Dr. Kakoli Sen

Professor, Ph. D (Management), PG Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, Masters in Human Resourse Management, Diploma in Training & Development

Never too late for an International Degree…IILM offers Lateral Entry to Undergraduates

IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM Undergraduate Business School26 SeptemberDr. Kakoli SenIILM offers, International Degree, Lateral Entry to Undergraduates

I seem to have made a wrong choice! I cannot adjust to my college/culture/country! I am feeling homesick! I am not studying anything useful!

If you identify with any one of the above statements, it is time to take a corrective action. A lot of such thoughts come to young students’ minds when they take admission in a program at a particular college in a different country, different state or even their own home state. So much goes into the college admission that many a times these young students feel stuck with what choices they or their parents have made. When these choices have been made for an international college, it becomes even more obligatory to continue given the time, money and efforts spent on it. But even a well thought out plan of an “international degree abroad” or that “Engineering college” or that “close to home college” decision may not work out the way it was expected to be. Should you then just carry on despite feeling disconnected from within? An undergraduate degree is perhaps the most life changing degree that one undergoes. These are the years that help you discover yourself and gain maturity and a direction in life. What use is that degree that does not educate you, does not help you become a better you, does not make you feel excited and motivated for a bright future? Should you continue in that place and college despite no longer being sure of the choice that you made?

But what happens to the time that I have spent at this college, what about the effort that I have made in studying and clearing my exams, what happens to the credits I earned? Does it all go waste and I have to start afresh? If these are the questions in your mind, the answer is a big NO! What you should look out for, is a college that will recognize your efforts and help you continue your studies without a break in your education. At IILM Undergraduate Business School, every year we get several such students who want to revise their initial decision of having chosen a college and an Undergraduate program but are not satisfied with it. You can transfer those credits and take entry into the second or third year and be part of a 25 year old legacy of the IILM Undergraduate Business School (UBS) that has trained thousands of young students like you and made them successful business leaders and entrepreneurs. IILM UBS helps you develop an unparalleled network, learn subjects that are internationally benchmarked, in a hands-on practical manner that prepares you for life.

So if your current course and college does not excite you anymore and you are looking for a reputed college in Delhi that will give you an opportunity to correct that decision, write to us at info.ubs@iilm.edu or call us at 9873949490. Our admission counselor will help you identify the best fit for you.

Prof.(Dr.) Kakoli Sen

Life Skills that Matter – IILM Teaches More than Management

Campus Life, Career Development (Placement), Center for Teaching Research and Learning, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM Stories12 MayDr. Kakoli Senadapt to change, critical thinking skills, Life Skills, More than Management, People Management, working in teams

It is common understanding that a Business Management degree prepares you for Business Administration, so you study Management, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Finance, Marketing, Operations, International Business and a range of other subjects. However the 2 year programme at IILM also prepares you with certain other skills such as Effective Communication, Research and Analysis, Critical Thinking, Change Management, Ability to leverage technology, Time Management, People management, Teamwork, Decision making etc. which may be called soft skills but are actually life skills. Let me explain here how these are so relevant in the context of Covid – 19 which all of us are grappling with today.

The current crisis is a situation that almost no one living today may have faced in his or her lifetime, hence there is no way that anyone could have been prepared for, in advance. When it struck, the reactions were quite similar among most, ranging from brushing it off to disbelief to despair, businesses were no different. However during these times of crisis, Effective Communication is of paramount interest. At IILM, students learn who to communicate with, what to say, how to say and when to say. Your stakeholders are the ones who need to hear from you to have that continued trust in you, how you are managing their interest is what you need to tell them and tell them early on. Any message that is delayed looks like an afterthought, so communicate early and communicate regularly. Keep it short but relevant and regular.

The times are different, the challenges are different, the solutions also have to be different. IILM teaches its students to read, research and analyze what is happening the world over and make sense of it and how it affects our businesses and organizations. It teaches them critical thinking skills and inculcates a sense of judgment and positive thinking to manage any crisis situation. As a manager / leader it is important to know that we must be able to adapt to change as per the situation. In the current situation, it is imperative to stay safe and stay at home. If there is life, there will be a tomorrow and we can always plan and rebuild ourselves. There is just no point in being restless, rather take this time to spend with yourself, review what you have done so far, how you would do it differently, what you could have done better.

Technology they say is a leveler, the digital march is going to make it even more uniform. As millions of people are homebound, their major source of information, inspiration, communication, distraction, entertainment is through technology. IILM encourages its students to be technology savvy and Leverage Technology to bring in effectiveness to their work and business. A case in point, in the times of Covid, technology has moved up a few notches, K-12, Higher education and a good number of businesses have gone online, organizations are rethinking the Work from Home concept, also as an effective cost saving tool. All classes at IILM have been conducted on zoom through paid licenses ensuring security and privacy of teachers and students online.

