CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Everything from geopolitical and environmental storms to the convictions of Gen Z are changing the way business is done. But, b-schools are resolutely nurturing a new generation of leaders who can navigate this dynamic scenario

- ABHINAV SINGH

It is on a hot, dry day that we step into the 102-acre campus of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. The iconic old campus is closed for redevelopment. The new campus, which is right next to the old one, is neat and tidy. And, perhaps unexpectedly for India's premier b-school, the sports facilities stand out. There is a well-furnished gymnasium, tennis and badminton courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a football ground, to name a few. But, then again, the body has to achieve what the mind can dream up. And, in the case of IIMA students, that is quite a lot.

Our leisurely stroll around the campus comes to an end when we bump into Vinoj. He is a first-year student from Coimbatore. We ask him about his lessons and quickly get an education on Toyota's efficiency-he had learned about the company in operations management. Aditi Sharma from Delhi, another first-year student, excitedly explains how the pedagogy helps students become better decision makers. "Every day, one has to make decisions," she says. "And that helps you make better decisions later, in your professional life."

She is, of course, referring to the case method, where students dissect scenarios faced by businesses. They discuss the problems and potential solutions. This broadens their perspective and prepares them to be reliable troubleshooters when they are faced with challenges in their own managerial careers. Prof Sunil Sharma, who teaches strategy at IIMA, says that the problems posed by the case studies do not declare that they are HR problems or operations problems. "Hence, students must have a holistic approach to problem-solving," he says. "I feel that management education, at least at IIMA, has not changed much except for new themes, such as leveraging emerging technology to create solutions for society at scale."