[Design Thinking @IIM-A] The story of Ants.......with lessons for managers & HR

Today, if it intends to do so, KIIT University is better positioned than IIM-A to adopt design thinking principles in a big way. Hopefully, the forthcoming IIM-Bill will enable a university-like ecosystem for the IIMs to leverage design thinking in support of Make-in-India initiatives. Please see the postscript at the end of this post.]

Till that happens IIM-A may continue to be a victim of siloed thinking in the education system. Here is one quote from Prof. Martin's paper of 2006: “If design thinking were added to the current curriculum, there is a risk that it would become another silo alongside finance and marketing” [Source: David Dunne and Roger Martin, "Design Thinking and How it will Change Management Education: An Interview and Discussion," Academy of Management Learning & Education, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 512-523, December 2006; p. 522]

In my recent post titled "Design thinking @IIM-A for supporting Make-In-India campaign", I had mentioned that the curriculum review committee's recommendations are only partly in line with the views mentioned in my blog post titled "Design thinking necessary @IIM-A" written in January 2013. Not fully.

It is not clear to what extent IIM-A has created conditions for fostering healthy "Collaborative Networks" in the country [i.e., collaborative network of "Ants" for discovering common objectives and sharing the harvest.]

While talking of Ants and the model of following the lead Ant, I am reminded of an earlier occasion shared with the stakeholders of KSoM titled "The Ant" (click for the attachment).  This attachment from a colleague was useful in sharing my thoughts at one workshop organized by the School of Biotechnology (28 Mar 2009). It is indeed quite interesting and was useful in highlighting the negative effects of redundant supervisory control on the "karmayogi" (the Ant). Among other things it also helped me in driving home the following recommendation: De-emphasize specialization and provide greater freedom to the "ANT". The workshop was on "Research Communication for Societal Change". The above attachment is interesting and has some very good lessons for managers vis-a-vis employees. Read this supporting blog post for the interpretations: "The lion and the ant: some lessons for managers and HR" (from Joseph Noone's blog titled "One World")

Internalizing these lessons coupled with design thinking principles may help us in creating the human-centered policies and programs so much needed for fostering a learning environment. We don't necessarily have to follow IIM-A (the "lead Ant") - as we have to develop our own intelligent network model.

I recall from an earlier e-mail communication written on 5th May 2009: (More on this mail later if clarification is required.)
"The Gujarat High Court observes that even IIM-A does not satisfy the criteria of being an educational institute. Non-affiliation to a University deprives it of this status. I, therefore, reiterate my earlier views on SoM (KIIT University). Being an educational institute, it belongs to a different league altogether and hence cannot be compared with IIM or XIM-like institutes. Our performance metrics have to be formulated differently and the stakeholders apprised accordingly."

{That was 2009. I am not aware of the latest ruling regarding the legal status of IIM-A. Even if I am wrong, IIMs do not have the multidisciplinary academic ambience that is available in a University. XIM meanwhile is under XUB - a private state university.}

Note: The existing legal status of IIM-A is: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860)

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Postscript (21 Nov 2015); 
[Source: Reflections on the Proposed IIM Bill by Dr. N.Ravichandran, 
Business Today, Edition: 22 Nov 2015]
Excerpts from the above article:
(Quote)   
....The legal structure of the society was perhaps an ad hoc arrangement 50 years ago, when IIM Calcutta and IIM Ahmedabad were created. This structure has outlived its utility. And the time has come to provide an appropriate legal status technically as well as constitutionally to these institutions.
....It would be befitting to the stature of the older IIMs to welcome the proposed act in principle, and proactively engage with the government in a meaningful dialogue to ensure the act retains the best practices of IIMs in the context of a legislative framework.
....The existing legal structure of IIMs has outlived its utility. There is a need to formulate a comprehensive and uniform act which will enable the effective functioning of IIMs on a common platform without compromising the operational autonomy (academic, financial and administrative) and bestow powers to award degrees and diplomas like other universities. We sincerely hope that the IIMs and the government will work towards this. Such an approach would ensure better management education in India. (Unquote) [The author is Faculty, IIM-A; Former Director, IIM Indore.]

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Design thinking @IIM-A for supporting Make-In-India campaign

Some of may have seen the following article. Design thinking and entrepreneurship programmes are being converted into compulsory courses at IIM Ahmedabad. The review committee's recommendations are partly in line with the views mentioned in my blogpost titled "Design thinking necessary @IIM-A" written in January 2013.

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IndiaToday.in  New Delhi, April 23, 2015 | UPDATED 16:55 IST

IIM Ahmedabad to change 2015 curriculum to cater to Make in India initiative

IIM Ahmedabad is set to change the curriculum for its Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) from the coming 2015-17 session. Now, instead of elective subjects the students will have compulsory courses. This decision has been taken in sync with the government's 'Make in India' campaign, to boost Indian entrepreneurship amongst the students.

The changes have been implemented by a Review Committee at the institution. It had sought advice from all concerned parties, which included the current students, faculty, alumni, firms and faculty of other business schools. The decision has been taken to discontinue the standard elective courses and replace those with courses which will help promote the Make in India strategy.
This will help students focus on innovation and incline their thinking towards entrepreneurship. The programmes such as marketing, finance and operations will be scrapped, and in their place programmes concentrating on human resources are set to be introduced.
These modifications are being introduced because in the recent years a majority of IIM students have chosen careers abroad after graduation. And this move should enable them to learn a indigenous way of problem solving, encouraging them to explore job opportunities in India.
The institute will now offer courses in environment sustainability, managing global organisations, design thinking, entrepreneurship programme and government systems and processes. Out of these, design thinking and entrepreneurship programme, which were electives will be converted to compulsory courses. These will supposedly be most helpful in enhancing the Make in India campaign.

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While this is a positive change, some feel design thinking needs a deeper introspection.  Though we have been articulating these ideas from Odisha we have not been able to exploit the benefits of design thinking yet for larger common good.