IIM Indore

| Can women leaders make a measurable difference to forest conservation?

A new study by Prof. Sutirtha Bandyopadhyay and co-authors, published in the Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organization, finds that they do.

Using election data and satellite-based forest cover data, the research shows that constituencies led by female legislators witness significantly higher forest cover growth, especially in areas reserved for historically marginalized communities.

The findings highlight how political representation shapes environmental outcomes. By combining inclusive institutions with diverse leadership, the study suggests that stronger, more sustainable conservation outcomes can be achieved, making representation not just a social goal, but an environmental one too.

| How should firms rethink power backup decisions in a world of rising sustainability pressures?

A case published in Ivey Publishing by Prof. Swapnil Garg, Prof. Bhavin J. Shah, and Arijit Goswami (DPM 2023) places Hanning Motors India at a strategic crossroads.

Faced with evolving regulations and climate commitments, the firm must move beyond traditional diesel generators and evaluate alternatives like battery energy storage systems or leasing models.

The case captures a real managerial dilemma of balancing reliability, cost, and environmental impact, while questioning whether legacy solutions still make sense in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

Read: https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/hanning-india-battery-storage-for-sustainable-electricity-backup/01tOF00000BSjFBYA1

| What does it take to build theories that are truly rooted in context rather than borrowed from elsewhere?

Exploring this important frontier in research, IIM Indore had the pleasure of hosting Prof. Viswanath Venkatesh, Professor and Verizon Chair of Business Information Technology at the Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech, USA, for a research talk under the IIM Indore Seminar Series on April 22, 2026.

In his talk, “Indigenous Theory Development: The Next Frontier in Contextualization,” Prof. Venkatesh emphasized the need for developing contextually grounded theories that reflect local realities while contributing to global scholarship.

The session was coordinated by Prof. Rajhans Mishra, Faculty in the Information Systems area at IIM Indore.

Through such seminars, IIM Indore continues to encourage research that is both globally relevant and locally meaningful.

Himanshu Rai