Good day, Dr. Syam Kumar S. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

My PhD in field of marketing from individual technology Rootkey and I'm seeking for the.

Job position in the field of marketing as an Assistant Professor with VIT Business School at Vellore.

Please

So I feel like my research and my teaching aligns with the requirement of institute, so that is why I'm applying for this position.

Thank you for sharing that, Professor.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Professor. Let us begin with assessing your expertise across some key areas. First, could you explain your approach to utilizing marketing analytics in academic research or teaching?

So I'm teaching. Firstly, I would start with. Currently I'm associated with Saint Joseph Institute of Management, Bangalore where I taught the goals Marketing analytics as a relative course for marketing students. Apart from that I have.

Quite a few publication published in high rescue journals which are in ABDC a category and in which I have used various quantitative analytics tools like.

Partially square structural equation modeling, regression and various other tools which are used for analyzing, you know, raw data. So I think I.

You know I fit into that area of deal with numbers and analytics.

Understood, Professor. Could you elaborate on how you simplify these advanced statistical tools, such as partial least squares structural equation modeling, for your students, ensuring they can apply them in practical marketing contexts?

So.

Partially spiced absolution modeling is a combination of OLS regression which is ordinary least squared regression and principal component analysis combined together and used as a prediction oriented analytics software where we need to assess complex models through multiple regulations so. It's, you know.

Tool which is mostly used these days. So smart PLS which is the software and which helps us to do which is very user friendly to approach the required desired outcomes through this software.

I see. And how do you assess whether students have effectively understood and can apply tools like Smart PLS in real-world marketing problem scenarios?

So in real world people, those who are collecting raw data, primary data, especially in the form of surveys, can use those data in assessing the real life problems for example.

There are a couple of, you know, recent VLSM. So a smart TLS software for example incorporates various tools such as multi group analysis, even the old CBSM approach, covariance based structure equation modeling.

And other approaches inculcated into smart PLS software so that recent marketing related surveys which are quantitative in nature can be assessed through this platform.

Noted, Professor. Let us move to the next aspect. How do you integrate service operations management concepts into your teaching or research?

OK. So the services marketing is an area which I've taught earlier. I've developed a course on pricing strategies as well, so.

Precisely.

Even in my general courses which I've taught, for example, principles of marketing and the other course which is the basic course of marketing management, we include the element of services marketing. So how services marketing is important, how service?

Understood,

It's different from a product related marketing, what exclusively what approaches we can follow, especially talking about recent services like you know, platform based services instead of the pipeline based services which you earlier used to have. So what kind of strategies, what kind of pricing should be utilized and what kind of approaches we should follow in order to you know, evaluate, assess and quantify, measure the outcomes of?

So that is one of the things which have teach taught in you know.

Oriented marketers.

Services related courses and in terms of research since my PhD was in the area of assessing binoculated services which is a limit method.

Through which customer get an opportunity to delay their payment for a couple of days or months depending upon the terms and conditions of service provider. So that is an element where I, you know, delve into the research aspects of services.

Understood, Professor. Could you describe how you guide students in linking theoretical concepts of services marketing with practical industry cases, particularly related to platform-based services?

Yes, so many a times I use this cases of Zomato or maybe app based platforms like Swiki in order to give my students better understanding about platform based services. So that is the way and these are the cases which are which are known to Indian audiences, Indian students which will allow them to better understand the services context in their current scenario which they.

Obviously using and dealing with an HTTP basis.

Thank you, Professor. Shifting gears, can you discuss how you approach teaching both theory and laboratory courses in a structured way to maximize student engagement and understanding?

So even teaching the theoretical related courses, for example for like consumer behavior or business to business marketing, I try to bring more practicality to the course by discussing what is happening in and around in the world and then to link it with how we can actually do a consumer research or how to carry out these things. So that is one of the way and I bring.

Very recent various classroom.

Examples. Various examples were from current scenarios, what is happening in and around the world to give my students a better understanding of what is, how these concepts theoretically taught are interlinked to their own, you know, world in which they're living, for example, like what products they're using, how they're using, how they've been marketed. And.

When you're learning a concept, for example, if you're being, if you're teaching a concept of guerrilla marketing, you're seeing examples of how you know Swiggy is coming up with a gorilla marketing to attack Zomato or Pepsi is coming up with a gorilla not getting to attack cola. So this is a way by bringing cases I try to.

