Sumita Datta

Sumita Datta holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, with her doctoral research conceptualised on Talent Development Climate. She has completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations from XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, India.

She is an adjunct faculty in the area of People & Performance at SPJIMR. In her career spanning 30 years, she has led critical responsibilities in HR, Learning & Leadership Development, at leadership levels with prominent organizations in Automotive Manufacturing and Engineering Products companies for almost two decades.

Later, she pursued her passion in academics and joined management education. Her research interests cover topics including Innovation and HR practices, Diversity and Inclusion, and Careers Choices for Indian Women Managers. Her research contributions have been presented in leading journals and publications.

Education

• Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
  Ph.D., 2010
  Focus: Talent Development Climate

• XLRI, Jamshedpur
  Post Graduate Diploma, 1992
  Major: Personnel Management & Industrial Relations

• Lucknow University
  B.Sc, 1989
  Major: Physics, Statistics & Mathematics

Research Interests

• Organization Behavior and Social Psychology, including themes like:
• Talent Development
• Leadership Development
• Innovative Work Behavior
• Careers
• Diversity & Inclusion with special attention to:
• Role of leadership in creating a climate of inclusion and innovation
• Gender and Leadership
• Process view of learning and leadership development

Courses

• Organisational Behavior, Leadership, Personal Growth Labs, HRM Courses: Performance Management & Learning and Leadership Development, Diversity & Inclusion.
• A lead faculty of Organization Behavior (OB), 15 sessions of 70 minutes each, in full-time and part-time MBA programmes.
• Topics taught: OB-1 (Self) and OB- 2 (Team & leadership)
• Average no. of students taught these subjects in a year across different cohorts: 300
• Main faculty for the course on Gender Diversity & Inclusion (16 sessions of 70 minutes each) for PGDM students since 2019
• Topics taught: D&I in the workplace; Towards Inclusive leadership.
• Average no. of students taught per year: 50
• A lead faculty for teaching HRM specialization:
• Topics taught: Performance Management and Learning & Leadership Development to MBA students specializing in HRM.
• Average No. of students taught per year: 5
• A lead faculty for teaching leadership to participants of the Executive Management Programme
• Topics taught: Managing high-performing teams, leveraging emotional intelligence, situation leadership, conflict management
• Main faculty for teaching leadership development in the Family Businesses, a fast-growing MSME (Micro, Small and Medium size enterprises) sector in India during the period 2010 – 2015.
• Average No. of students taught per year: 300
• The main faculty for leadership development courses for women involved in family-managed business/ entrepreneurship
• Average no. of participants taught per year: 35.

Work Experience

Academic Faculty

• Adjunct Professor, SPJIMR. (September 1, 2017 – Present)
• Associate Professor, SPJIMR. (November 1, 2014 – August 31, 2017)
• Adjunct Faculty, SPJIMR. (September 23, 2010 – October 31, 2014)

Administrative Assignments in Academics

• Founding Chairperson – Post Graduate Management Programme for Women (March 15, 2016 – 2017)
• Area Coordinator (People & Performance) – Centre for Family Managed Business (Oct 2010 – 2014)

Siemens Ltd. (July 2012 – Sept 2013)

• Head – Learning and Leadership Development

Great Place to Work Institute, India and (erstwhile) Grow Talent (2005 – 2011)

• Senior Associate

Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (July 2001 – June 2004)

• HR Head for Corporate Centre

IMT Ghaziabad (May 2000 – April 2001)

• Visiting Faculty

Eveready Industries India Ltd. (Nov1992 – Sept 2000)

• HR Manager