Guest article by Yupal Shukla
From August 6th to 9th, 2024, the 12th International Research Symposium in Service Management (IRSSM-12) was jointly hosted by Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) and T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAAPMI), both part of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India. The symposium was chaired by Dr. Jay Kandampully, Professor at Ohio State University and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Service Management, with co-chairs Dr. Chef K. Thirugnanasambantham, Principal of WGSHA, and Dr. Rajeev Kumra, Director of TAAPMI. The presence of international mentors, including Professors Allard van Riel (Hasselt University, Belgium), Christian Kowalkowski (Linkoping University, Sweden), David Solnet (University of Queensland Business School, Australia), Linda Alkire (Texas State University, USA), Srikanth Beldona (University of Delaware, USA), and Werner H. Kunz (University of Massachusetts Boston, USA), enriched the symposium, making it a precious experience for all participants.
The symposium’s theme, “Harmonizing People, Technology, and Compassion: Reimagining the Soul of Service,” inspired insightful academic contributions from scholars across India. The discussions touched on various sub-themes, including the adoption and impact of technology in services, the role of people in service organizations, service innovations, societal transformations, and the intersection of service culture with compassion. The Best Paper Award was presented to Mithilesh Pandey, Anjali Tiwari, and Madhukar Saxena for their research on “Virtual Worlds, Real Ethics: Unraveling the Moral Dilemmas with Immersive Technologies.” Sneha Rose George received the Young Service Researcher Award.
IRSSM 12, 2024 – Key Figures: IRSSM 12 received 184 abstract submissions, with 105 accepted for presentation. The symposium was well-attended, drawing over 200 participants, including more than 150 academics from India. The event featured presentations across 13 tracks, with significant contributions in tourism, hospitality, and allied services, reflecting the diverse range of research aligned with the symposium’s theme.
Day 1: August 6th, 2024
The symposium commenced with registration, followed by a pre-symposium workshop featuring a panel discussion on research advancements and roundtable discussions led by international mentors. A lively Networking Game, orchestrated by Yupal Shukla and Dr. Ravi Chatterjee, brought the day to a cheerful close. The day began with a Research Advancement Workshop (RAW), where esteemed professors shared insights on crafting impactful research papers. The panel emphasized the importance of solid introductions, comprehensive literature reviews, and addressing broader societal impacts, aligning with IRSSM’s philosophy of kindness, compassion, and trust in research collaboration. The Networking Game fostered camaraderie among attendees, enhancing the sense of community at the symposium.
Day 2: August 7th, 2024
The second day began with a formal opening ceremony, including traditional lamp lighting and tributes to the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswati. The ceremony featured welcome addresses by Dr. Chef Thirugnanasambantham and Dr. Rajeev Kumra, and a keynote address by Lt. General Dr. M.D. Venkatesh. This was followed by keynote addresses from Professor Rishikesh Krishnan, Director of IIM-Bangalore, who discussed innovation in services, and Mr. Shraman Jha, CEO of Hindustan Unilever Foundation, who spoke on the impact of the water crisis on service management. The day concluded with parallel sessions and a campus tour.
Day 3: August 8th, 2024
The third day opened with a keynote session on academia-industry linkages, featuring Mr. Vikram Cotah, CEO of GRT Hotels and Resorts, and Mr. Prashanth Rao Aroor, founder of The Avatar Hotel. The Director’s Round Table, with Directors of prestigious Indian Institutes of Management, explored strategies for enhancing collaboration between academia and industry. The day included technical sessions on various themes, followed by an awards ceremony, a cultural program, and a gala dinner.
Day 4: August 9th, 2024
The final day featured a plenary session led by Dr. Jay Kandampully and the international mentors, focusing on “The Essence of Selfless Giving and the Soul of Research.” The session emphasized collaboration and integrating qualitative and quantitative research methods for a holistic understanding of complex issues. The symposium concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Vidya Patwardhan, followed by a tour of Udupi Temple and Malpe Beach.
We eagerly anticipate IRSSM 13 in beautiful Mauritius next year. For more information, please visit www.irssm.org.
Yupal Shukla
Fogelman College of Business and Economics,
University of Memphis
Please find all the pictures of the event here.
