually update their skill sets and increase their industry knowledge. She also highlights the changing industry scenario, saying, “In the 90s in IT, cost was the major factor and that’s why there was a lot of outsourcing. But today, it’s all about providing value to the customer and cost is not the only concern.” As a result of these changes, quality plays a crucial role and SCMS  tries to impart that to students by focussing on practical applications, project management and live exposure that prepares them for the transition ahead.

According to Prof. Mariakutty, there are definitely several opportunities for MBAs in the IT industry that do not require programming and coding: “You can become a Business Analyst where you are, in a sense, a liaison between the customer and project manager. The marketing of IT or other hardware products is also another option besides quality testers”. Prof. Varkey is also optimistic about the scope for growth as young professionals can become project managers in 5-8 years, based on their performance. Therefore, she advises students to identify their goals and to keep their focus in order to reach places with  their hard work. 

Top Five Hallmarks of the Best PGDM in Kerala

PGDM in India

God’s own country has become a top destination for management aspirants in India with several B Schools coming up in picturesque locales all over the state. But what are the aspects that one should look for when choosing the best PGDM in Kerala? Here are a few ideas:

While getting a PGDM can be the perfect platform for you to get a foothold in the corporate world, the importance of finding the right institute to pursue your aspirations cannot be overemphasized. Quite simply, it can be the difference between future leaders and the also-rans. Here are a few things that you should pay attention to when you are looking at B Schools in Kerala, a place that’s buzzing with opportunities for management hopefuls.

Reputation of the institute is imperative

This is the case for every Full Time PGDM in India, and the first thing you should consider when zeroing in on management schools in Kerala, too. B Schools that have been around for several years and have a proven track record should definitely be given first priority. You can also focus on their rankings in the state and get an idea about the relevance of the PGDM program offered by taking your time and doing some good research.

The curriculum and pedagogy

When you are looking for a B School in the state of Kerala, it should not be difficult to find an institute that offers a curriculum that’s in line with industry requirements and also evolves with the changing times. Also, focus on institutes that go beyond classroom teaching and offer practical learning experience. Industry institute interface sessions, industry visits, workshops etc., are different initiatives at top institutes that offer students a comprehensive learning experience.

Faculty teams are the pillars of top B Schools

Of course, you have to look for a PGDM program that is best suited to your future aspirations. But don’t forget the importance of career-shapers – the faculty members who will guide you in the right direction. When you are doing your research about management institutes, give due importance to the faculty of the different departments. Experienced faculty at an institute can ensure that you have the best learning experience, which will hold you in good stead.

Location, amenities and infrastructure

Cochin is at the heart of the state and considered to be an important centre for learning in India. Finding a B School here can open up various avenues for your future career. However, it’s equally crucial that you enrol with an institute that has the best infrastructure and amenities in place to create a productive learning environment. The campus, library and living conditions are some of the factors that need to be considered.

Placement track record

The placement record of an institute is also something that has to be taken into account. The organizations it manages to bring to campus, the job profiles and industries it draws are vital for your future goals.

Keeping these factors in mind will help choose the right PGDM program at a top B School in Kerala.

Placement Record of SCMS Cochin Becomes a Huge Draw for Management Aspirants

Full time PGDM

The placement record of a B School has always been an important benchmark for students who harbour management aspirations. SCMS Cochin, one of the renowned management institutes in the country, once again had a solid showing in the current placement season, which has further increased its appeal amongst students from all over India.

There are business schools in the country, and there are those that have proven their mettle time and again by producing management professionals that are much sought after in the industry. With its consistent track record over several placement seasons, SCMS Cochin has achieved enough to be a name that falls into the latter category. Things have looked more than promising over the current placement season as well, which is good news for the management hopefuls of tomorrow.

Here are few of the highlights of the current placement season at the institute:

Number of organizations increases

In the placement season that got underway mid-November, more than 50 companies made their presence felt. This includes 25 new companies. These new attendees were eager to visit the campus, namely for one reason: to meet students who were now industry-ready thanks to a series of initiatives that are an integral part of the Full time PGDM at SCMS Cochin.

Top rung companies come as recruiters

At the end of the day, it’s not just about the numbers during the placement season but also the quality of recruiters. That’s where the institute scores highly, because it managed to draw top names like Colgate Palmolive, HCL Infosystems, Whirlpool of India Ltd., KPMG, ITC Ltd., Tata Teleservices, Axis Bank, South Indian Bank, LG Electronics, Haritha Tech Serve (TVS Group), Deloitte, and many more. Clearly, hiring employees from the institute is a lucrative proposition for big names in the business world.

The average salary remains steady

That’s definitely an important aspect of the current placement season, especially considering the current state of the economy. The average salary during the placement season was a decent Rs. 4.5 lakhs p.a, which is definitely inspiring for management hopefuls who want to start off on the right foot in their respective fields.

Marketing and Finance rule the roost

Some of the best placements from the institute this season so far have been in areas of Marketing and Finance. This is actually not surprising, since these streams are considered to be the strongholds of the management institute. Through different initiatives that make students ready for the corporate world, including internships and other recruitment related activities, the B School inspires students to put their best foot forward.

Transparency maintained

With Corporate Relations Officers all over the country and effective placement strategies, the institute does everything possible to ensure that its students receive placement offers. Information about job profiles and salary packages of various companies is instantly shared with students so that they can make concerted efforts based on their goals. The institute also maintains transparency, revealing its placement records, which serves well for interested students in the future, who can then make an informed decision.

Given these important features of the placement season, it’s obvious why the institute seems like an appealing decision to management aspirants.