<p>In India, management studies and public policy often exist in separate silos — distant acquaintances rather than natural partners. Except for a handful of leading institutes, business schools rarely integrate public policy into teaching or research, even though today’s managerial skills are deeply linked to understanding of social systems, policy design, analysis frameworks, and evaluation and monitoring methods. </p><p>Many B-schools continue with compartmentalised departments of marketing, human resources, operations, and finance. Interdisciplinarity, particularly the integration of management with public policy, remains limited. Faculty focus on departmental expertise, even as the real world demands broader perspectives.</p>.<p>This divide is rooted in India’s colonial legacy. Public policy as a systematic discipline matured in countries such as the United States, while in India it often remained confined to political science, public administration, or law. Practitioners from these disciplines often assumed the role of policy experts, rather than professionals trained in public policy as an interdisciplinary field. </p><p>This legacy, reinforced by centralised bureaucracies and contentment with the status quo, slowed the development of public policy as a discipline in its own right. The colonial education system further entrenched this neglect after independence. The result: ad hoc policy processes in government and industry and a traditional higher education system ill-equipped to address policy complexity.</p>.<p>Research think tanks increasingly provide useful policy insights, but their work is often fragmented and project-bound. Consultancy firms, meanwhile, face growing demand to tackle complex policy matters but struggle to find trained policy professionals. Academia has not kept pace with this need.</p>.<p>Integrating public policy into the B-school curricula could enable systemic change. It would equip students to become problem-solvers in business management while engaging actively with policy issues. </p><p>This approach aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises interdisciplinarity. Embedding public policy into management studies would train students to analyse problems through multiple frameworks and design solutions addressing both societal challenges and business goals.</p>.<p>For B-schools, the case is stronger still: many consultancy projects they handle from industry and government already carry policy dimensions. Without in-house expertise, their research risks being partial and less impactful.</p>.<p>The urgency is growing. Businesses operate within an ecosystem of rules, regulations, and social expectations. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout, for instance, forced companies to rapidly overhaul systems, and those led by managers alert to regulatory change adapted more smoothly. With tax reforms continuing, regulatory knowledge has become a managerial necessity. </p>.<p>India’s new data protection law requires startups and tech firms to rethink how they handle customer information. Policy literacy equips managers to respond effectively. Similarly, the rising Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements are reshaping corporate practices. Global investors increasingly expect Indian firms to meet sustainability standards beyond financial performance. Managers who understand frameworks set by regulators such as SEBI are better placed to attract capital, build trust, and maintain credibility.</p>.<p>These policy aspects cannot be seen in isolation. They demand broad-spectrum frameworks: understanding agendas behind policy-making, using analytical techniques for adaptation, and developing stakeholder engagement skills. Such grounding allows managers to connect policies to wider consequences, resulting in more informed decisions.</p>.<p>Future managers and entrepreneurs must therefore learn to frame problems systematically, explore alternative solutions, engage with diverse stakeholders, anticipate trade-offs, and communicate effectively -- not only with investors, but also with governments and the public.</p>.<p>Introducing public policy concepts into B-schools can bridge this gap, enabling students to navigate the “wicked problems” of societal ecosystems. Leadership now requires more than management acumen; it requires awareness of how business decisions interact with policy outcomes. A successful leader can frame issues logically, contribute to policy discourse, and develop solutions that benefit both markets and society.</p>.<p>(The writer is an assistant professor and public policy researcher at Ramaiah Institute of Management)</p> <p>Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.</p>
<p>In India, management studies and public policy often exist in separate silos — distant acquaintances rather than natural partners. Except for a handful of leading institutes, business schools rarely integrate public policy into teaching or research, even though today’s managerial skills are deeply linked to understanding of social systems, policy design, analysis frameworks, and evaluation and monitoring methods. </p><p>Many B-schools continue with compartmentalised departments of marketing, human resources, operations, and finance. Interdisciplinarity, particularly the integration of management with public policy, remains limited. Faculty focus on departmental expertise, even as the real world demands broader perspectives.</p>.<p>This divide is rooted in India’s colonial legacy. Public policy as a systematic discipline matured in countries such as the United States, while in India it often remained confined to political science, public administration, or law. Practitioners from these disciplines often assumed the role of policy experts, rather than professionals trained in public policy as an interdisciplinary field. </p><p>This legacy, reinforced by centralised bureaucracies and contentment with the status quo, slowed the development of public policy as a discipline in its own right. The colonial education system further entrenched this neglect after independence. The result: ad hoc policy processes in government and industry and a traditional higher education system ill-equipped to address policy complexity.</p>.<p>Research think tanks increasingly provide useful policy insights, but their work is often fragmented and project-bound. Consultancy firms, meanwhile, face growing demand to tackle complex policy matters but struggle to find trained policy professionals. Academia has not kept pace with this need.</p>.<p>Integrating public policy into the B-school curricula could enable systemic change. It would equip students to become problem-solvers in business management while engaging actively with policy issues. </p><p>This approach aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises interdisciplinarity. Embedding public policy into management studies would train students to analyse problems through multiple frameworks and design solutions addressing both societal challenges and business goals.</p>.<p>For B-schools, the case is stronger still: many consultancy projects they handle from industry and government already carry policy dimensions. Without in-house expertise, their research risks being partial and less impactful.</p>.<p>The urgency is growing. Businesses operate within an ecosystem of rules, regulations, and social expectations. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout, for instance, forced companies to rapidly overhaul systems, and those led by managers alert to regulatory change adapted more smoothly. With tax reforms continuing, regulatory knowledge has become a managerial necessity. </p>.<p>India’s new data protection law requires startups and tech firms to rethink how they handle customer information. Policy literacy equips managers to respond effectively. Similarly, the rising Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements are reshaping corporate practices. Global investors increasingly expect Indian firms to meet sustainability standards beyond financial performance. Managers who understand frameworks set by regulators such as SEBI are better placed to attract capital, build trust, and maintain credibility.</p>.<p>These policy aspects cannot be seen in isolation. They demand broad-spectrum frameworks: understanding agendas behind policy-making, using analytical techniques for adaptation, and developing stakeholder engagement skills. Such grounding allows managers to connect policies to wider consequences, resulting in more informed decisions.</p>.<p>Future managers and entrepreneurs must therefore learn to frame problems systematically, explore alternative solutions, engage with diverse stakeholders, anticipate trade-offs, and communicate effectively -- not only with investors, but also with governments and the public.</p>.<p>Introducing public policy concepts into B-schools can bridge this gap, enabling students to navigate the “wicked problems” of societal ecosystems. Leadership now requires more than management acumen; it requires awareness of how business decisions interact with policy outcomes. A successful leader can frame issues logically, contribute to policy discourse, and develop solutions that benefit both markets and society.</p>.<p>(The writer is an assistant professor and public policy researcher at Ramaiah Institute of Management)</p> <p>Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.</p>