Research Ecosystem

IIMU's objective is to establish itself as a leader in management research in India. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive research strategy has been put in place relating to:

• Attracting and hiring full-time faculty with the potential to do meaningful research that will be recognized by their peers
• Providing faculty with the working environment, funding, mentorship and other support so they can realize their full potential as researchers in their respective fields
• Ensuring that the research supported by IIMU is effectively and widely disseminated
• Establishing institutional collaborations and joint programs inside and outside India

Support for Research

IIMU's research strategy comprises a range of policies, incentives and funding including:

• The standard teaching hours are 90. The rest of the time is allocated for research. Upon request, faculty members also have the possibility of receiving reduced teaching assignments to accommodate their research projects.
• Seed money grants of US $7,000 per project is available to the faculty. A faculty member can have three active seed projects as the principal investigator.
• R&D Discretionary Fund/Faculty Development Fund – an annual development allowance of US $5,000 is provided to each faculty member for attendance at national and international conferences and other research-related travel. The institute encourages faculty members to attend two international conferences per year, and additional support is provided wherever necessary.
• Research Incentive Plan – Publications in journals are incentivized monetarily with up to Rs. 18 Lakhs for articles in journals recognized as top in their field (see the list of A category journals below).
• Active mentorship of young faculty by senior faculty/academic advisor at the area level.
• Multiple forums for faculty to exchange research ideas and remain informed about their colleagues' projects. A fortnightly internal seminar series provides an opportunity for faculty to present research paper drafts to their colleagues to get internal feedback. A Research Incubation Series (RISE) encourages dialogue among faculty to share ideas on newly initiated research projects and possibly spawn research collaborations.
• IIMU invited Research Series: The institute invites scholars regularly from prominent business schools for giving a talk or research seminar. It gives the opportunity to IIMU faculty members and students to interact with visiting scholars of prominent business schools around the world.
• The Institute encourages faculty members to spend a semester at a reputed research-focused international university. This practice would help them in improving their research capabilities, in building their research networks and in some cases in pursuing ongoing research projects. In such cases, the Institute would pay 70% of the cost and the faculty member would have the option of using his or her annual allowance from the Research Discretionary Fund for the balance.
• IIMU Research Office – R&D office provide support and assistance to faculty and staff on any administrative issues relating to research.
• The institute is facilitating Research Assistant Support to IIMU faculty members to help their research-related activities and productivity.

Research Collaborations

Some of the institutional and corporate collaborations for research and consulting have included:

• A joint research program with Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy. Four projects have been undertaken to date. Discussions are underway to establish a similar program with Purdue University.
• HPCL – IIMU has signed an MOU to provide expertise in the area of HR analytics.
• Genpact – IIMU has signed an MOU to provide knowledge creation in the area of banking.
• Hindustan Zinc – IIMU is in advanced stages of negotiating an MOU for knowledge creation in the area of mining and minerals management.
• Seva Mandir (leading regional NGO) – IIMU is providing advice and assistance on their livelihood initiative.
• At the request of the State Government of Rajasthan, IIMU has prepared and submitted a proposed strategy to improve the quality of higher education in the state
• Sahariya Project – the Rajasthani government has commissioned IIMU to evaluate this program which provides various types of assistance to a regional tribe.
• SPARC Projects – The Apex Committee of SPARC, MHRD has sanctioned the following projects for which proposals are submitted from IIMU.
  • Two Sides of a coin: Empowering Rural People and Women as Consumers and Entrepreneurs through Use of Technology
  • Who Bridges Across Social Divides?
  • Agricultural Knowledge Transfer at the Base of the Pyramid: A Sociological Perspective

Research Committees

Two committees have been established to promote the research priority of the Institute. The R&D Committee has primary responsibility for implementing the R&D strategy and monitoring it on an ongoing basis. It identifies any academic areas where there are research gaps and creates the enabling environment so research can flourish. The Knowledge Infrastructure Committee ensures that the infrastructure needed to support the research activities of the Faculty is in place, including books, journals, online databases and other IT support. These committees work under the guidance of the Faculty Council, a forum of all full-time faculty members.

"A*" and "A" Category Journals

IIMU's goal is not just to increase the quantity of research but to ensure its impact. Research quality must be recognized by peers in each field and research must appear in peer-reviewed journals with an emphasis on top journals having both a theoretical and a practitioner orientation. There are a small number of journals that are recognized worldwide as exemplars of excellence within the business and management field (broadly defined) and including economics and other allied fields. Their high status is acknowledged by their inclusion as world-leading journals in a number of well-regarded international journal quality lists.

With this in mind, IIMU has developed a list of journals categorized as "A*" and "A" based on rankings used by well-respected B-schools such as UT Dallas and IIM Bangalore as well as the FT 45 list and the Businessweek Top 20 list.

All journals in the "A*" category publish the most original and best-executed research. These journals typically have high submission and low acceptance rates and papers are heavily refereed. Journals in the "A*" category generally have the highest citation impact rates within their field. There are currently 37 journals on IIMU's list of "A*" Category journals.

"A" category journals publish original and well-executed research papers and are highly regarded. These journals typically have good submission rates, are very selective in what they publish, and papers are heavily refereed. Their citation impact rates are relatively higher than others in their field. The Institute currently has 64 journals on the list of "A" Category journals.