Associate Professor – Human Resource Management, Chairperson – Research
Dr. Niharika Gaan holds a Ph.D. in Management from the Institute of Management, Nirma University of Science and Technology. With over 20 years of professional experience spanning both industry and academia, she has served in diverse roles as a faculty member, HR practitioner, trainer, researcher, and consultant, with a primary focus on Human Resource Management.
Dr. Gaan has established strong international research collaborations, resulting in publications in several leading, high-impact journals, including the International Journal of Hospitality Management, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, International Journal of Bank Marketing, European Management Journal, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Insights, Current Psychology, and Telematics and Informatics Reports.
She has presented her research at prestigious international conferences organized by renowned academic bodies, including the European Academy of Management (EURAM) and the Asian Academy of Management (AAoM), held in cities such as Tokyo, Copenhagen, Rome, and Bangkok. Her research has also been accepted for presentation at the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium 2026, Italy and the Human Relations Conference 2022, organized by the editorial team of the FT50 journal Human Relations, UK.
She is a certified trainer in psychometric assessment from the Carlton Advanced Management Institute, Canada, and in Competency Management from IIT Kharagpur. Her training expertise spans a wide range of managerial and behavioural domains, including conflict management, the art of delegation, motivation, change management, business communication, negotiation, boundary-spanning leadership, team building, leadership development, employment laws, and the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework.
She has extensive experience designing and delivering executive development programmes for senior and middle-level managers across leading public sector organizations, including NALCO, NCL, ECL, Powergrid, HPCL, MSTC, LIC, IOCL, NTPC, WBPDCL, SAIL, Canara Bank, and Balmer Lawrie. Her major consulting assignments have been undertaken with organizations such as NALCO, HPCL, and Balmer Lawrie, focusing on leadership development, conflict management and negotiation, labour laws, and the implementation of the new labour codes.
As Principal Investigator, she independently led an ICSSR-funded research project sponsored by the Ministry of Education (formerly MHRD) on Intimate Partner Violence. She is currently leading a major research project titled “Social Selling and Co-value Creation as a Double-Edged Sword for Frontline Employees in the Indian Banking Industry,” funded by the Centre for Financial Services, MDI Gurgaon.
HR/OB
There is plethora of initiatives that were taken up to create an innovative and inclusive class-room environment. Some of them are listed below:
| International | Darvishmotevali, M., Gaan, N., & Prentice, C. (2026). Mitigating Social Loafing in Hospitality: The Interplay of Coworker Exchange and Interactional Justice. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, (ABDC-B, Scopus ranked-Q1, JCR: 4.8, Citation Score: 11.3; Emerald publishing house) |
| International | Darvishmotevali, M., Gaan, N., & Prentice, C. (2025). Bridging manager values and employee green voice behaviors: the roles of gender and self-identity. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 1-24.(ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 11, Citation Score: 21.8; Taylor &Francis) |
| International | Gaan, N. & Shin, Y. (2024). Does Collective Mindfulness Buffer Customer Incivility’s Deleterious Effect on Service Sabotage? International Journal of Bank Marketing, (ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 5.083, Citation Score: 6.3; Emerald publishing house). |
| International | Gaan, N. & Shin, Y. (2023). Sales Employees’ Polychronicity and Sales–Service Ambidexterity: Mediation of Work Engagement and Moderation of Store Manager Support. Journal of Retailing and Consumer services, 75, 103514 (ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 16.11, Citation Score: 10.97; Elsevier). |
| International | Gaan, N. & Shin, Y. (2023). Supervisor Incivility and Frontline Employees’ Performance amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multilevel Moderated Mediation Analysis. Journal of Retailing and Consumer services, 73, 103347 (ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 16.11, Citation Score: 10.97; Elsevier). |
