'The topsy-turvier the world gets, the more the need for capacity building': AIMA President

As the President of AIMA (All India Management Association), Shrinivas V Dempo will have his hands full. A successful businessman – he is the Chairman of the Goa-based Dempo Group of Companies – the role at AIMA, the body to enhance management capability, will call for high levels of interaction with the industry. In a Q&A with BT’s Krishna Gopalan, he outlines how AIMA can continue to be more meaningful: 

Business Today (BT): From an immediate, short-term and long-term point of view, what are your priorities as AIMA President? 

Shrinivas V Dempo (SVD): My most immediate and the core priority as AIMA President is to further build the organization's capabilities to serve Indian enterprises and institutes, which are the key stakeholders of AIMA. AIMA went fully digital during the COVID-19 period and, in the medium to long term, I want it to build on that transformation and be the preferred online platform for management education, training, testing, recruitment and consulting. 

In addition to offering multiple modes of learning, AIMA is working on offering knowledge and knowhow on the emerging management issues. AIMA is already offering a suite of 'New Age Courses', including those on digital transformation and sustainability, and over the short and medium term, I see AIMA offering courses on the evolving areas of management such as ESG and artificial intelligence. AIMA has started offering research and consulting services in certain niche areas, such as public procurement and, over the longer term, I would like AIMA to offer a wider array of management knowledge and services, especially to the fast-growing small and midsized enterprises. 

In addition, I am looking to consolidate AIMA's established strength in national and international dialogue on management issues and bring more stakeholders in the Indian economy onto AIMA platform. 

BT: To your mind, what are the ways in which AIMA can strengthen its relationships with industry? Please explain this from the background of how much work has been done so far? 

SVD: AIMA has a close relationship with the industry. The bulk of its membership, leadership and governing council come from the industry. AIMA office bearers and executive board members are top industrialists. Many of AIMA's services are delivered to the industry and with the help of the industry. 

AIMA's new education and training programmes are drawn from the emerging needs of the industry - digitalisation, digital business models, business use of AI and ML, sustainability etc. AIMA routinely organises industry leaders' visit to global technology and innovation hubs, especially in the US and Israel. AIMA has dedicated avenues for engaging the MSMEs, PSEs, and regional enterprises. AIMA has also created a platform for dialogue between management students and industry leaders. 

AIMA's National Management Convention and National Leadership Conclave are major forums for industry leaders to interact with the government leaders and global experts. AIMA's Managing India Awards are coveted by the industry and its recipients including the cream of Indian industry's leadership. 

BT: In a world as disruptive as the one we live in, what is the role of AIMA? How is it well-positioned to make the most of the opportunities available in India and globally? 

SVD: The topsy-turvier the world gets, the more the need for management refresh and capacity building, which is AIMA's primary role. AIMA has been around for nearly seven decades and it has helped India's business leadership navigate many transitions, and it continues to prepare Indian management for the potential opportunities and challenges in an increasingly uncertain and complex environment. 

AIMA is well-positioned to help Indian enterprises thrive on the opportunities created by the diverse disruptions, as it can tap the expertise of a diverse set of leaders, including those from the government, business, academia, and multilateral organizations. To enable adjustments to the rapid and unpredictable changes, AIMA has come up with forward-looking education and training programmes to renew Indian managers' knowledge, skills and approach. 

AIMA has tapped into its vast network of policy makers, business leaders, academics, technology experts, and innovators to enable Indian enterprises to appreciate the probable changes and acquire the knowhow to thrive because of those. AIMA exposes India's business leaders to the global business and technology trends by taking CEO delegations to the world's top innovation hubs and global economic conferences.  

BT: Are there any serious challenges/headwinds you see when it comes to AIMA's growth ambitions? How are you looking to address it? 

SVD: AIMA is an old yet agile organisation, and it trusts that strength to grow under most conditions. However, it does face headwinds every now and then, as the economy, policies, business knowhow and tools change. At the moment, AIMA is in a transition phase, as it adjusts its education and testing services to the New Education Policy and increasing centralisation of admission and recruitment testing. 

While continuing to offer its established services, AIMA is pivoting to value-added services in every area of its mandate. AIMA is offering new, specialised education programmes in the emerging management areas such as digital business, artificial intelligence and ESG. AIMA is offering research and consulting services to public and private organisations in partnership with the multilateral banks and global consulting majors. AIMA is offering online testing and screening services to recruiters. AIMA's growth strategy is linked to the needs of its stakeholders and it will continue to innovate as those need change and grow. 

BT: Please outline the relevance of AIMA today and how it needs to reorient itself over the next few years? Why is this phase so critical to AIMA? 

SVD: AIMA is extremely relevant today, as it has kept abreast of the changes in business environment and management issues. AIMA has been preparing Indian enterprises for the opportunities and threats coming from technological transformation and geopolitical disruptions for many years. AIMA itself has become fully digitalised and during the COVID-19 crisis, almost none of AIMA's services were disrupted. 

AIMA has been updating and upgrading its education and training programmes to reflect the digitalisation of business and the sustainability compulsions. AIMA has created platforms to promote inclusion, diversity and equity at the workplace. Still, even as AIMA is very much on the ball, it could reorient itself towards non-regulated, business-specific education, training, testing and certification. 

While AIMA's traditional mandate and strength have been democratization of management learning and raising management standards in the country, AIMA could focus a little more on value-added, high-end services in the future. This transition phase may prove critical for AIMA because the government's preferences and the needs of enterprises and students are changing in unpredictable ways. AIMA needs to be even more agile as the environment becomes less certain and more competitive.