Winter School 2024: Expanding Research Horizons 

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, organized the Winter School 2024: Expanding Research Horizons, from 9^th to 13^th December 2024, a five-day academic initiative aimed at fostering research excellence and scholarly growth. The program included a Doctoral Colloquium, Paper Development Workshop, and sessions on advanced research methodologies, drawing participation from scholars, academicians, and experts. It was well organized under the guidance of Dr. Arti Chandani (Chairperson: FPM), Dr. Anubhav Mishra (Dean: Research), Dr. Pallavi Srivastava (PAN Campus Dean – International Relations) and was very well conducted by Ms. Raksha Dubey (FPM Scholar), Ms. Jagrati Gupta (FPM Scholar), Mr. Naveen Pandey (FPM Scholar) and Mr. Saksham Gupta (Student Coordinator: The Research Committee).  

DAY 1 

The event began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by esteemed faculty members, including Dr. Arti Chandani (Chairperson: FPM), Dr. Anubhav Mishra (Dean: Research), Dr. Pallavi Srivastava (PAN Campus Dean – International Relations), and Dr. Rashmi Choudhary (Dean: Student Affairs). 

Dr. Anubhav Mishra delivered the welcome address, emphasizing the importance of academic research in driving meaningful contributions to knowledge. 

The first session, led by Dr. Nripendra Rana (Professor: Queen's University, Belfast, UK), focused on "Academic Writing and Getting Published." He shared valuable insights on enhancing academic papers' quality, including avoiding idioms, grammatical errors, and mixed languages. He emphasized the need for clarity, adherence to journal formats, and the importance of addressing business problems effectively. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, enriching participants' understanding of academic writing. 

The second session of the day was delivered by Ms. Chaitali Sharma (Head - K12 & Others Sales: South Asia at Turnitin APAC), wherein she spoke about “Academic and Research integrity with AI”.  

The third session of the day was on the topic “Econometrics for Finance using R” by Dr. Alok Dixit (Associate Professor: IIM Lucknow) where Dr. Dixit took the participants to the R environment to run the econometric models. 

DAY 2 

The second day featured two insightful sessions. Dr. Sujeet Sharma (Professor: IIM Nagpur) discussed "Generating Theory by Deductive, Inductive, and Abductive Reasoning," providing a deep dive into the foundational aspects of theory development. 

In the second and last session of the day, Dr. Shailesh Pandey (Associate Professor: Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore) conducted a workshop on "Writing Harvard Cases: Insights from an Expert." He shared practical strategies for crafting impactful business cases, emphasizing real-world relevance and academic rigor. The sessions combined theoretical and practical perspectives, leaving participants inspired. He helped the participants develop the first draft of the case study during the session. 

DAY 3 

The third day commenced with a workshop on "Managing the Life Cycle of Publications," delivered by Dr. Subhadip Roy (Professor: IIM Ahmedabad).He introduced the "Three C's Model" for effective academic writing—Read, Build Theory, and Ensure Practical Relevance. The workshop covered essential topics such as selecting high-impact journals, conducting literature reviews, and handling constructive criticism. He also provided personalized feedback on participants’ research papers, enhancing their approach to academic publishing. 

DAY 4 

Day four of the Winter School 2024 featured three dynamic and insightful sessions that addressed critical aspects of modern academic research. 

Dr. Varsha Jain (Professor: MICA Ahmedabad), commenced the day with her session on “Qualitative Research in the Digital Age.” She explored innovative methods for conducting research in the digital landscape, emphasizing how qualitative approaches can adapt and thrive in an era dominated by technology. 

In the following session, Ms. Sangita Menon (Publishing Relationship Manager: Emerald Publishing), delivered an engaging talk on “Avoiding Desk Rejections and Upholding Ethics in Research.” She provided participants with practical tips for ensuring successful research submissions, including strategies to meet journal standards and the importance of maintaining ethical integrity throughout the research process. 

The day concluded with a session by Dr. Shiva Kakkar (Vice President of AI Initiatives: Jaipuria Institute of Management). He delved into the “Use of AI in Research,” highlighting the transformative role of artificial intelligence in enhancing academic studies. He discussed how AI tools can streamline research processes, improve data analysis, and drive impactful outcomes. 

Together, these sessions provided participants with valuable insights into evolving research methodologies, ethical publishing practices, and the growing influence of AI in academic research. 

DAY 5 

The final day of the Winter School 2024 featured enriching sessions that covered essential aspects of academic research. 

Dr. Rehan Husain (Assistant Professor: Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow) began the day with an engaging session on research fundamentals. He discussed critical elements such as selecting appropriate journals, conducting comprehensive literature reviews, and defining a clear and focused research problem. His insights provided participants with a strong foundation for embarking on impactful research journeys. 

Following this, Dr. Nishtha Malik (Associate Professor: Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow) delivered an insightful session providing insights on “The Anatomy of the Research Paper.” She emphasized the importance of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the role of proper instrumentation, and the need to align research objectives with journal requirements. She further offered participants a detailed understanding of how to structure and refine their research papers to meet academic standards. 

The event concluded with a Valedictory Session by Dr. Sudhir Rana (Associate Professor: Gulf Medical University, UAE). He shared valuable insights on common research mistakes and effective strategies for improvement. His concluding remarks served as a guide for participants to enhance the quality of their research work and navigate challenges in their academic pursuits. 

The final day marked a fitting end to the Winter School with facilitating the winners of 3-minute Thesis participants, Mr. Sahil Dua- FORE School of Management, Mr. Arijit Goswami -ITM University, Raipur and Ms. Manisha Sanghvi,Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune with certificates. The other participants and students were too facilitated with the certificates.  

The event culminated on a happy note leaving participants with a deeper understanding of research practices and practical tools to elevate their scholarly contributions. 

The Winter School 2024 successfully provided a platform for participants to explore advanced research methodologies, interact with renowned experts, and refine their academic endeavors. The event underscored Jaipuria Institute of Management’s commitment to fostering a culture of impactful research and academic excellence. The event was supported by Emerald Publishing as Academic Partner. 

Team Media Relations Committee for the Workshop coverage: 
Under the guidance of Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Reeti Agarwal 

Writer: Mr. Shubham Kumar Pandey  

Photographer: Mr. Abhishek Kumar, Mr. Syed Amaan Ali, Mr. Mohd. Amir, Ms. Asna Shah, Ms. Mahee Srivastava, Ms. Astha Gupta, Mr. Shubham Kumar Pandey, Ms. Ayushi Saxena & Ms. Pallavi Sahu 

Graphic Designer: Mr. Yuvraj Singh Bhadauriya and Mr. Syed Amaan Ali