Prof. Sonu Goyal, Program Chairperson, PGDBM IT, Faculty in the area of Business Strategy while introducing the theme of the conclave emphasized that, ” Information technology today has become integral to the functioning of an organization. The rising pace of change and the growing pressure on organizations to do more for less has accelerated the business dependence on information technology. The PGDBM – IT course was initiated with the objective of integrating the managerial skills and function specific knowledge with systems orientation, to cater to the t echnology needs of the organizations.” Dr. Goyal added that the PGDBM – IT program graduates from IMT, Ghaziabad fill this very critical niche of skill sets, which most organizations today are seeking when they visit business schools for campus recruitment. The IT-Conclave 2007 sets the platform for the very first batch of PGDBM-IT as they step on to the corporate world in the year 2008. Prof. G. D. Sardana, Dean Academics, IMT, Ghaziabad in his welcome address pointed out that India’s IT industry has its competitive advantage not in its cost of labor but its core competence of intellectual capital.

Drawing from their immense experience on the research of global business trends, Mr. Sunil Soni, Head-Banking Strategic Initiatives, Perot Systems; Mr.Ravi Gulati, Head, Services Solutions India, Nokia Siemens Networks; Mr. Narayan Tripunithura, Manager Business Development, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and other dignitaries discussed the impact of IT in India and the latest opportunities in the first round of panel discussion which focused on theme of the event “Emerging trends in IT services and management”

Second round of panel discussion provided an insight on how companies are tackling challenges with regards to IT marketing since Software marketing involves influencing the end customers based on qualitative benefits unlike traditional marketing which revolves around tangible returns. These challenges, under ever growing competition make it more difficult for the software marketers to sell the products and services in the absence of tangible benefits or evident ROI.

Mr. Prabhat Ummat, Lead- Business solutions, Microsoft during the discussion firmly stated that “IT Marketing in India will be successful only if companies focus on tangible RoI and Business Value, from usage of their products and services. This alone is not sufficient; the same should be demonstrated and backed by voice of customers to make it more credible.”

The analysts and the experts together with academicians discussed the future that lay for the IT industry in India and that the promise rests very largely with future management graduates from institutes like IMT Ghaziabad. All in all an event that brought together the best of the IT discussing what is best for the IT, leaving the audience spell bound and asking for more.