My Doctoral Research with SP Jain – A Quick Chat with Dr Jacqueline Mundkur (DBA 2021)
Q. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi! I am the CEO & Founder of The Nxt Levels Business Advisory and Consultancy and work as a Senior Adjunct Professor at NMIMS School of Business Management. In my 22 years of experience across leading firms, I built expertise in Sales, Marketing, Digital Customer Experience and Employee Experience in the strategic and operational roles which cover Enterprise(B2B) and Consumer lines of businesses.
In my spare time, I love travelling, reading, and mentoring tech startups. I also mentor mid-level women managers and work with several charitable organisations.
Q. You started your doctoral research in 2018 and spent 3 years researching for your thesis. Could you tell us a bit about your findings?
During my Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) journey at SP Jain, my research was on the topic ‘Antecedents and Outcomes of Manufacturer Salesperson’s Job Satisfaction and Customer-oriented Behaviour in a Partially Integrated Channel in India’. My academic findings close a research gap by focussing on a hitherto under-researched employee who is the critical bridge between manufacturer and retailer. This is done by establishing an end to end sequence of relationships spanning antecedents to outcomes centred around their job satisfaction and customer-oriented behaviour. The managerial implications point to how the two participants in a PIC can synergise key operational investments to meet both organisations’ objectives.
Q. Who was your mentor, and what kind of support did you receive from them during the course of your research?
My Principal Supervisor, Dr Gary Stockport, was a crucial and invaluable help throughout the journey. His direction and mentoring at each milestone helped me deliver an output that I am proud of. In addition, Dr A Seetharaman and Dr K Maddulety ensured they helped me constantly from the administrative aspect. They were always responsive to our needs, and I am grateful for that!
Q. As a holder of 2 Master’s degrees, how did a doctoral degree from SP Jain help you enhance your expertise and career?
The doctoral degree complements the skills and competencies that I had built over years in the industry. Apart from a more structured approach to decision-making, many other learnings now make me a more holistic and well-rounded professional. It opens up multiple career opportunities including new avenues of research and academics while being invaluable in my business advisory and consultancy role.
Q. What advice would you like to share with future scholars?
Always enjoy the journey, keep an open mind and imbibe all new experiences with fresh eyes. Be inquisitive. Be humble. Take pride in what you are doing, stay the course, use innovative and creative ways to find solutions. I promise you, the end result is worth it.
