Praxis Introduces Digital Studies in Management Education

Management Education started to get prominence in India with liberalisation. Post liberalisation, opening up of market to multinational companies and booming services market created a huge demand for “general managers”. The heyday for MBAs had started. These engineer-MBAs knew calculus, physics and mechanics like the back of their hands. But to become “general managers” they catch up with subjects like accountancy, economics, psychology, marketing, etc. Thus, the focus of the MBA curriculum and pedagogy was to teaching engineers basic accountancy, economics, organisational psychology needed to run a department.

Fast forward to 2010. Digital has disrupted almost all types of industry. Digital technology was no longer a support function in an industry. It was the driving force. New business models evolved based on digital technology. Digital technology is ingrained in all functions of business, be it sales and marketing, operations, finance, HR, so much so that managing business is no longer possible without knowledge of digital technology that drives the business.

The new paradigm needed a new breed of professionals who could successfully blend technology knowledge, managerial acumen and creativity. These are popularly called the “T professionals” having both width and relevant depth especially in application of digital technology to business. Unfortunately, most MBA curriculum and pedagogy is still confined in a time warp focusing on developing “general managerial” capabilities. Such courses invariably fall short of today’s demand for managers of digital enterprises.

Praxis Business School has always been in the forefront of experimenting with and introducing new courses and pedagogy to keep up with the changing time. In keeping with this spirit, Praxis Business School has introduced a concentration called Digital Business Management in the second year of the regular 2 year program.

The focus of this concentration is to introduce future managers to elements of digital technology that is becoming imperative to run today’s digital technology driven businesses. The concentration provides electives focused on application of digital technology in business like digital transformation, digital marketing, AI and analytics, e-commerce, blockchain, agile, cyber-security, etc.

There is also a huge demand for mid career courses on these areas for mid and senior level managers who want to upgrade their knowledge in these new technology areas. It is no gainsaying that management education is undergoing a major transformation in this digital age.  Praxis Business School is prepared to cater to the requirements of the managers of digital age.

- Atanu Ghosh
Visiting Faculty at Praxis Business School : 
ERP, Digital Marketing and Digital Media Analytics Area.
Mr. Atanu Ghosh is the Founder and CEO, Salt n Soap. Medinook Bluebeaks