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Ajith K Thomas, Dr, BHM, M.B.A, PhD – Dean

Dean-GRGSMS

 

Dr. Ajith Thomas is an accomplished academic leader and industry professional with over 26 years of diverse experience in corporates, academia and research. Dr. Ajith holds a Ph.D. in Management Sciences from Anna University Chennai, and an MBA in Marketing. He also earned his first professional degree in Hotel Management from Christ - Bangalore. He is the first Accredited Management Teacher in Services Marketing by AIMA, New Delhi, and a certified UGC-NET-qualified professional in Management. 

During his career, he has held prestigious roles, including strategic and senior corporate positions at Park Inn hotels, Starwood Hotels, and the K. Raheja Group of Hotels. In academia, he has contributed significantly as an administrator, resource creator, research guide and as a mentor, inspiring students and colleagues alike. His international exposure includes serving as a visiting academic at Duquesne University, USA, focusing on sustainability and strategic management. Since 2010, he has successfully coordinated numerous academic programs of Duquesne University USA, Colorado State University, UMASS Boston, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, University of Oslo Norway, Caltech, USA that offer international students and faculty an in-depth understanding of India's business, cultural, economic, and social landscapes.

With his expertise in strategic management and innovative pedagogy, he aims to nurture future leaders with global perspectives and ethical values.

Contact him at [email protected]

Publications

Cases Published
  • ATREE: Social Entrepreneurship in Vembanad, (IVEY Publishing, Canada), 2019 Case and teaching note. This case title is now available through Harvard Business Review Store.

  • Blossominners: Designing non sensual communication, for lingerie marketing, (IVEY Publishing, Canada), 2017 Case and teaching note – Product id: 9B17A015 This case title is now available through Harvard Business Review Store.

  • Small businesses, Big ideas – Global case studies in strategy, marketing, and entrepreneurship (first edition) Edited by Holly J. Hitzemann, ISBN: 978-1-63487-547-9, USA 2016, Case titled: “Social entrepreneurship in the god’s own country” selected as an entry in strategic small business cases Asia (focus on India and China).p 199-214.

  • “Strategies for Managing Services Delivery Gaps & Service Recovery, Case in Advances in Business, Operations, and Product Analytics: Cutting Edge Cases from Finance to Manufacturing to Healthcare”, Pearson FT Press, USA, 2015, Ch. 8, p. 83-94, ISBN 978-0-13-396370-0.

  • An Itch for Change: Challenges of Change Management for MamaBhasha Publications (GlobaLens, USA), Case and teaching note ID#: 1429310, 2013.

  • Social Entrepreneurship in the God’s Own Country (ECCH, UK), Case & teaching note Reference no. 812-031-1 and Reference no. 812-031-8, 2012.

  • Five-star hotels, are you losing good people? (ECCH, UK), Case and teaching note Reference no. 412-011-1 and Reference no. 412-011-8, 2011.

Video Cases in Repositories
  • Saga on Social Entrepreneurship – A Pioneering SHG Venture through Fish Aggregating Devices, Vipinkumar, V P, Priyadarshanan, D, Thomas, Ajith, Narayanakumar, R., Harshan, N K, Sunil, P V, Vidya, R and Gopalakrishnan, A (2016), Central Marine fisheries Research Institute, Kochi [Video]

  • കൃത്രിമ മത്സ്യത്താവളങ്ങൾ സ്വാശ്രയത്വത്തിലൂടെ സാമൂഹിക പുനരുദ്ധാരണത്തിലേക്കുള്ള ഒരു ചുവടുവെയ്പ്. Vipinkumar, V P, Priyadarshanan, D, Thomas, Ajith Narayanakumar, R, Harshan, N K , Sunil, P V , Athira, P V, Jeethumol, T J and Gopalakrishnan, A (2016) [Video]

Journal Publications
  • Jose, A., Mathew, S., G., R., Chacko, D.P. and Thomas, A.K. (2022), “The role of switching cost in the e-service recovery framework among banking customers”, International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 86-109. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-11-2020-0172 (S, ABDC)

  • Jacob, R.C, Thomas A., (2020), Fintech adoption: Integrating perceived risk with UTAUT 2, GIS science journal (1869-9391), 7(11): 855-69 (2020) (cj)

  • Vipinkumar, V.P., Thomas, A., Narayanakumar, R., Harshan, N.K., Sunil, P.V., Dona, P., Salas, S., Jephi, A., Athira, P.V., Dilip, D., Gender Mainstreaming and Impact of Self-Help Groups: A Study on Social Entrepreneurship through Fish Aggregating Devices in Mannancheri of Alappuzha, Kerala, International Journal of Pure Applied Bioscience (2320-7051) 6(2): 74-83 (2018)

  • Thomas A.K., Loius R., Vipinkumar V., (2018), The impact of visual merchandising, on impulse buying of retail customers, International Journal for research in applied science and engineering technology, (ISSN: 2321-9653), Vol. 6 (2) (U)

  • Thomas A.K., Santhosh V., (2018), Satisfiers & dis-satisfiers in online reviews: An analysis of a luxury hotel, International Journal for advanced in management, technology and engineering sciences, (ISSN: 2249-7455), Vol. 8 (1). (U)

  • Thomas A.K., Jose, C., Ickappan, L., (2017), Enhanced Keyword recommendation using Map-reduce architecture in Big data analytics: A study on online hotel aggregators, IIM Indore management journal (ISSN: 0975-1653), Book of abstracts: 2017 IIM Indore – INDAM conference special issue.

