Dr Srikant Datar
Dr Srikant M. Datar is the Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Accounting at the Harvard University. A ‘Bombay’ boy, Dr Datar graduated from the Mumbai University (University of Bombay then), went on to study at the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
For some years, Dr Datar has been on a mission to change the rather outdated curriculum in Indian and b-schools across the globe. That b-schools are not matching steps with reality has been one of his top concerns and he has also penned a few books on the issue. PaGaLGuY met up with Dr Datar a few days ago to learn that he is not only writing another book but also taken his calling with Indian b-schools more seriously than ever.
Why the new book?
Harvard Business School is completing 100 years so we thought we should re-visit the concept of business education and check what is happening. After speaking to thousands of students, meeting up with schools, professors, our research threw up rather unexpected data. We all thought that US business schools are doing a super job of MBA education but our results were quite the contrary. If you leave the top 15, there is a huge drop in MBA numbers. It was a shock to see the numbers plummet to as much as 25-50 per cent in some schools. And all this when countries like Eastern Europe and Latin America are rising and need managers.
Is the economic slowdown the reason for the fall in numbers?
We found that many companies were actually dissuading their employees from going for the MBA, especially full-time MBA programmes. The part-time MBA, executive MBA, and other masters programs were seen to be better options. The numbers are also falling because it is time for schools to re-focus their goals and strategies. Re-think the curriculum and the education offered. There is a difference in what is needed and what b-schools are offering to the corporate world.
What about Indian schools?
Indian schools tend to focus on strong analytical skills and management concepts. What they lack in are 1. Critical thinking skills. 2. Communication skills. 3. Innovative thinking. 4. Understanding or organisational realities. And it is these skills that really tell a good leader from an ordinary one. A strong analytical mind was the need earlier, no more.
There is undue stress on placements in India
Yes, very much so. Could be that the wrong kind of people are doing an MBA and just could be that these people do not even add much to the companies they join later. Candidates are excited to get into top colleges but do not think about what they are going to do with the teaching they get there. Or what their personal contribution should be to the MBA course.
What needs to be done?
Management is not an individual sport. Skills are needed to work with different kinds of people and different requirements in a company. More needs to be done in ‘doing’ and ‘being’ than just ‘knowing’ which was the important factor earlier. Students need to think creatively and innovatively. You cannot learn to be innovative by the case-study method. Every skill in business schools cannot be taught by the case-study method. A course in critical thinking is important and should be taught in the first semester so that the student can keep learning for the next two years. Lots of other essential issues need to be taught and explained to students before they actually start working. Students have to be aware of themselves, their skills and the needs around them.
You are working with b-schools in India for a curriculum change?
Yes, some of the top schools, including the IIMs have already started making changes. Curriculum has to change, focus has to shift. It cannot be analytics only. Leaders have to have a proper understanding of the places where they are working and the teams they are working with. We have to look at data more interestingly. You don’t need a professor in front of class taking a lecture these days.
Indian schools are not globally diverse, does that make things worse?
Yes, that is the case. MBAs have to prepare for a global need, understand what the world wants, the changes across countries, be it cultural differences, different legal processes, unique corporate thinking. It is urgent that MBA students think of becoming global leaders.
You were talking about new leadership challenges?
There are new challenges today, new venture challenges, leadership challenges, consultancy challenges and new boardroom challenges. If you are going to lead people, you better know how different people are. Empathy has to be developed. Leadership today is not as much about authority as much as the ability to handle a conflict. A leader acts with integrity. Leadership skills that worked in the old model are unlikely to work today. MBAs need to understand how to work ‘through’ and ‘with’ people.
You tend to quote Mahatma Gandhi often
Three of Gandhi’s principles are important more than ever and work perfectly in the MBA space. 1. Knowledge without character 2. Science without humanity 3. Commerce without morality. It is the change I am talking about. What were attributes to be a good manager and leader earlier do not stand anymore. Today, it cannot be an analytical mind only which will get you there, you need reliability as well. Honesty, empathy, ethics are more important than ever.