| International | Gaan, N., Malik, S., & Dagar, V. (2023). Cross-level effect of resonant leadership on remote engagement: A moderated mediation analysis in the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. European Management Journal, Advance Print Online. (ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 6.11, Citation Score: 8.30; Elsevier) |
| International | Gaan, N & Sahoo, A (2023). Adhocracy Culture Buffers for Mindfulness Outcome: A Cross-level Moderated Mediation Analysis. Telematics & Informatics R, 11, 100071(ABDC= C, Scopus Indexed, Impact factor=8.5, Citation Score=16; Elsevier). |
| International | Gaan, N. & Shin, Y. (2022). Generation Z software employees turnover intention. Current Psychology, 1-16. (Scopus Indexed, Impact factor=2.6, Citation Score=2.7; Springer) |
| International | Gaan, N. & Shin, Y. (2022). Multilevel analysis of resonant leadership and subordinate’s work performance during COVID-19: a study of the Indian software industry. Current Psychology, 1-16 (Scopus Indexed, Impact factor=2.6, Citation Score=2.7; Springer) |
| International | Gaan, N. (2020). Mitigating Turnover among Millennials: Catalytic Role of Passion, Well-being, Cynicism & Organizational Citizenship Behaviors. Indian Journal of Industrial Relation, 55(1), 617-632 (Indexed in ABDC ‘C’,). |
| International | Gaan, N & Mohanty, P. (2019). On Passion & Sustainable Leadership: Personal & Organizational Outcomes in India. Indian Journal of Industrial Relation, 54(3), 541-553 (Indexed in ABDC ‘C’). |
| International | Gaan, N. (2016). Universal Endorsement of Values and Impact on Employee Engagement. Indian Journal of Industrial Relation, 51(3), 502-515 (Indexed in ABDC ‘C’). |
| International | Gaan, N. & Mohanty, K. (2014). Three Factor Model of Employee Passion An Empirical Study in Indian Context. Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 39(2), 59-70. [Sage publication, Scopus Indexed] |
| International | Gaan, N. & Gaan, P. (2014). Is Transformational Leadership Region-Centric in Nature?,” International Journal of Business and Management, 9(8), 41-53 [EBSCO] |
| International | Gaan, N. (2013). Is It justified to sack Pilots?: A Case Study. JGIBS, 4(1), 97-107. |
| International | Gaan, N. (2012). Collaborative tools and Virtual team effectiveness: An inductively derived approach in Indian Software sector. Decision Journal, 39(1), 5-27, IIMC. Scopus Indexed |
| International | Gaan, N. (2012). Impact of Emotional Labor on Teaching effectiveness: A study in Higher Education in India. Indian Journal of Industrial Relation, 47(4), 673-684. (Indexed in ABDC ‘C’). |
| International | Gaan, N. & Bhoon, K. S. (2012 ).Transformational HR Underpinning Success to E2:A Case Study in ACC Concrete. Vilakshan, 9(2), 197-210. [Emerald publication]. |
| International | Gaan, N. (2011). A Revisit on Impact of Job attitudes on Employee Turnover: An Empirical Study in Indian IT Industry. Vilakshan, 2(8), 33-41. XIMB [Emerald publication]. |
| International | Gaan, N. (2011). Mentoring Functions and Outcomes: The Effect of Mentoring Culture and Mentoring Structure. New Zealand Journal of Human Resource Management, 10(3), 174-184.[ ABDC Indexed ‘C’] |
| International | Gaan, N. (2011). Development of emotional labour Scale in Indian context. Vision-The Journal of Business Perspectives, 15(1), 41-48. MDI, [SAGE PUBLICATION, Indexed in SCOPUS, ABDC Indexed ‘C’] |
| International | Gaan, N. (2008). Impact of Gender on Job attitudes, Stress and Social support: An Empirical Study in Indian IT Industry. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, ICFAI, 7(4), 34-44. [SSRN] |
| 2026 | Leading with humour style: Supervisor humour as a driver of ownership and eco-voice within the realm of moral norms, accepted to be presented in European Academy of Management, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway, June, 16-18, 2026. |
| 2026 | When Green Turns Grey: Trust and Norms in Leader Greenwashing and Employee Eco-Voice, accepted to be presented in 42nd European Group of Organizational Studies online Colloquium 2026, University of Bergamo, Italy, July 9-11, 2026. |
| 2025 | Going green in an Indian hotel: When and how does employees’ voice prohibit non-green behaviour, Presented in Academy of Management, Copenhagen, Denmark, 25-29th July, 2025, (Presented and moderated the session of Organization and Environment Sustainability Division). |
| 2025 | How and when does prosocial motivation explicate coworker-directed prosocial behaviour: A study in Indian hotels?, Presented in hybrid mode for Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Management and moderated the session too, 29th -5th July, 2025, Portugal) |
| 2025 | Conditional effect of team prosocial motivation on team knowledge sharing behaviour in service sector, Presented in 9th Biennial Conference of the Indian Academy of Management (INDAM, 2025), IIFT, Kolkata (15th-18th Jan, 2025) |