Bring justice to my subject and explain my students in a better way.

Thank you, Professor. Could you also share how you structure assessments and evaluations in such courses to ensure both theoretical understanding and practical application?

So the assessment of the course here for the courses which are taught here in Saint Joseph Institute of Management.

30 to 30 percent, 30 + 30% assessments on midterms and end term examination. Apart from that, 40 percentage of the assessment depends on the fatigue. So in my case, I used to have two different assessments, one individual assessment to assess the capability of each student individually and one group assessment to check the ability of students to work in team or as a group. So this is the way I split my assessment and at the same.

We have.

They may use this classroom activities along with practical life cases, which Sudhisha asked to do as an assignment to bring up with a possible solution and you know, do a project like project.

Data-driven projects. So these are some of the ways in which I'll try to bring justice to my course, to assessments.

Thank you, Professor. Moving forward, could you explain your approach to guiding students through their projects and research activities, particularly in a way that fosters originality and academic rigor?

So in most of my courses I bring, since I have a research at human which I feel like OK, which I've gained through my training at IIT, Indian Institute of Technology. So I try to, you know, drive that research oriented approach towards the students. So I motivate students, I try to teach them that OK, any problem which you're finding as a part of the course?

Can be, you know, a research curiosity which can further be taken to the next level by trying to understand it, trying to get more answers to these kind of curiosity or questions which are coming up. So that is the way how I try to bring research achievement among our students.

I see. Could you provide an example of a student project or research problem you guided that particularly highlights this research-driven curiosity?

OK so one of the project which I'm currently dealing with student project was.

How is this, you know, telecom industry?

Which is you know surrounded with a legal ballistic from different market. What is consumer looking for in a telephone provider service provider?

Is it the bundling services which they are providing or a kind of you know, individual service sector or the price sensitivity is is price sensitivity is something which is important in Indian telecom industry? This is one of the project which we are dealing at the same time simultaneously with one of the other student I am you know, doing a research work on insure tech. So what are the factors?

Influences people to go for technology oriented insurance products. So these are the two things currently in progress. I think they are in the stage of almost.

Initiating a part. They've collected the data, I've helped them in analyzing those data.

And we are expecting to get, you know, good results out of it.

Thank you for sharing that. Let's now discuss communication and teaching approaches. Could you describe how you ensure clarity and structure in your teaching methods, particularly in communicating complex concepts to students?

OK, so first of all, I would like to mention that I'll use to give them before starting the course first day or before, you know?

Which is the the way we are going to approach the schools, the way we are going to deliver. So what all cases I need to discuss in this course and what all kind of you know.

A structured session plan.

Concepts I'm going to explain.

So again I planned this course well in advance so that even students can follow it up and they can do their homework before coming to classroom. And the complex concept which are explained in classrooms many a time try to bring it through classroom activities to give some activities to really link the world reality or something which we are experiencing with.

A practical kind of problem with the theoretical concepts so that they can always remember.

Understood,

Or maybe the Maslow's Iraqi theory, I will ensure that I have a classroom activity in which I've split the students into different groups and asked them to work on each of the areas, for example, each of the needs and explain what does that mean, means and how is it related. Give some example to elicitate all this, you know, different, different complex contexts. So that is the way how I try to bring justice to my course.

What is happening, for example, if it is about a research process which I'm teaching and say public?

I see. How do you measure whether your communication and teaching approach is truly effective in enhancing student learning and engagement?

See for that in multiple ways. First of all, there is from institution level, I think they have feedback systems in which I've got good feedback for more than 80 percentage most of the courses. So which is one of the way that I try to gauge knowledge about how much your understanding about the way I'm explaining your post. And at the same time I also ask questions in classrooms. So I used to do cold calling or maybe I used to.

Uh, so.

Of them are up, you know, give them opportunity to ask questions or if they are not asking questions, I ask that so as to gauge an awareness of whether they're getting what I'm talking about, whether they are.

On the same page where I'm expecting them to be with.

How do you respond if feedback or classroom interactions reveal gaps in student understanding or engagement?

So.

See.

I would like to, you know, explore more ways to improve my ability as a teacher in my approaches. I will always try to, you know.

