Dr. Jerome Joseph is the founder director of SAMDA, the Skills and Methods Development Academy. SAMDA engages in skill centric learning and development solutions and conducts research in the area of management skills within a framework of purpose and perspective.

One of the key professional capabilities honed during his professional academic career revolves around the Learning and Development knowledge and experience domain. Dr Jerome Joseph has gained expertise through engagement with world class organizations on all aspects of the Learning and Development function with a focus on “making others more”. Learning Needs Diagnosis, Deployment of Interpretive Research Methods in Needs diagnosis, interactive design of transformative learning experiences, production of high quality learning programmes, preparation of brochures/advertising materials and promotion of programmes, client centred organization of programmes, premium programme delivery management with uncompromising learner service quality as the bottom line, innovative design and use of alternative learning pedagogies, development of customized learning reading/case/simulation exercise materials, highly commended capability as Trainer, Coordination of Training Events, Innovative assessment of training effectiveness and impact, are some of the demonstrated expertise areas.

He has provided Consultant/Executive Development services to several manufacturing and services organizations in the Government, family business, private, public and multinational sectors. Indian Airlines, Pawan Hans Helicopter Corporation, Asian Productivity Organization, Ministry of Industry(Government Of India), Hindustan Lever, Coca Cola, Whirlpool, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, TELCO, Tata Tea, Tata NYK, TISCO, ICICI, Asian Paints, Food Corporation of India, Whirlpool, Cadila Pharma, Zydus Cadila, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, UNICEF, Blackstone Global (Chicago), Indian Banks Association, Syntel (a software firm), Idea Cellular, IKC Dubai, NKF Singapore, SLIPM (Srilanka), Gujarat Gas, British Gas, GOI- Defence Accounts, Genpact, Oil India, Duke CE, BPCL, Lupin Pharma, Pepsi Beverages International and Pepsi Snacks International, Regional Labour Commissioners (Central), HAL, TCL, Wanbury, Doshion Veolia Water Solutions, IBM, Hero MotoCorp, United Health Group, National Judicial Academy, Ministry of Labour and Employment (GOI), IFFCO (Sharjah), RDC Concrete, Sundaram Fasteners, Tata Communications, SKF, Godrej Properties, Crompton Graves are some of his clients over the years.

Dr Jerome Joseph was Chair Professor, Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur from 2016 to March 2021. Dr. Jerome Joseph was a Senior Professor from October 1986 to March 2015 at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India. Prior to joining IIMA he had 10 years teaching and research experience in leading educational institutions in Tamilnadu - CMC Vellore; PSG Arts Coimbatore; Department of Adult and Continuing Education (MA- Andragogy University of Madras); Anna University of Technology (Management Division); Professor and Head, Department of Sociology, Loyola College, Madras; Senior Professor, IIM Ahmedabad (1986-2015); South Asian Management Development Academy (2015-16); Chair Professor, XLRI Jamshedpur(2016-2021); Independent Sociologist (South Asian Management Development Academy-2015-16 & 2021 ongoing; www.samdamdp.com).

He has been with the Programme on Negotiation at the Harvard Law School, Cambridge, USA as Fulbright Visiting Scholar during the academic year 1992-93 during which period apart from writing papers, he also attended the 30 day winter Negotiations Workshop led by the late Prof Roger Fisher to understand Skill development Pedagogy and the Principled Negotiations Method of the Fisher classic titled “Getting to Yes”.

A Phd and gold medallist at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, he has forty five years’ experience as educator, trainer, training designer, researcher and consultant in the areas of Negotiations capability development, Industrial relations, human resource management, Management Skills, training methodology, competence utilization, Coach-Mentor Development, Team Building Methodology, Field Sales Operations Management. He has designed several innovative Executive Development Programmes and taught with distinction in all the Flagship Executive development Programmes at the Management Development Centre at the Institute. He has also created the innovative “Leadership Zone Seven Soft Skills” package which develops critical Strategy Implementation capability in professional manager-leaders.

Dr Jerome Joseph has held several administrative leadership positions. He has been Editor and Chairperson, Board of Editors of Vikalpa – The Journal for Decision Makers (1990 -1992); Chairperson of the Post Graduate Programme in Management (1995-97); Chairperson of the Staff Evaluation and Development Committee; Coordinator of the Faculty Recruitment Committee of the Personnel & Industrial Relations Area; Member, Admissions Committee and regular member of the Admissions Interview team for the Post Graduate Programme of the Institute; Member, Management Development Committee; Member, Fellow (Doctoral) Programme in Management; Chairperson of the Personnel & Industrial Relations Area several times. Prior to joining IIMA, he was Professor and Head, Department of Sociology, Loyola College, Madras. Has mentored several Educators, Trainers, Management Scholars and professional managers during his academic career spanning 45 years, 29+ years of which have been at IIM Ahmedabad.

The Negotiations Skills-Strategy Conceptual Framework as well as the M4 Negotiations Methodology developed by him is unique and is based on the life and teachings of the four civil rights leaders in the backdrop of Machiavelli’s “The Prince”. The Methodology has been tested out in managerial contexts through Negotiations Clinics conducted for management professionals. An empirically validated 32 item Likert Scale for helping individual negotiators to gain insights into personal negotiations orientations has also been developed. The instrument generates profiles for each negotiations participant and is of great help in providing feedback with an empirical basis. Several cases and simulations including Multiple Stakeholder Complex Negotiations Exercises and real time problem solving exercises have been developed for training negotiations participants in Complex Negotiations Methodology.