IIM Sambalpur Strengthens India’s Position in Global Management Research Through IMPeC 2025
National, January, 31, 2025; IIM Sambalpur, one of the premier management institutions, hosted the much-awaited annual flagship conference titled, “International Management Perspectives Conference (IMPeC) 2025” with the theme “Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Sustainbility” at its campus. Aligning with the vision of the Viksit Bharat@47 – Transforming the nation’s future, IIM Sambalpur through IMPeC 2025 served as a platform for thought leadership and knowledge exchange researchers, eminent academicians, research scholars, and students to exchange ideas and to communicate and discuss research findings leading to new advances in Management Science. While reinforcing the country’s commitment towards digitalization, sustainability and entrepreneurship, the three-day conference aims to shape the future of management education, research and policy-making in the nation by facilitating the production of high-quality research that specifically addresses emerging topics these areas. Moreover, the event also created opportunities for participants to disseminate research ideas and explore possible scholarly collaborations and networking. More than 500 paper were presented during the conference both online and offline.
Keshav Rao, Director (Personnel), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited graced the occasion as the Chief Guest whilePankaj K Verma, Chief Sustainability Officer, Adani Green Energy was present as the keynote speaker,Praveen Kumar Verma, CEO, TATA Power Western Odisha Ltdand Prof. Mrinal Chatterjee, Regional Director, IIMC were present as the guests of honour; and during the inauguration ceremony. Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, along with Dr. Arvind Sahay, Director, MDI Gurgaon; Dr. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar and Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli were present in the panel discussions.
Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, As AI rewrites the definition of intelligence, foundational principles of theory and the research. Should we place our trust in the models or should we trust the vast ocean of data? Business and innovation are positioned at the cusp of a paradigm curve, with the next 75 years witnessing the rise of agile startups over the corporate giants. As technology assumes more intellectual properties, humanity has to lose not its essence, but rather is challenged to mould change rather than adapt to it.”
Prof Jaiswal further shared, “At IIM Sambalpur, we are at the forefront of five strategic initiatives of national importance, and we keep working on gender diversity and now empowerment of women. Moreover, we are working towards the positioning of local cities as global economic hubs, reimagining educational methodologies, fostering global academic and industry collaborations, and defining ‘Brand India’ as a force in the global knowledge economy. This is aligned with the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047- the vision for growth that is both inclusive and sustainable, while exerting intellectual leadership on the world stage. We look to shape a future where India becomes a leader in academia, industry, and socio-economic development through interdisciplinary research, policy-driven engagement, and innovation.”
Shri Keshav Rao, Director (Personnel), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, said, “Digitalization, entrepreneurship, and sustainability are the cornerstones of India’s economic and societal transformation. Our nation’s progress in digital innovation has positioned it as a global leader in financial technology, while the entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to drive groundbreaking innovations and wealth creation. However, sustainability remains a critical challenge that requires a careful balance between industrial growth and environmental responsibility.” He further added, “Institutions like IIM Sambalpur play a pivotal role in fostering intellectual discourse, industry-academia collaboration, and policy-driven solutions to address these transformative challenges. By integrating technology, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business practices, we can shape an inclusive and resilient future for India, contributing to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
During the panel discussions, Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, along with Dr. Arvind Sahay, Director, MDI Gurgaon; Dr. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar and Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli explored the critical role of management institutions in shaping future leaders centered around the theme “B-School Leaders’ Dilemma: Where Should the Emphasis be in the Context of Digitalization, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability?”. In the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the key requirement is skilled human capital, where academia can significantly contribute by nurturing capable managers and leaders to spearhead these three transformative themes.
The conference also featured various plenary sessions, panel discussions, and paper presentations across various domains including Challenges and opportunities in the future of work, Strategies for climate resilience and stakeholder engagement, Leveraging India’s demographic dividend for economic growth and guiding scholars on publishing and academic research excellence.
A special JMP Workshop on Statistical Discovery was also conducted by Dr. Muralidhara Anandamurthy, Head – Global Academic Ambassador, JMP (SAS).
The even witnessed participation from IITs, IIMs, regional colleges, and international institutions across online and offline modes. Among IITs, four institutions, including IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Bombay, participated online, while three, including IIT Dhanbad, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Delhi, took part offline. Similarly, four IIMs—Indore, Nagpur, Sambalpur, and Raipur—joined online, while IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Ranchi participated offline. Regional colleges had significant involvement, with 119 participating online and 129 offline. Internationally, three institutions, including researchers from Bremen (Germany), Twilio (USA), and Fatima College of Health Sciences (UAE), contributed online, while the Ministry of Manpower (Indonesia) participated offline.