When we are combining the assessment with group assessments, I even do arrive along with that pre scheduled so as to understand the level how students gained out of the course. So that's one of the way why you know, try to bring already used level of gap which exists in terms of my expectation of how a student should work and.

I've stepped into the teaching profession very freshly. It's just been 7-8 months. I'm still working on it and I hope you know I'm constantly improving that skills.

The actual reality. So since I'm a new teacher.

OK.

Thank you, Professor. Let's move on to another area. Could you discuss your experience in research publications, particularly in reputed journals, and how those contributions align with your teaching or industry background?

So I have got my training to research from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee where on a thesis I was working on a thesis on exploring the context of buy now pay later in scenario in which I was able to pull off.

Four different essays, which are four different publications, so currently 2 of.

Them are published in high quality research also which are ABDC a category journals, one in Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics and one in International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Both are this. Both of the studies are explaining or exploring the antecedents of BNPL adoption intention.

And apart from that, I have carried out independent research as a sole author.

One research on how the sources of St. vendors, secondhand clothing business and the buyer profile of those businesses which is completely qualitative work which recently got acceptance in social responsibility journal which is an ABDC B category journal which is in Q1.

And the other one an independent work which have carried out in the field of elderly Gray tourism, elderly employees, pink image desire and travel motivation, which again got acceptance in current issues in theory from Abd Ciatic region Q1. So these are some of the works which you know I have published which are.

And how I bring this to my classroom is see why I'm currently teaching Business Research methodology as a course. So to explain qualitative research and how qualitative research means, you know, executed in real life. I bring my papers and I explain my students how I used to, what are the troubles which I faced while having this, what kind of data collection it was, what kind of research project.

Published in reputed high quality journals.

What was my analysis tools? What does the VI tools analysis?

All these things. So that's how I bring my research into classroom.

Thank you, Professor. Finally, could you share any experience you have with industry projects or consultancy, and how that experience has informed your teaching or research?

Currently since I'm stepping into the teaching profession I'm not having I am not having any currently industry consultancies had so far. But I'm actually looking for such opportunities. But I do try to bring industry experiences and expertise to my classroom through bringing guest lectures, arranging guest lectures for my course on industry. So I I normally bring people who have at least 2020 plus years of experiences.

Incorporate those who are having their own businesses or maybe they were working as consultants, special marketing consultants and working in their domain. So to bring or to bridge the gap between practicality and theoretical concepts explained in baseballs. So that is the way I agree with it.

Professor, as we begin, could you share which undergraduate marketing course or foundational topic you find most rewarding to teach and why?

So far I've taught only to postgraduate level students, but if given a choice to undergraduate students I normally find.

Concepts of consumer behavior very very interesting. For example like much more slows, need hierarchy theory or product life cycle.

These are some of the areas which I find it very exciting to share it with students.

Thank you, Professor. Concepts like Maslow's hierarchy and the product life cycle are indeed cornerstone theories in marketing. Let's proceed.

Professor Kumar, I see you're a published researcher in the field of Marketing. Let's focus on connecting your research to your teaching. One of the publications listed is related to marketing analytics. Could you briefly describe the objectives of this work?

So I'm I'm not sure which publication you are talking about, which marketing and relative publication?

Or if you can be more precise about which exact publication you're talking about, I could be precise with my answer.

Thank you. Thank you for clarifying that. Now it is quite clear that is one of my first publication which came out of my thesis Asia Pacific in Asia Pacific Journal Marketing Logistics. So the purpose in this publication was to understand, you know, those people who are in risky indebtedness behavior, for example, those who are consistently consistent behavior of because of overspending. They're in a state where they are not able to meet their financial obligations obligations.

Understood, Professor Kumar. Among your listed publications, one focuses on *Marketing Analytics*. Specifically, I noted a publication with a DOI linked to the *Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics*. Could you outline its objectives and how the findings from this research could be integrated into teaching marketing

So they are in a vulnerable state where they are not able to meet their financial obligations and such people, are they intending to adopt another credit product?

Or not? Or if they are intending, what is the driving force behind them?

Will they do they have a positive attitude towards buy now palliative products when it comes to you know those people who are the vulnerable state of RIP which are Tom is us are risky indebtedness behavior. Also, the research survey based research cross sessions study which we carried out, we realized that yes.

