Calculating the flow and stock concept of Brand IIM Ahmedabad
(my first post in last 1 year)
I have now spent 3 years at IIMA as doctoral student.I realise that I have studied IIMA more than my thesis topic,which makes me atleast somewhat qualified to comment on my observations about IIMA.
My several discussions with students and faculties of IIMA makes me feel that IIMA as a brand has grown bigger than what its "Brand Manager/s" can handle.However that is only half the truth! The other bitter half of the truth is that the IIMA brand is growing slower than before or not growing at all...Let me explain this using the stock and flow concept. The Sabarmati River(which flows few kms away from IIMA) also has a stock of water which keeps increasing or decreasing ( the flow) depending upon its own sources of water.So is the case with brands.
The stock of IIMA Brand has grown in the protective environs of the Government.The government was liberal in funding it for several decades since its inception in 1961, and protected( or rather insulated) the institute and the institution from the top global Universities. However the flow of the IIMA brand( understood as how much IIMA's brand equity was growing each year) was not getting noticed.Everyone was going 'ga-ga' about "We are No 1 in India" so much that no one stopped to ask " what are we doing to make the IIMA brand grow every year?".
The who's who at IIMA can boast of the Equis accreditation, world class placements( debatable though), Alumni funding growing each year,average salaries rising,more US Phds joining as faculties etc...however the competition is slowly gnawing away its edge.If someone wants a real example of Hare and Tortoise story one heard from parents in childhood,it is here: IIMA plays the hare and other IIMs( read IIMB and IIMC) playing the tortoise. IIMB and C were slow to catch up till now( the stock of their brand was lesser than A) like tortoise but the flow of additional brand equity that IIMB and C were building post 1990s was faster than A,and now on their way to victory( how do you define it...).The rabbit is left to sulk once the race has been run.
Now the story becomes even more murky.Harvard and UMich(University of Michigan) and a host of several top Bschools/Univs are knocking at the door and equipped to enter the Indian Management education market.It is only the government policies which are again protecting the IIMs from it.The ISB FT-20 ranking saga has impacted IIMA too-little too-late.Is IIMA prepared...there is now a committee on future directions that is looking into it....but committees would do what they can do best....i.e. submit some 100 page report that is either too obvious or too general...who will bell the CAT...its now the turn of the organizers of the CAT themselves ( pun intentionally intended)...My take on this issue is that we need a turn-around guru or business magnate...say..Laxmi Mittal...or Anil Ambani (reminds me that Mukesh Ambani has already announced that he would make sure IIMB gets best faculties from abroad by paying them more) ...or..can Prof Sameer Barua draw a rabbit from the hat himself...with Mr Singhania by his side...the dice is loaded already...and fingers are being crossed...but if boat rocks too much...rats may be seen leaving first...but the present moment is defining one in IIMA's history...it would be either a beginning of an end or an end of a beginning...lets hope it is neither and rather a beginning of a beginning of a new growth story for IIMA!
Something to think about for all concerned...
I have now spent 3 years at IIMA as doctoral student.I realise that I have studied IIMA more than my thesis topic,which makes me atleast somewhat qualified to comment on my observations about IIMA.
My several discussions with students and faculties of IIMA makes me feel that IIMA as a brand has grown bigger than what its "Brand Manager/s" can handle.However that is only half the truth! The other bitter half of the truth is that the IIMA brand is growing slower than before or not growing at all...Let me explain this using the stock and flow concept. The Sabarmati River(which flows few kms away from IIMA) also has a stock of water which keeps increasing or decreasing ( the flow) depending upon its own sources of water.So is the case with brands.
The stock of IIMA Brand has grown in the protective environs of the Government.The government was liberal in funding it for several decades since its inception in 1961, and protected( or rather insulated) the institute and the institution from the top global Universities. However the flow of the IIMA brand( understood as how much IIMA's brand equity was growing each year) was not getting noticed.Everyone was going 'ga-ga' about "We are No 1 in India" so much that no one stopped to ask " what are we doing to make the IIMA brand grow every year?".