This is a situation which has put everyone under pressure, be it the government, the police, the doctors, the medical supply chain, the food suppliers and the transport for continuing the work assigned. All others are under pressure to stay at home, manage their job, remain balanced, remain strong, stay calm and help others in whatever way possible, big or small. The Business Management program at IILM by the very nature of its being fast paced with classes, tutorials, assignments, simulations, meeting industry experts in Round Tables or Guest sessions, Summer internships, Live Projects, Placements creates the right kind of pressure with tight deadlines and helps students manage time and manage themselves very well.

People are the most valuable resource that one can have. IILM students develop skills of working in teams and learn to respect one another, value their competence and contribution. People Management is what management is greatly about. Students learn through case studies and role plays and address questions such as how to take people along, how to keep them motivated and engaged with the organization when the chips are down. How to make people feel wanted and part of your team are skills that come with practice. As a manager, you are required to take decisions, most of the times with limited resources, limited information and in limited time. IILM teaches Decision making as a process, a step by step approach to make good decisions. With practice, one becomes adept at following the steps and can still be quick. But if you miss some part of the processes in order to be quick, you will be prone to making mistakes, costly ones!

Most importantly, IILM has an NGO club through which students learn to help and support the marginalized sections of the society. We believe empathy is something, which need not be understood and expected when you are in a spot, but the continued will to share and care for others whatever the situation be. IILM is proud of its 12000+ alumni who as Managers and Business leaders running their businesses responsibly and building the nation.

Prof.(Dr.) Kakoli Sen

Relevance of IILM PGDM / MBA in the times of Covid-19

Campus Life, IILM Institute for Higher Education05 MayDr. Kakoli SenEffective Communication, Finance, Human Resource Management, IILM MBA, IILM PGDM, Marketing, People Management

It is common understanding that a PGDM / MBA degree prepares you for Business Administration, so you study Management, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Finance, Marketing, Operations, International Business and a range of other subjects. However the 2 year programme at IILM also prepares you with certain other skills such as Effective Communication, Research and Analysis, Critical Thinking, Change Management, Ability to leverage technology, Dealing with pressure, People management, Teamwork, Decision making etc. which may be called soft skills but are actually life skills. Let me explain here how these are so relevant in the context of Covid – 19 which all of us are grappling with today.

The current crisis is a situation that almost no one living today may have faced ever in his or her lifetime, hence there is absolutely no way that anyone could have been prepared for, in advance. When it struck, the reactions were quite similar among most, ranging from brushing it off to disbelief to despair, businesses were no different. However during these times of crisis, Effective Communication is of paramount interest. At IILM, students learn who to communicate with, what to say, how to say and when to say. Your stakeholders are the ones who need to hear from you to have that continued trust in you, how you are managing their interest is what you need to tell them and tell them early on. Any message that is delayed looks like an afterthought, so communicate early and communicate regularly. Keep it short but relevant and regular.

The times are different, the challenges are different, hence the solutions also have to be different. IILM teaches its students to read, research and analyze what is happening the world over and make sense of it and how it affects our businesses and organizations. It teaches them critical thinking skills and inculcates a sense of judgment and positive thinking to manage any crisis situation. As a manager / leader it is important to know that we must be able to adapt to change as per the situation. In the current situation when there is a complete stop to everything around us, it is imperative to follow what is required at this moment, which is staying safe and staying at home. If there is life, there will be a tomorrow and we can always plan and rebuild ourselves. There is just no point in being restless, take this time to spend with yourself, review what you have done so far, how you would do it differently, what you could have done better.

Technology they say is a leveler, the digital march is going to make it even more uniform. As millions of people are homebound, their major source of information, inspiration, communication, distraction, entertainment is through technology. IILM encourages its students to be technology savvy and Leverage Technology to bring in effectiveness to their work and business. A case in point, in the times of Covid, technology has moved up a few notches, K-12, Higher education and a good number of businesses have gone online, organizations are rethinking the Work from Home concept, also as an effective cost saving tool. All classes at IILM have been conducted on zoom through paid licenses ensuring security and privacy of teachers and students online.

This is a situation which has put everyone under pressure, be it the government, the police, the doctors, the medical supply chain, the food suppliers, the transport for continuing the work assigned. All others are under pressure to stay at home, manage their job, remain balanced, remain strong, stay calm and help others in whatever way possible, big or small. The MBA / PGDM programmes at IILM by the very nature of its being fast paced with classes, tutorials, assignments, simulations, meeting industry experts in Round Tables or Guest sessions, Summer internships, Live Projects, Placements creates the right kind of pressure with tight deadlines and helps students manage time and manage themselves by dealing with pressure.

People are the most valuable resource that one can have. IILM students develop skills of working in teams and learn to respect one another, value their competence and contribution. People Management is what management is greatly about. Students learn through cases and role plays, how to take people along, how to keep them motivated and engaged with the organization when the chips are down. How to make people feel wanted and part of your team are skills that come with practice. As a manager, you are required to take decisions, most of the times with limited resources, limited information and in limited time. IILM teaches Decision making as a process, a step by step approach to make good decisions. With practice, one becomes adept at following the steps and can still be quick. But if you miss some part of the processes in order to be quick, you will be prone to making mistakes, costly ones!

Prof.(Dr.) Kakoli Sen