Management department chair widely respected for innovations and global perspectives

Kumar Palaniswami earns praise
of colleagues, students, and associates

As chair of the College of Business Administration Department of Management, Shanthakumar “Kumar” Palaniswami understands the importance of bringing diverse groups together and putting others first.

“That’s the hallmark of an exceptional leader,” said Mike Pisani, Central Michigan University management professor and specialist in international business. “I appreciate the hard work Kumar has done and is doing for the department. He is one of the reasons why I came to CMU.”

Palaniswami is committed to breaking down walls and finding ways to work together, not just within CBA, but throughout CMU’s various departments.

Center for Supply Chain Management – CMU’s connection with business

The Center for Supply Chain Management (CSCM) is one case in point. Established in 2002, CSCM provides quality, low-cost services to help businesses improve and modernize their supply chain management systems through applied research, seminars, roundtables, and training programs.

“He appreciates people’s efforts, tries to put you in the know, and makes sure you’re part of what we’re all doing,” said Patrick Okonkwo, professor of marketing and logistics. “He considers others and always asks for suggestions and opinions when forming his strategies.”

CSCM connects CMU faculty and students from business and engineering to various Michigan industries, creating a mutually beneficial experience in the pursuit of academic research and business solutions.

“What it does is give faculty and students exposure to the real world,” Palaniswami said. “For example, we have managers, engineers, and GIS people getting together every week to discuss interdisciplinary issues, problems, projects, research, and grant ideas. We’re targeting bigger, better projects with the center and expect to do better and better things.”

Getting students to think globally

Palaniswami has received several honors and awards throughout his career. In 2004, he received the “Member of the Year” award from the American Society for Quality, Saginaw Valley Chapter.

He also enjoys a national and international reputation for operations research and belongs to the Global Manufacturing Research Group, a select group of researchers from all over the world dedicated to the study and improvement of manufacturing practices worldwide.

In 2001 and 2004, he coordinated global conferences on logistics and supply chain management in India and represented CMU as a member of a Michigan trade delegation to India that explored opportunities in trade, research, and education – all experiences he brings to the classroom.

“Global experiences are extremely useful to students, who should be thinking globally,” Palaniswami said. “Business educators must bring in that component whenever we can.”
In his operations management classes, Palaniswami uses case studies and simulations, with an emphasis on the kind of data analysis that students can apply in the real world.

Graduate assistant and former student Sanjay Mudagol feels students benefit from Palaniswami’s thoroughness and ability to explain a subject from every conceivable angle.

“He’s very detailed, and he is able to relate everything to the real world,” Mudagol said.
Management professor Kathy Utecht, who has known Palaniswami as a friend and colleague for more than 20 years, has team taught a couple of M.B.A. classes with him, along with two other faculty members.

“He inspires, motivates, and challenges the students to develop a passion for learning and understanding. His students aspire to perform in order to meet Kumar’s expectations, and they show genuine respect for his knowledge and command of a discipline,” Utecht said.

Just the beginning

Palaniswami was involved in developing the new B.S.B.A. curriculum and is excited by the integration of core classes and different disciplines within CBA. But he sees the new curriculum as just the beginning.

“We were one of the first universities to bring in SAP. That’s a plus for us. Companies now come to us because of our enterprise resource planning expertise,” Palaniswami said. “I get calls from all over the country.”

Palaniswami believes in continuous improvement on every level. For instance, he would like to see a strong, full-time M.B.A. program.

“Despite all his hard work and challenges, Kumar always manages to bring humor and a sense of camaraderie to the occasion,” Utecht said.

Chair of CBA’s management department, Shanthakumar “Kumar” Palaniswami, right, meets with a group of faculty members from business, engineering, and geographic information systems to discuss issues related to the Center for Supply Chain Management.