As technology, digital consumer behavior and industry expectations change at unprecedented speed, business schools need to reinvent themselves to remain relevant, says Professor Sanjeev Prashar, Director, IIM Raipur. In this conversation with BW Education, he outlines how B-schools need to embrace interdisciplinary learning, data-driven marketing education, stronger industry integration, sharper research cultures, and globally connected yet locally rooted academic practices. Professor Prashar emphasizes that the future of management education lies in developing leaders who are adaptable and ethical to navigate a rapidly evolving AI-driven world. excerpt:
How do you think management education is evolving and what changes should business schools prioritize today?
Digital disruption, the use of AI, and the needs of a dynamic industry are all having a major impact on management education. Business schools need to move beyond typical classroom learning and focus on technology-enabled, hands-on, interdisciplinary learning.
Schools that can teach data literacy, sustainability and entrepreneurship as part of their core curriculum will be here for a long time. Business schools must increase collaboration with companies, incorporate real-world problem-solving projects, and use flexible learning methods to prepare students for the dynamic workplace. Above all, schools must develop leaders who are adaptable, ethical, and internationally aware.
India Skills Report 2026 shows that India is becoming a global talent center with access to AI-driven jobs and more skills. In this context, IIMs are becoming more like global universities, competing with top foreign schools on both human capital output and academic standards.
How should marketing curricula adapt to new digital consumer behaviors?
Hyper-personalization, influencer ecosystems, social commerce, and AI-driven recommendation systems are all impacting the way people shop today. Digital-first consumer insights such as behavioral analysis and neuromarketing should be added to marketing courses. Use and understand technology for social media listening, campaign analysis, and digital engagement. Knowledge of online communities, creative economy, and micro-consumption trends. The case-based learning was primarily about D2C brands, businesses operating on the platform, and strategies that work across all channels.
Upon graduation, students should be able to read rapidly changing digital behaviors and devise flexible, data-driven marketing plans.
From your training experience, what are the key gaps that remain between academia and industry expectations?
Some of the most significant gaps include:
Application and theory: These emerging future managers understand the conceptual framework, but often struggle to apply it to real-world, ambiguous business challenges.
Digital and analytical skills: While industry expects us to excel at analytics, AI tools, and integrated technologies, academia has yet to catch up.
Soft skills: Leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills are areas that many graduates need further development.
Speed of adaptation: Bridging the responsiveness gap between academia and dynamic industry is critical.
Enhancing internships, live projects, blended learning, and corporate collaboration can help bridge these expectations.
What role do you think case writing plays in strengthening management education in India?
Writing cases is an important part of building a strong management learning ecosystem.
This allows Indian faculty to write about local business issues, new ideas, government actions, entrepreneurial journeys, etc. that are usually missing from global examples.
A good example from India: Making learning more useful from an economic and social perspective.
Help students learn how to make decisions and judgments based on situations.
Encourage faculty to work closely with industry to strengthen ties between academia and industry.
If India wants to become a global knowledge contributor, it needs to invest in systematic case studies, case centers and teacher training in case pedagogy.
How can business schools build stronger, more impactful research cultures?
A successful research culture requires three levels of long-term commitment:
Institutions: Provide researchers with the time, resources, incentives, and tools they need to conduct their research. Establish interdisciplinary research clusters and support international cooperation.
Faculty: We encourage rigorous research training, mentorship, and continued upskilling in methods and tools.
Engage students, encourage research assistance, co-publish, and access high-quality data.
It is equally important to focus on research that is relevant to society and industry and useful not only for academic publishing but also for policy, practice and nation-building.
How can the lessons learned from your global academic work benefit management institutions in India?
Our global efforts reveal some important lessons.
Internationalization requires goals such as knowledge exchange, collaborative research, and gaining practical experience, rather than simply student mobility.
Adaptability to the curriculum is very important. The best schools in the world are constantly changing and updating their curriculum.
Education, research, and problem-solving focused on collaboration with industry partners will have a greater impact.
Enriching your classroom means creating an environment where students are interested in learning, where different ideas are welcomed, and where people can speak freely to each other.
Finally, global benchmarking is not about replicating models. It is about making best practices work in India’s unique socio-economic context.
