Shillong: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong, inaugurated its Business Management Certificate program for Defence Officers at its campus here on Friday in order to reduce the knowledge-action gap and manage the altering dynamics of the military and commercial sectors.
The six-month Certificate program intends to give the executives exposure to analytical, strategic, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Eastern Air Command. Air Marshal D. K. Patnaik, in his inaugural address, shared his own experience of imparting executive learning and told the participants that this was a “great opportunity” to further their education from IIM Shillong while working in the defense. In order to become leaders, he advised participants to learn by giving their best shot 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 program appeals to defense authorities, exposes learners to challenging real-world business scenarios from a variety of industries, organizations, and management specializations, and is beneficial for the country by relying on information from IIM Shillong.
Through interactive lectures, case studies, sessions with industry experts, management games, simulations, and student participation, the course seeks to emphasize experiential learning to the Indian Defence Forces, which are among the best in the world and are recognized for their competence, prowess, morality, size, and technology.
Prof. DP Goyal, Director, IIM Shillong said, “This program will build on the skills defense officials already possess as a result of their years of excellent service to the nation, allowing them to utilize the classroom activities and interact with peers to further enhance their skills. It is a specialized curriculum designed to equip defense commanders with the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed for a seamless transfer into the business world”.
