Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
Design Thinking
Systems Thinking
Management Pedagogy
Learning Styles
- binduk@spjimr.org
Bindu Kulkarni
Professor, StrategyBindu Kulkarni takes courses on strategy, business simulations, design thinking and system thinking at SPJIMR. Her Ph.D. is in the area of learning and management education from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, focusing on ‘Learning styles and business simulations as a learning pedagogy.’
Passionate about pedagogy, her intellectual contributions and research interests include subject matter relating to pedagogy design, learning styles, learning outcomes, blue ocean strategy, and design thinking. She has 28 years of overall experience, with a 7-year stint in the industry before joining academics. She has conducted management development programs for many large firms such as Suzlon, M&M, Bajaj Electricals, SBI, Croda India, Tata Power and the Ministry of Education.
In her academic career, she has held leadership positions of Director — Admissions and Deputy Programme Head (PGDM). She has been a part of institution-building activities in the area of alumni relations, admissions and programme management across various programmes at the institute.
Education
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
Ph.D., 2022
Focus: Learning and management education with a special focus on learning styles and business simulations as pedagogy
S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai
PGDM, 1996
Major: Information Management
University of Mumbai
BE, 1994
Major: Computers
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Research interests
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Selected publications
Kulkarni, B., & Kamath, R. (2025). Challenges at Jatan Sansthan: Can design thinking help the NPO? The CASE Journal. https://www.emerald.com/teaching-notes/article-abstract/1322596/Instruction-Manual-Challenges-at-Jatan-Sansthan?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Kulkarni, B., Sivaraman, V. and Agrawal, P. (2025), CARS24: Innovating to drive growth, The CASE Journal, Emerald Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/TCJ-10-2024-0304
Kulkarni, B., & Kamath, R. (2023). Design capability: How to integrate it for competitive advantage. Management Practice Insights (MPI). https://mpibyspjimr.org/articles/design-capability-how-to-integrate-it-for-competitive-advantage/
Kulkarni, B., and Sivaraman, V. (2022). Co-teach a business simulation to a large class: deepen engagement. Cogent Education, 9(1), 2066243. Taylor and Francis Online. https://doi.org/10.1080/
2331186X.2022.2066243 Kulkarni B, Banerjee R, Raghunathan R. (2021). Why Students Should Be Taught Differently: Learner Characteristics, Learning Styles and Simulation Performance. Simulation and Gaming. 2022;53(1):56-74. doi:1177/10468781211065809
Kulkarni, B., Sivaraman, V. (2019). Making a Blue Ocean Shift: Tata Ace Captures a New Market. Journal of Business Strategy, 41(4), 11-20 https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-03-2019-0057
Kulkarni, B., Sivaraman, V. (2019). Alibaba: Expansion in the Indian E-Commerce Marketplace. Journal of Strategic Management Education, 14, 83-100. https://www.senatehall.com/strategic-management?article=609
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Case studies
Kamath, R., Kulkarni, B., Nagaraj, V. (2025). St. Jude Childcare: Applying systems thinking in pediatric cancer. Ivey Publishing. Product number: W42201
Kulkarni, B. V. (2012). Case Title: Employment for the Disabled. SPJIMR
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Conferences
Kulkarni, B., and Kamath, R., All is well, yet why are people leaving the NGO? Can design thinking help Jatan Sansthan? Case study paper presented at the North American Case Research Association (NACRA 2024) Conference, Orlando, Florida (October 17–19, 2024).
Kulkarni, B., Sivaraman, V., Agrawal, P., Cars 24: Innovating to drive growth, 2023 Proceedings of the North American Case Research Association Volume 37-October 5-7, 2023 (December 2023).
Kulkarni, B., Sivaraman, V., Agrawal, P., Cars 24: Innovating to drive growth, North American Case Research Association (NACRA) Annual Conference, San Antonio, USA (October 2023).
Kulkarni, B. V., International Conference on Role of HR in the New Normal, Understanding learning styles to enhance learning outcomes-Does it matter in the development of management education in the virtual environment? (April 9, 2021).
Kulkarni, B. V., Kamath, R., Dhir, V. L., ISDSI, Design Thinking: Cultivating mindsets, SPJIMR, Mumbai. (December 30, 2018).
Kulkarni, B. V., Learn – Consolidate – Grow – Asia Pacific Conference 2018, Design Thinking, GMAC. (November 15, 2018).
Kulkarni, B. V., Sivaraman, V. (2013). Using Business Simulations to Introduce Business Concepts (vol. 40, pp. 393-400). Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning. https://absel-ojs-ttu.tdl.org/absel/index.php/absel/article/view/62/.
Kulkarni, B. V., Sivaraman, V., 40th Annual Conference of ABSEL (Association of Business Simulations and Experiential Learning) 2013, Using Business Simulations to Introduce Business Concepts, Oklahoma City. (March 6, 2013).
