BIMTECH: A Case of Differentiated and Lean Approach to MBA/PGDM Curriculum Improvement

Abstract

In a crowded market of higher management education as in India that is characterized by ‘undifferentiated’ service and supply outstripping demand, an institute can survive and grow only by differentiating its service and by delivering higher value to its customers. During past five years BIMTECH has been trying to create and deliver higher value to its customers (read ‘recruiters’) by differentiating the course content and delivery and by continuously reducing wastes in the processes involved. Continuous reduction of wasteful activities that are not adding value and not demanded by customers has improved operational excellence thereby impacting favourably cost, quality, speed and flexibility. Differentiating the course content and aligning them with requirements of the recruiters have increased acceptance among the industry. By incorporating many innovative changes such as making Supply Chain Management as a core paper; introducing unique courses like Management Tools in Business, Business Analysis, Simulation and Modeling; discussing research papers as part of the course; stressing use of Excel, SPSS and Solver as analysis tools; improving the rigour of the foundation course; conducting comprehensive viva-voce; introducing blind evaluation of papers; and involving industry experts in selection of fresh batches, evaluation of students and course content alignment, BIMTECH has successfully differentiated its PGDM course from that of competing institutes. Diversity of students, faculty and courses; time pressure to pack more than thirty courses with five months of projects, examinations, extra curricular activities in two years; meeting expectations of students and recruiters, all these could be managed by critically examining all non value adding activities and, if possible, eliminating them or reducing their impact. Based on the eight characteristics of lean system namely, Upgrade and maintain consistent high quality, Organize problem solving groups, Eliminate unnecessary steps (wastes), Standard work methods, Clarify process flows, Flexible workers, Responsive supplier network, and Good housekeeping, value adding activities were incorporated and activities that were adding only costs (not value for the customers) were either restricted or completely eliminated. The impact of changes was evident in the improved quality of placements and rise in ranking of BIMTECH among other management institutes. The improvement in quality of placements were tracked by rising salary levels (highest, mean and lowest) and declining number of recruiters needed to place every hundred students