| 2024 | Beyond Financial Literacy: Analyzing the role of Mindfulness and Spirituality in investment behavior – a systematic literature review was presented in ICRSP, MDI Murshidabad, 6th-7th Dec, 2024 |
| 2024 | Usages’ Intention of Career counselling bot in Higher Education: A Qualitative Enquiry was presented in ICRSP, MDI Murshidabad, 6th-7th Dec, 2024 |
| 2024 | Self-transcendence values of Hotel Managers and Employees’ Green Voice Behaviour was presented in ICRSP, 6th-7th Dec, 2024 |
| 2023 | A theoretical framework on Store Level Incivility and Work outcome of Reluctant Stayers in Retail was accepted for making presentation in Human Relations Conference, 19th – 21st April, 2023 (FT-50 Journal) held at Tavistock Institute, London). |
| 2023 | Influence of Job anxiety among Blue Collar Technical workforce of Indian Manufacturing: A post COVID-19 perspective is presented in 8th Biennial Conference of the Indian Academy of Management (INDAM), NMIMS, 5th-7th Jan, 2023 |
| 2022 | Authentic Leadership from follower’s lens among Women software professionals in COVID-19 is presented in MANAGEMENT DOCTORAL COLLOQUIUM, IIT Kharagpur, 2nd-3rd Feb, 2022. |
| 2022 | Mindful Software Professionals: A Moderated Mediation Model in COVID-19 Context presented in 7th Biennial Conference of the Indian Academy of Management (INDAM), IIM Rohtak, 7th-9th Jan, 2022. |
| 2020 | Generational Differences in Perception towards Women Leadership in Higher Education, presented in 7th SIMSR International HR Conference on January 30-31, 2020, K.J.Soumaiya, Mumbai. Paper is under review for Journal Considerations. |
| 2020 | “Cross-Generational Perspectives on Women Leadership in Service Based Industry of India” was accepted for presentation in conference of Gender Work and Organization, 2020, 2021 at Kent University, Canterbury, UK. |
| 2018 | Bullying, Passions, and Outcomes in Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, AHRD, is presented on 17th International conference of AHRD in Bangkok 7th-10th Nov, 2018. |
| 2017 | Work passion and Perceived Organizational outcome: A Conceptual Framework, 5th Biennial conference, IIM Indore, Dec, 2017, was accepted. |
| 2017 | On Passion and Organizational Cynicism: A Mediating Effect of Sustainable Leadership in the Process Model of Indian Sector, presented and published in conference proceedings of “Managing Change in Evolving Economic Scenario”, organized by MDI Gurgaon, 2017 in collaboration with ASSOCHAM. |
| 2014 | Role of Passion in Organizational Cynicism: A Mediating Effect of Sustainable Leader in the Process Model, Presented in Global Conference on Managing in Recovering Markets “GCMRM”, MDI-Gurgaon was presented and published in conference proceedings, Springer. |
| 2013 | Three Factor Model of Employee Passion: An Empirical Study in Indian Context, was accepted to be presented in 3rd Indian Academy of Management, 12-14TH Dec, 2013, IIMA and was published in Vikalpa issue. |
| 2012 | ‘Cross Cultural Dimensions and Employee Engagement: A Study across Globe’ Was presented in 12th IHRM conference,10th to 13th December 2012, hosted by MDI-Gurgaon, Haryana. |
| 2012 | A Case Study of Transformational Leadership Par Excellence, Accepted in the conference called “7th Colloquium on Organizational Change & Development” organized by European Institute of Advanced Studies, 12-15th Sep, 2012, Bern, Switzerland. |
| 2010 | Virtual team effectiveness, presented in Tor Vergata University, European Academy of Management, Rome, May19-22, 2010. |
| 2010 | Mentoring functions and outcomes” Presented in IMR, IIMB, July, 22-24th, 2010 |
| 2009 | Development and Validation of Emotional Labour Scale” Presented in ICADBAI, IIMA, June 6-7, 2009 and same got published in the proceedings. |
| 2008 | Knowledge Management: Challenges and Recommendations, Presented in National Conference organized by IBCS, Bhubaneswar, Feb20-22, 2008 and same got published in their journal. |
| 2008 | Development of Emotional Labour Scale: A factor Analysis, presented in AIMS International Conference, Indian Business Academy, Delhi, and same to be published in the proceedings, 27-30th Dec, 2008 |
| 2006 | Teaching the importance of Culture and interdisciplinary Aspect in Change Management, accepted and published in AIMS International Conference proceedings, IIM Indore, 27-29th Dec, 2006. |
| 2007 | A Revisit on Impact of Job attitudes on Employee Turnover: An Empirical Study in Indian IT Industry was presented in International Conference on Business and Information, Tokyo, Japan during 11-13th July, 2007. |
