DJAME Professor: Dr. J.J.Savithri Interview

Dr. J.J.Savithri is the Professor of Behavioural Sciences at DJ Academy for Managerial Excellence, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. She holds a Ph.D. in Management (Organizational Behaviour), and an M.Sc. in Applied Psychology from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. She has also done B.Sc and M.B.A. as a part of her academics. She has 21 years of PG teaching experience and teaches subjects like Organizational Behaviour, Organizational Development, Managing Interpersonal Relations, and Labour Law. She has published 11 Journal Articles and participated in 11 conferences. She has handled many Management Development Programs for entry and middle-level employees on Leadership, Emotional intelligence, and Team Building. She is also the resource person for the Physician Leadership Program. She is an active member of various professional bodies like CMA, NIPM, and NHRD.

What are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

“Equipping the student with the knowledge to deal with business problems”

A faculty’s role at DJAME goes beyond teaching and evaluation. A management faculty needs to don multiple hats: facilitator, researcher, coach and mentor. All these roles have a bearing on what students learn in class. Creating an environment for learning and experimenting, encouraging students to traverse through and go beyond their comfort zones are also significant responsibilities that will help students in finding their paths. Besides, it is important to help them become aware of their strengths.

How do you tend to establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty?

“With the help of Mutual respect and open communication”

I believe establishing strong and positive relationships with students is important. Students have been in touch with me for over a decade and more. Interacting with students and supporting them when they need you, recognizing and appreciating their efforts makes them feel valued and above all treating them as co-learners rather than as students are the few things that I do to establish a healthy relationship with my students. Mutual respect and open communication among the faculty team are two things that help in building long-lasting professional relationships. 

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students?

“Internships outbound training and Alumni-Student Mentorship”

Few of the best practices offered by DJAME to the students:

• Connect Programs: To establish a symbiotic relationship with the industry, DJAME offers 5 types of connect programs such as corporate connect, academic connect, e-connect, CXO connect and alumni connect. CFO’s, CHRO’s, Middle and Senior Managers of top Indian and multinational companies, renowned academicians and distinguished alumni are invited to interact with students.
• Duologue: The flagship program of DJAME, Duologue – A dialogue with corporate leaders features a veritable who’s who of the industry
• Alumni-Student Mentorship: Alumni mentors provide guidance for the personal and professional development of students.
• Internship Abroad: At DJAME we believe in learning by doing. Internship abroad is a fully sponsored one-week internship to LMW Textile Machinery (Suzhou) Company Ltd. China. One deserving student from II MBA gets this opportunity.
• Outbound Training: To help students come out of their inhibitions and help students adapt to new environments, students attend outbound training at a facility in Coonoor, Nilgiris.

Do you have any extracurricular activities to enhance the skills of the students?

“Student interest clubs such as HR Club, Finance Club, Marketing Club, Operations Club”

The institute creates opportunities for the students to listen to the personal and professional experiences of industry leaders and also to network with them through the connect programs. The institute has several students run clubs such as HR Club, Finance Club, Marketing Club, Operations Club, Entrepreneurship Club, Lafemme, etc for students to plan, organize and execute programs in their respective specializations. The students organize the annual ED Carnival through which students learn to run small businesses and earn profits. The academy also organizes DJ Brain Teasers an annual inter-college business quiz competition and Adroit an annual inter-college management fest. These extracurricular activities help students develop skills in leadership, planning, organizing, financial management and social responsibility. 

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How does the department enhance the skills of the faculty?

“DJAME offers Faculty Development Programs on contemporary topics annually”

The expertise of faculty members of the institute is leveraged in offering these programmes. The Academy encourages and sponsors faculty members for attending FDP and QIP’s at top management institutes like IIM’s. The faculty members are also encouraged to present papers in national and international conferences organised by institutes of repute both within and outside the country. The faculty team at DJAME undergoes Faculty In-service Program every year to get hands-on industry experience.

What do you see as the department’s greatest strengths?

“Industry Institute Interaction is the academy’s greatest strength”

DJAME is promoted by LMW, a conglomerate in manufacturing textile machinery. LMW and its group companies support the academy by providing access to industrial expertise, student projects, domestic and international internships, placement opportunities, faculty training and opportunities for joint research and consultancy projects. A seasoned faculty team is another strength of the Academy. Yet another strength is the relationship the institute has with its Alumni.

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What valuable advice would you like to give the students?

“Advice to face the corporate world with grit and élan”

MBA students should be willing to step out of their comfort zones. B school is a place that serves several opportunities for its students to bring about change in the habitual ways of thinking and acting, trying to transform them into professionals. Every day in a b school is a new opportunity with new challenges and new learning. Students willing to experiment will learn better. Leadership, teamwork along a positive attitude can take a management graduate to great heights.