Rama Krishna Sangem
IIM Shillong successfully hosted the fourth edition of its flagship International Marketing Conference (iMarC IV) under the theme “Bridging the Gap Between Marketing Theory and Practice: Infusion, Inclusion, and Integration”.
The conference was supported by State Bank of India, Sunway Business School, Sunway University as the Knowledge Partner, and the IIMS Journal of Management Science as the Publication Partner, the event brought together some of the brightest minds in marketing academia and industry from across the globe, said a press release.
The four-day conference, held from 21st to 24th January 2025, was a vibrant platform for intellectual exchange, welcoming around 150 participants and featuring 136 research paper presentations from five countries. Out of 219 submissions—21 full papers and 198 abstracts—154 papers were selected for presentation. These were expertly curated into thematic tracks, addressing some of the most pressing challenges and innovations in marketing.
Advanced Research methodologies
The conference began with an introduction to the conference Prof Bidyut Jyoti Gogoi, Conference Chair,iMarC IV, and introduction to the theme by Prof Basav Roychowdhury, Dean Research, IIM Shillong followed by an engaging panel discussion moderated by Prof Pratab Chandra Mondal, IIM Shillong featuring Jagannath A L, Director of Thoughtworks, and Himanshu Shekhar Mishra, Senior Journalist at NDTV, on "Customer-Centric Marketing: Lessons from Industry and Academics. Their perspectives set the tone for a dynamic blend of theoretical and practical marketing insights throughout the event.
The workshops were a major highlight of iMarC IV, equipping participants with advanced research tools and methodologies. Sessions included Prof. Rohit Joshi, IIM Shillong on "Multi-Criteria Decision-Making for Customer-Centric Marketing," Prof. Murugan Pattusamy from University of Hyderabad on mediation and Moderation Analysis Using R," Prof. Lim Weng Marc, Dean, Sunway Business School, Sunway University on Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis,; and Prof. Jaspreet Kaur from Delhi School of Business on Qualitative Analysis Using NVivo." These sessions provided attendees with innovative frameworks and tools for impactful research.
The keynote sessions further enriched the conference experience. Prof. Gerard and Dr. Christine Farias from Texas Tech University addressed Challenges for Business in the Face of Existential Crises for Humanity, while Dr. Subhadip Roy from IIM Ahmedabad conducted a masterclass on qualitative research design. Prof. Dipayan Biswas from the University of Florida shared strategies for publishing in top-tier journals, and Dr. Sanjit Roy from Edith Cowan University explored the role of AI in relationship marketing.
Dr. Bipul Kumar from IIM Indore concluded the conference with an inspiring keynote on "Marketing for a Better World," emphasizing the societal impact of marketing innovations, said the release.