  • Thomas A.K., (2017), Purchase decision of luxury hotel rooms: A scale determination, IIM Indore management journal (ISSN: 0975-1653), Book of abstracts: 2017 IIM Indore – INDAM conference special issue.

  • Thomas A.K., Jose, C., Ickappan, L., (2017), Keyword Suggestions: An Analysis of the Big Data of Tripadvisor.com, International Journal for advanced in management, technology and engineering sciences, (ISSN: 2249-7455), Vol. 7 (8). (U)

  • Thomas, A. K., (2016), “Trends in Management education: An Indian story”, Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSN: 2249-7315), Vol. 6 (4).

  • Thomas A. K., (2016), Service delivery and recovery issues at the Oakwood hotels worldwide, Journal of management and entrepreneurship, (ISSN: 2229-5348), Vol. 10 (2).

  • Thomas, A. (2015). The Role of In-house Travel Arrangers on Purchase of Star Hotel Rooms: A Study with Reference to Kochi, the Commercial Capital of Kerala. Journal of Contemporary Research In management, (eISSN: 22378960), Vol.10(4).

  • Thomas A. K. and Sreelakshmi G.R., (2013), “Marketing Innovations Observed in Rural India: A Case Study Approach”, Gurukulam Journal of Management Research (GJMR), (ISSN 2320-2238), Vol. 1(1).

  • Thomas, A. K., James, P. S. and Vivek, N., (2013), “Co-creating Luxury Hotel Services: A Framework development”, Life Sci. J. (ISSN: 1097-8135), Vol. 10 (7). (S)

  • Thomas, A. K. and James, P. S., (2012), “Conceptual framework of value Co-creation”, KPR International journal of Management, (ISSN 2278-6104), Vol. 1 (2).

  • Thomas, A. K. and James, P. S., (2012), “Responsible & Sustainable Green Business Practices: An Empirical Case Study on Successful Luxury Resorts”, Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship (APJMER), (ISSN 2277-8098), Vol. 1 (3).

  • Thomas, A. K. and James, P. S., (2011), “Surrogate Buyers in Corporate Buying of Luxury Hotel Rooms”, European Journal of Business and Management, (ISSN 2222-1905), Vol. 4 (13).

  • Thomas A. K., (2011), “Corporate Travel Arrangers as a Source of Room Business, for Luxury Hotels: An Exploratory Research at Kochi, Kerala”, International Journal of Economic and Management Strategy (JEMS), (ISSN 2278-3636), 1 (1).

Books Published
  • “Emerging trends in Marketing”, Excel India Publication, New Delhi, 2013, ISBN: 978-93-82880-59-2 – Edited volume

  • “Theory of Marketing”, Saintgits Institute of Management, Kottayam, 2014, ISBN: ISBN 978-93-5174-191-6 – Author

  • “Agri-Business and Rural marketing”, Centre of Excellence, Kottayam, 2016, ISBN: 978-93-5235-068-1 – Author – (in print).

Contribution in edited book volumes
  • “Training Manual on Theeranaipunya – A Capacity Building Training Programme – Equipping the Fisher women Youth for the Future”, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Ch. 44 and Ch. 46, pp. 263-66, pp. 273-78, 2016.

  • “Rural India in the New Millennium”, Parmount publishing house, New Delhi, Chapter 8, pp. 75-95, ISBN: 978-81-921579-1-7, 2012.

  • “New Global Economic Order: Challenges and opportunities”, Research India Publication, New Delhi, pp. 622-26, ISBN: 978-81-904362-9-8., 2009.

  • Investigating business situations, ISBN: 9789386724786, Excel publishers, New Delhi, India, 2018, Case titled: “Arabian Automobile Association: A growth strategy for future” – Selected as a prized entry at Katastasi 2017 – A case study based National competition at Fortune Institute of International Business, New Delhi.

Selected conference proceedings
  • “ATREE: A case of social entreprenuership and Not for profit branding”,Brand Management (CBM 2016), IIT Delhi, April 16-17, 2016, Emerald India, New Delhi, 2016, ISBN: 978-17- 86354-11-2

  • “Brand personality of landing pages: A case research” Brand Management (CBM 2016), IIT Delhi, April 16-17, 2016, Emerald India, New Delhi, 2016, ISBN: 978-17- 86354-11-2

Areas of Interests

  • Strategic Management, Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Management, Services Marketing, Rural Marketing