SIBM Hyderabad’s ‘FarmDidi’ Case Wins Second Place in Global Ivey Competition
SIBM Hyderabad blends academic excellence with real-world industry exposure
Hyderabad: A teaching case co-authored by a faculty member and a student at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Hyderabad (SIBM-H), has won second place and a cash prize of US$2,000 in the 2026 Ivey Women Investing in Leadership (IWIL) Case Writing Competition, organised by Ivey Publishing. The competition received 78 case submissions from 157 contributors across 19 countries, representing 50 institutions and organisations.
Titled FarmDidi: Sustaining Women’s Livelihoods in India’s Artisanal Food Economy, the case examines a fundamental question of inclusive business growth: when an enterprise expands, do the women who contribute to its success also share in its economic benefits? Focusing on rural women involved in making handmade pickles, the case explores ownership, decision-making and economic empowerment, bringing questions of gender and livelihoods into the management classroom.
The achievement highlights the contribution of SIBM Hyderabad’s Case Development Centre, which promotes experiential learning through teaching cases grounded in real-world business challenges. By bringing contemporary business dilemmas into the classroom, case-based learning enables students to analyse competing interests, evaluate strategic choices and develop informed managerial decision.
Prof. K. P. Venugopala Rao, Director of SIBM Hyderabad, noted, “This achievement reflects the value of faculty–student collaboration in creating meaningful, real-world learning experiences. We believe that research should go beyond academic inquiry to develop critical thinking, address contemporary business challenges, and generate insights with practical relevance. Such initiatives strengthen our commitment to nurturing future-ready managers through research, experiential learning, and industry engagement.”
The institute’s focus on research and applied learning extends beyond case development. The Cell of Research conducts programmes to strengthen research capabilities among faculty members, doctoral scholars and postgraduate students. Research Week 2025, organised in association with SPSS South Asia, brought together 45 participants from institutions across India. The programme featured workshops on quantitative research methods, a research proposal mentoring clinic and a research paper presentation competition.
The institute’s research initiatives have also resulted in publications in international journals. A faculty–student paper titled “Impact of social media advertising on consumer behavior: role of credibility, perceived authenticity, and sustainability,” published in Frontiers in Communication in May 2025. According to the institute, it had recorded more than 95,177 views, 8,430 downloads and 53 citations as of 29 October 2026.
In addition to these initiatives, the Cell for Skills offers industry-linked training and certifications in business communication, analytics, finance, technology and process improvement. Two teaching cases associated with SIBM Hyderabad have been published by Ivey Publishing. The institute also recorded 179 faculty research publications in journals indexed in Scopus and/or Web of Science over the past two years.
Complementing its focus on case development and research, SIBM Hyderabad emphasises industry readiness through experiential learning and career-relevant skill development. The institute’s placement outcomes reflect this focus, 96% of eligible students from the batch of 2026 secured placements, with an average annual cost to company (CTC) of ₹9.6 lakh and the highest offer at ₹26 lakh. Together, these initiatives reflect the institute’s commitment to connecting management education with real-world business challenges and preparing future managers for evolving organisational needs.