People who are in risky indebtedness behavior are having a positive attitude towards BNPL driven by impulsive buying. So if you see there is not a direct relationship between rib and attitude but.

There is an indirect full mediation effect of impulse buying. So those people who are in a vulnerable state of RIV, if they are impulsive buyers, they tend to have a positive attitude towards a credit product like BMPL, which eventually will lead to the adoption of BNPL. But the story is not ending here. The story never ends here. The reason being is there is something called a perceived level of risk.

So the attitude to intention conversion will only work.

With the perceived risk of people is low, so for those people who are having high perceived level of risk would tend to have a lower rate of attitude adoption, intention, conversion. So that is the findings and that was the objectives of the study which we published in Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics.

Thank you for explaining that in detail, Professor Kumar. How do you envision using the insights from this research—particularly around impulsive buying and perceived risk—to structure a lecture or learning module for a graduate-level marketing class?

The products on positioning the products is very, very important. At the same time those knowing that who are your customers, who are the people who are using your products, are they in a vulnerable state or not is something which you need to understand first. So I would like to bring to classroom saying that you know people who are in our state of our right.

So what I do like to bring to classroom and to the practical world that, you know, scheduling.

Also excessive stress because of their friend, they're not able to meet the financial obligation and stress is something which is directly connected to an unclean decision making. You know and thought non rational decision making which among which impulsiveness is an important aspect. So through this relationship, this is a logical connection to say that.

People who are in the distance of RIP are tend to have a positive attitude towards by NPL.

Your perspective on connecting consumer behavior under financial stress to decision-making in marketing is indeed insightful. To follow up, how do you balance teaching such nuanced and challenging topics while ensuring that students develop actionable strategies for ethical marketing practices?

So I do teach them the ways of carrying out and playing with numbers for sure. At the same time, I break the complex concepts into easier, easy to follow, simple and, you know, understandable classroom activities and projects with practical examples and case studies. So that will help them to better connect it with the complex context in.

Tonight, that take wise conversations.

It sounds like your emphasis on simplifying complex concepts and integrating real-world case studies fosters both understanding and ethical reasoning among students. Thank you, Professor Kumar. Let's continue.

So first answering to your question, what is my current road map of three years? So I have things in pipeline. I'm working currently on a survey based research. The same time I'm also working on a qualitative research on the side hands. We have two works in progress and there are two works which are under revision stage which I'm currently handling. So they are all in high quality journal. So that is the road map for the future. To, you know, complete these works and.

Professor, could you outline your 3-year research roadmap, particularly in areas relevant to Marketing Analytics or Services Operations Management? Additionally, how do you plan to ensure the scalability of your research, specifically in mentoring junior students for a consistent pipeline of high-quality publications? Lastly, how will you leverage international collaborations to enhance your citation metrics and contribute to your research's global impact?

In the future three years, at least get 4 to 58 category publications, a target which I kept for myself.

So that is the that is the level of target for the say three years of thing which you mentioned.

Second thing is how to use students, how to write them. So as I mentioned that this is my personal works, which I mentioned 3 or 4 papers coming out of my research idea for the past next three years. The same time as I mentioned earlier, when I'm teaching Business Research methodology course or marketing analytics, I motivate my students to bring some ideas, work on it and something out of it. So I also read them simultaneously with especially the methodology part, analysis part.

Understood,

So something out of coming out of that is obviously very good approach. And many times they comes up with complex problems. If they comes up with very complex problems, I would love to, you know, see articles which have dealt with such problems. And then if working not in, if it's very consuming for me to, you know, single handedly handle it, definitely I'll go for some international collaborations with some authors.

Here's what we have, you know, currently going through so that way.

Try to build international collaborations as well, but I think currently I'm I've always dealt things independently rather than getting collaboration so I am.

Publishing works single outer.

Professor, it seems you have a clear and ambitious plan for both personal and collaborative research. I'm curious, how do you intend to transition from primarily solo authorship to fostering international collaborations while still maintaining the rigor and independence you've valued so far?

Sorry, can you repeat the question once again? I somehow lost it.

Of course, Professor. How do you plan to transition from primarily publishing as a solo author to fostering impactful international collaborations, while still maintaining the level of rigor and independence you've valued in your research so far?

Time is up! Ending the interview now.