PIM provides leadership in management

Professing in a premier enterprise, I am delighted to embark on a new series of People Perspectives.

Having written more than 30 weekly columns, I thought of running a fortnightly. This is to get more breathing space amidst the swamping of administrative tasks and the swelling of teaching time.

What I have in mind is to relate them more to the aspects of human behaviour with due relevance to Sri Lankan organizations. Also, it is a fresh start as a full professor in management. This will strengthen my role as the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM). I have realized that it is a complex, challenging role that demands competence and commitment.

Five pillars

The leadership of PIM has passed from one generation to another. It is an opportune time to reflect on PIM specifically and the role of management education in general. My association with PIM goes back to almost 20 years, considering the multiple involvements as a student, visiting faculty, consultant, lecturer, researcher, trainer and leader. I collectively introduced a five-year strategic plan to make PIM a centre of management excellence in South Asia, with five pillars in focus, viz., teaching, research, partnerships, infrastructure and governance.

History

Under a renewed theme, 'Igniting human imagination', PIM saw several new initiatives such as student research day, innovation forum and multiple MBA specializations. Let's discover more of this premier enterprise. Excellence is all about being exceptionally good. When applied to enterprises, it involves exceptional achievements in a consistent manner.

The Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) is a self-financed, semi-autonomous public entity. PIM produces thought leaders. It has been in the forefront in breeding such leaders with character and competence. They are equipped with cutting-edge knowledge and complementary skills to perform in the private and public sectors alike.

Being the pioneer of advanced management education in Sri Lanka, PIM provides leadership to those in the business of innovating and disseminating management know-how and to those in search of higher learning alternatives. The history of the Institute goes back to 1981 when a Division of the Postgraduate Studies was set up at the Faculty of Management Studies of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The Division started postgraduate studies in management in collaboration with two Canadian Universities - Ottawa University and Carleton University.

In 1986, the Division was upgraded as a separate institute under the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The Institute was set up at a rented building at Sri Saranankara Road, Dehiwala in April 1986 and it continued to operate from there up to 1994 when the Institute was moved to the new building at Lesley Ranagala Mawatha, Colombo 8.

The Institute has so far produced around 100 CEOs, 1,000 directors and almost 10,000 managers. It holds convocations of its own, in intervals of approximately 18 months.

Prof. Gunapala Nanayakkara, Dr. Kanthi Kamalgoda, Dr. Basil Perera, Prof. Uditha Liyanage and Prof. Mangala Fonseka were the former directors who steered PIM.

PIM's approach has always been strategic. Strategy formulation and implementation is the way forward in achieving sustained results. PIM's forward path is shaped by its current five-year strategic plan (2015-2019).

It begins with the PIM's vision, mission and values followed by goals and objectives and key performance indicators for the said period. PIM's vision is to become a centre for management excellence in South Asia.

PIM's mission can be stated as: We ignite human imagination by developing leaders with a global presence and local pulse. In doing so, we pursue innovative teaching, cutting-edge research, enriching partnerships, greener infrastructure and good governance. We have selected passion, integrity and mindfulness as core values of PIM. Masters courses at PIM, particularly the MBA has earned a name for producing thought leaders.

In brief, leaders who can think and act without just acting. We harp on the need to 'be a MBA' than to 'have a MBA'. In fact, we moved one step ahead in inviting our 'learning partners' to 'be brilliant as an MBA'. This is of high relevance in the context of current environment.

Professionalism

With the ever changing demands in the business world today, enterprises need more professionals to drive businesses ahead. A professional is a person who approaches a problem or a situation with a particular structured approach, using the body of knowledge by applying specific skills for the situation. The MBA essentially caters to develop such professionalism. The ultimate goal of the MBA is to develop professionals who can produce results in a more systematic, consistent and sustainable manner.

PIM has revitalized its research focus with the setting up of a dedicated research centre. It coordinates a vibrant doctoral program with links to leading researchers, local and overseas. We believe in creating 'worldclass researchers', with the right quality and quantity. Managerial issues with national, regional and global significance will be our focus in shedding light for better understanding.

Research collaboration with overseas institutes has already begun. We see a bright future for aspiring management academics through our research endeavours. The Sri Lankan Journal of Management (SLJM), a publication of PIM and the only sustained management journal throughout the years is moving towards a reputed journal ranking.

Being a Professor of Management while leading PIM provides a plethora of opportunities for serving deserving communities. Adhering to the best practices with appropriate use of technology will ensure enhanced quality and relevance in all our initiatives.

PIM will continue to produce value in practising values, as the premier management learning enterprise.

The writer, a Professor in Management, is the director and the chairman of the board of management of the Postgraduate Institute of Management. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the Division of Management and Entrepreneurship, Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma, USA.