Business Management programme for defence officers now in IIM Shillong

SHILLONG, Aug 5: A Business Management Certificate programme for defence officers was launched at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong on Friday, in a bid to “reduce the knowledge-action gap and manage the altering dynamics of the military and commercial sectors”.
A statement in this regard informed that the six-month certificate programme intends to give the executives an exposure to analytical, strategic and entrepreneurial thinking.
The launch event was attended by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Eastern Air Command (EAC), Air Marshal DK Patnaik, IIM Shillong Director Prof. D P Goyal, among other officials.
Air Marshal Patnaik, in his address, shared his experience of imparting executive learning and informed the gathering that this was a great opportunity to further their education from IIM Shillong while serving in the defence.
In order to become leaders, he advised participants to learn by giving their best and adopting different worldviews. “The Fauj is a very different area in itself from the corporate world. It is important to unlearn what you already know in order to absorb the information the faculty exposes you to,” he said.
He went on to describe how the programme appeals to defence authorities, exposes learners to challenging real-world business scenarios from a variety of industries, organisations, and management specialisations, and is beneficial for the country by relying on information from IIM Shillong.
On the other hand, Prof Goyal, while shedding light on the programme, said, “This programme will build on the skills defence officials already possess as a result of their years of excellent service to the nation, allowing them to utilise the classroom activities and interact with peers to further enhance their skills. It is a specialised curriculum designed to equip defence commanders with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed for a seamless transfer into the business world,” he said.
It is pertinent to note that the course, through interactive lectures, case studies, sessions with industry experts, management games, simulations, and student participation, seeks to impart experiential learning to the armed forces.