The who's who at IIMA can boast of the Equis accreditation, world class placements( debatable though), Alumni funding growing each year,average salaries rising,more US Phds joining as faculties etc...however the competition is slowly gnawing away its edge.If someone wants a real example of Hare and Tortoise story one heard from parents in childhood,it is here: IIMA plays the hare and other IIMs( read IIMB and IIMC) playing the tortoise. IIMB and C were slow to catch up till now( the stock of their brand was lesser than A) like tortoise but the flow of additional brand equity that IIMB and C were building post 1990s was faster than A,and now on their way to victory( how do you define it...).The rabbit is left to sulk once the race has been run.
Now the story becomes even more murky.Harvard and UMich(University of Michigan) and a host of several top Bschools/Univs are knocking at the door and equipped to enter the Indian Management education market.It is only the government policies which are again protecting the IIMs from it.The ISB FT-20 ranking saga has impacted IIMA too-little too-late.Is IIMA prepared...there is now a committee on future directions that is looking into it....but committees would do what they can do best....i.e. submit some 100 page report that is either too obvious or too general...who will bell the CAT...its now the turn of the organizers of the CAT themselves ( pun intentionally intended)...My take on this issue is that we need a turn-around guru or business magnate...say..Laxmi Mittal...or Anil Ambani (reminds me that Mukesh Ambani has already announced that he would make sure IIMB gets best faculties from abroad by paying them more) ...or..can Prof Sameer Barua draw a rabbit from the hat himself...with Mr Singhania by his side...the dice is loaded already...and fingers are being crossed...but if boat rocks too much...rats may be seen leaving first...but the present moment is defining one in IIMA's history...it would be either a beginning of an end or an end of a beginning...lets hope it is neither and rather a beginning of a beginning of a new growth story for IIMA!
Something to think about for all concerned...
posted by Prof Ramendra Singh | 10:25 AM
7 Comments:
This year atleast 45 dropped IIMA in general category and 15 dropped IIMA in the SC category. More may have dropped IIMA in the ST, OBC and PWD categories also. But IIMA admissions chairman goes on record in Economic Tmes that only 20 dropped IIMA lie last year - a blatant lie. This is what a failing institute does - just lie to save themselves. For proof checkout:
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/cat-and-related-discussion/31209-iim-2008-10-batch-waitlisters-9.html
Dear Anonymous,
It would be premature to classify any institute as "failing".
Also there are several reasons for peopel to drop out,including personal reasons to join other institutes or accept other offers.Without adequate analysis,it would be like throwing the baby with the bath water...what is required is an analysis of why these 45+15 people dropped and what did they go for instead?
You are missing the point - why does the admissions chair of IIMA feel compelled to lie to the press about the fact that over 60 students ditched IIMA - why say its only 20 and the same as last year - by the way last year it was over 30 who ditched IIMA - so that too is a lie. Why not accept the some students are going to ISB instead of IIMA.
I am B-School PhD candidate and soon to be a faculty at a middle/lower tier univ in US making close to $100k annually. The tenure expectations at this univ is something most of the IIMA/X faculty cannot come close too. So you can imagine what the top tier schools expect here expect.
I contemplated applying to ISB for faculty position but realized I won't survive, looking at their research expectations for tenure. The only reason I would apply IIMA/X is for retirement like work environment. No one will fire me for showing up for 1-2 days a week, publish in shi$%^ journals while I can consult at my pace and make extra money. The money would be crap (assuming I don't consult) but I can brag socially that I teach at "best" b-school in India.
Once my kids are settled down in US, I may end up in IIM for my retirement.
People should read this.
Agree with Anonymous! But, it would be true for IIMB as well as IIMC... While Anonymous is comparing with the global institutes, I believe IIMA's immediate task is to retain the no.1 slot among the IIMs atleast. In medium term it may plan to overtak ISB. Whereas long term is still light years away!
well written !
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