Elephants and Cheetahs: Systems, Strategy, and Bottlenecks


Program Dates: April 17 - 29, 2025

Elephants and Cheetahs: Systems, Strategy, and Bottlenecks

45th Rank in FT Global Executive Education Ranking 2023
Only IIM to have
Direct presence
in Dubai
Become an
IIMA alumni
21 Batches of GMP in
Dubai since 2009

Know the Programme

‘Elephants and Cheetahs: Systems, Strategy and Bottlenecks’ is an unconventional treatment of Operations Strategy. It presents the dimensions of competition in the operations domain through the lens of the natural world and systems thinking. The fundamental premise of the course is that systems are not just a collection of interconnected parts – the whole is greater than the sum of parts. A well-designed system is thus like a living entity with its own structural characteristics, peculiarities, capabilities, constraints, and vulnerabilities.
This programme is based on an elective offered for PGP and PGPX students at IIMA. Offered in multiple terms in a year, this course is one of the highest registration electives at IIMA and focuses on operations strategy and its linkages with overall business strategy. The MDP would allow participants to identify different ways of competing in the market and understand the ‘soul’ of the operations of a firm.
  • Cutting-Edge Curriculum
  • Interactive Learning Experience
  • Top-Tier Faculty
  • Global Networking Opportunity

Immersive Learning Programme

A proper blend of real-life cases, lectures, quizzes, and assignments delivered in a complete face-to-face on campus in Dubai, UAE.

 

Dubai Classroom Immersion

4 Days in Dubai, UAE

 

Session Timings

8:45 AM UAE ST onwards each day

PROGRAMME DATES

April 17 - 19, 2025

PROGRAMME DATES

April 17 - 19, 2025

FEES

AED 10,500.00 + 5% VAT

FEES

AED 10,500.00 + 5% VAT

 

 

Participant Profile
Pedagogy
Certificate

Participant Profile

The programme is curated for middle and senior-level executives across a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, projects and services (such as engineering services, banking and financial services, logistics, hospitals, F&B, hospitality etc.). Consulting firms catering to clients within these sectors will also find this programme valuable.

The programme is beneficial for participants who are handling operations strategy roles in manufacturing and service firms, as well as for functional leaders in Marketing, HR, and Finance who would like to build their operations perspective as they progress towards general management roles.

Pedagogy

The programme adopts a mix of case studies and presentations.

Certificate of Completion

A Certificate of Participation will be issued by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Executive Education, a branch of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, to the participants who have completed all the requirements of the programme including attendance of at least 80% of the direct classroom contacts.

 

Curriculum

The programme consists of the following modules:

  1. Understanding systems – System, Constraints and Bottlenecks
  2. Dimensions of Operations Strategy
  3. Cost Leadership
  4. Cost Leadership vs. Cost Cutting
  5. Time Responsiveness
  6. Superior Quality
  7. Flexibility
  8. Risk Minimisation
  9. Convenience
  10. Superior Design
  11. Imitation
  12. Resilience, Growth, and Innovation
  13. Evaluating System Performance

Programme Chairs

  • Prof Saral Mukherjee
    Faculty, Operations and Decision Sciences Area

    Saral Mukherjee is an Associate Professor in the Operations and Decision Sciences area at IIM Ahmedabad. He specializes in Operations Management and is involved in research, teaching, and consulting in the areas of supply chain redesign, operations strategy, marketing-operations interface and managing platform businesses.

    He is a recipient of the Marti ‘Mannariah Gurunath Outstanding Teacher Award’ for seven successive years, from 2014 to 2020, and the ‘SRK Distinguished PGPX Faculty Award’ for 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2024. In an academic career spanning more than two decades at IIM Ahmedabad, he has taught core courses on Operations, Marketing, and Ethics for MBA students as well as working executives. He has published a book on Operations Strategy titled “Elephants and Cheetahs: The Beauty of Operations” as a part of the IIMA Business Book Series.

    He has also served as the Chairperson of the Placement Committee (2008 – 12), Chairperson of IIM Ahmedabad Case Centre (2014 – 16) and Dean (Alumni and External Relations) (2020-22) apart from other administrative roles. He is currently serving as the Chairperson of Executive Education at IIM Ahmedabad.

Alumni Association

Participants attending short-duration Executive Education Programmes for the first time, on or after April 1, 2012, will be eligible for IIM Ahmedabad alumni status and an alumni identity card, provided they complete a total of 21 days across one or more programmes. Both will be awarded upon payment of a one-time applicable alumni fee as determined by the institute.

Registration Process & Fees

Programme Details

  • Dates : April 17 – 19, 2025. The total duration of the programme will be 4 days.
  • Timings : 8:45 AM UAE ST onwards each day.
  • Venue: Face to face sessions delivered in Dubai.

Programme Fee

Fee includes all learning material, venue costs, food and refreshments during in person sessions in Dubai. Lodging and boarding costs, if applies to any participant in Dubai, are not included in the fees.

  • Full payment: AED 10,500 + 5% VAT
  • Registration fee: AED 2,500 + 5% VAT
  • Acceptance fee: AED 8,000 + 5% VAT

Discounts

  • First early bird discount: 7%
  • Second early bird discount: 5%
  • Corporate discount for 4 or more participants from the same company: 7%
  • In any case, total discount in each case cannot exceed 10%

Terms

  • After payment of the fee, in case the participant wishes to drop out of the programme, the fee will be refunded only if a request is received at least 15 days prior to the start of the programme.
  • In case a participant cannot attend the programme after the payment of the programme fee, the same amount will be valid as a credit amount for utilization for the next two years, or two subsequent batches of the programme, whichever is earlier, after which the fee will lapse.
  • The organization/individual can nominate the same participant or another for the same programme or any other for the next two years, failing which the amount will lapse.
  • If a nomination is not accepted, the fee will be refunded to the person/organization concerned.
  • In all other cases, the fee is non-refundable.
  • All payments will be accepted in AED.
  • Refund policy will be strictly enforced and no deviations from this policy will be permitted.

About Imarticus

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