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Periodicals
Kulkarni, B. V., Aggarwal, P. (2022). The curious case study of Zerodha’s blue ocean strategy. Forbes India.
Kulkarni, B. V., Dwivedi, V. (2022). Here’s why management courses need more women candidates. Business Today.
Sivaraman, V., Kulkarni, B. V. (2020). The secret of Zoom’s success. Fortune India.
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Featured in
Kulkarni, B. (2021). CAT 2021: How many mock tests are good enough? Here’s what experts say. The Free Press Journal.
Kulkarni, B. (2021). SPJIMR Mumbai delivers best ROI amongst top B-schools including IIMA, IIMB, IIMC, XLRI, MDI; Comparative analysis by MBAUniverse.com reveals. MBA Universe.
Kulkarni, B. (2017). Entrepreneurs take a break from work, go back to B-schools to equip themselves with business skills. The Economic Times.
Kulkarni, B. (2017). New course at SPJIMR to boost critical thinking skills. The Economic Times.
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Courses
Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
Decision Analysis(through) Simulation
Design Thinking
System Thinking
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Teaching interest
Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
Design Thinking
Systems Thinking
Business Simulations
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Work experience
Academic faculty
Professor, SPJIMR (2025 – present)
Associate Professor, SPJIMR. (2017 – 2025)
Assistant Professor, SPJIMR. (2009 – 2017)
Lecturer, SPJIMR. (2008 – 2009)
Programme Coordinator – Executive Mgmt. Programme (2004 – 2008)
Administrative assignments, S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research
Director, Central Admissions, SPJIMR (2020 – 2023)
Associate Programme Head, PGDM (2015 – 2020).
Jyoti Structures Ltd, a power transmission and turnkey projects company (1996-2003)
Manager, planning and procurement division
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MDPs/FDPs
TMTC- AYLP 5.0 Tata Power, (August 2025).
Ministry of Education, Government of India, (June 2025).
Bajaj Electricals Ltd., Pygmalion Journey, Batch-1 (June 2025).
Bajaj Electricals Ltd., Pygmalion Journey, Batch-1 (May 2025).
Ministry Of Education, Nurturing Future Leadership Programme (NFLP) – Batch 2 (March 2025).
Ministry Of Education, Nurturing Future Leadership Programme (NFLP) – Batch 1 (February 2025).
State Bank of India-Batch 8, Leadership Development Programme (January 2025).
Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd, m-LEAP (Batch 2) (January 2025).
Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd, m-LEAP (Batch 1) (January 2025).
State Bank of India-Batch 5, Leadership Development Programme (December 2024).
State Bank of India-Batch 3, Leadership Development Programme (December 2024).
State Bank of India – Batch 1, Leadership Development Programme (November 2024).
Suzlon Energy Ltd, ACE: Suzlon’s High Potential Employee Development Programme – Batch 2 (November 2024).
CRODA, Emerging Leaders Programme (October 2024).
Suzlon Energy Ltd, ACE: Suzlon’s High Potential Employee Development Programme – Batch 1 (October 2024).
Erulearning Solutions Pvt Ltd – John Deere, Digital Transformation (September 2024).
Tata Management Training Centre, Achieving Your Leadership Potential 4.0 (September 2024).
Management/Executive Development, Mahindra & Mahindra, Women Leaders Program, 20 participants. (October 14, 2017).
Management/Executive Development, Mahindra & Mahindra, Women Leaders Program, 20 participants. (June 10, 2017).
Management/Executive Development, Arjuna- MDP – Merck Millipore. (October 2012).
Seminar, New Manager’s Seminar – Saint Gobain (March 2012).
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Editorial positions
Editorial Review Board Member, Emerging Markets Case Studies Journal, Appointed. (January 2022 – present)
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Reviewer experience
Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies.
Simulation & Gaming
North American Case Research Association
Academy of Management.
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Professional service
AI University- Member of Board of Studies (2022-present)
Member of GMAC Next Gen Testing Advisory Group (2022-2023)
Organiser, marketing seminar: ‘Innovations in the teaching of Marketing’, SPJIMR, Mumbai. (January 2012).
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Licensures and certifications
Case writing Workshop, Harvard Business School (January 2023).
Global Colloquium on Participant- Centered Learning, Harvard Business School (June 2022).
Human- Centered Systems Thinking, IDEO (May 2022).
Introduction to data analysis using Excel, RICE University (April 2019).
Human-centered service design, IDEO (October 2018).
Insights for innovation, IDEO (October 2017).
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Contracts, grants and sponsored research
Funded
Kulkarni, Bindu, Sivaraman, Vasant, “Research grant,” sponsored by SPJIMR, S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, $1,250.00. (2022 – present).