| 2005 | Interdisciplinary Reengineering Approach towards effective e-negotiation in Cross cultural context, accepted, Sixth International Conference on Operations and Qualitative Management (ICOQM-VI),IIM Indore on Aug 7-9, 2005 |
| 2004 | Effective Decision Making and Management of Technological Innovation for Greater Customer Satisfaction- A Success Story of NALCO, has been published and presented in Fifth International Conference on Operations and Quantitative Management (ICOQM-V) campus Hanyang University, Seoul, S. Korea on October 25-27, 2004. |
| 2003 | Managing Intellectual Capital through Strategic Leadership, presented with Shilpa Surana in AIMS International Conference held at IIM Bangalore and published in the proceedings, 28-30th Dec 2003. |
| 2003 | Effectiveness of Integrated Marketing Communication” presented with Darshan Parikh in AIMS International Conference held at IIM Bangalore and published in the proceedings, on 28-30th Dec 2003. |
Conducted three training program on High Impact Management and leadership at two production units of NALCO
| 17th -19th Nov, 2025 | As a Program Director, in-company MDP on ‘Executive development program’ has been designed and conducted for Canara Bank Executives and handled sessions on “Performance Management”, “Ethical leadership” and “Conflict Management and Negotiation skills”. |
| 8th -12th Sep, 2025 | Handled sessions on conflict management and power of negotiation in MDP on Effective Management in Public Administration for WBCS officials. |
| 11th-13th June, 2025 | Handled session on conflict management in MDP of Power of Negotiation and conflict management for WBPDCL senior executives. |
| 3rd-4th April, 2025 | As a Chairperson, MDP & Consultancy and Program Chair, team dynamics and conflict management session for in-company MDP on ‘Effective Leadership in Public services’ was conducted for WBCS officials. |
| 18-22th Dec, 2024 | As a Chairperson, MDP & Consultancy and Program Director, in-company MDP on ‘Sustainable leadership and Management practices’ has been designed and conducted for Gorkha territorial administration, the elected officials of Panchayat and Rural Development of West Bengal Government Department. |
| 10-12th Sep, 2024 | As a Chairperson, MDP & Consultancy and Program director, in-company MDP on ‘Cross-functional leadership’ was conducted for mid-and senior-level officials of Eastern coalfields limited. |
| 22-25 Aug, 2024. | As a Chairperson, MDP & Consultancy and Program Director, in-company MDP on “Management induction program” for mid-level officials of Metal Scrap and Trading Corporation. |
| 8-10th July, 25th – 28th July, 2024 | As a Chairperson, MDP & Consultancy, designed in-company MDP on ‘Growth and mindset management’ and conducted training sessions on ‘Resilience’ ‘Personality development’ and ‘Conflict management’ at MDIM campus for 20 senior level professionals of LIC. Successive three repeat programs are supposed to be organized in 2025. |
| 15th-16th Dec, 2023 | As a Program Director, designed and conducted in-house training programs/Consultancy on ‘Labour codes and union negotiation’ for 30 HR professionals of Balmer Lawrie. |
| 14-16th Oct, 2020 | As a resource person conducted sessions on “change management” and “conflict management” for MDP on “General Management Program for Young Managers” for senior executives of GAIL. |
| 27th-29th Aug, 2020 17th-19th Sep, 2020 | As a Program Director, designed and conducted online Open MDP on ‘Employee relation- I, II’, respectively for upper-level, mid-level and lower level managers hailing from coveted companies like IOCL, Balmer Lawrie, HPCL, Eastern Coal India, Mazagon Dock, Paradip Phosphate Ltd., GRSE, NALCO, HPCL, HMEL, Sai Infrastructure Ltd., at MDIM campus. |
| 1st Jan – 30th April, 2020. | As a Program Director conducted a consultancy assignment for the course on ‘Social Security-Labour Law III’ at XUB. |
| 26th– 28th Aug, 2019 | As a Program Director, conducted open MDP on ‘Employee Relations’, at MDIM campus. Mid-level managers from coveted companies like IOCL, Balmer Lawrie, HPCL, Eastern Coal India and Northern Coal India, PowerGrid Co. of India Ltd., NTPC participated. |
| 26th-27th April, 2019. | As a resource person, conducted an in-company training program on ‘Change Management’ for Senior Managers of Techno Electric & Engineering Ltd. |
| 21st-22nd Sep, 7th -8th Oct, 2018, 15th-16th April, 2019 |
As a Program Director, designed and conducted in-house training programs/consultancy for NALCO on “High Impact Management and Leadership” for E6 and E7 level managers. Sessions taken are ‘Leadership skills and styles’, ‘Boundary management’, ‘Managing self’, ‘Change management’, and ‘Conflict Management”. Successive training programs were repeat program for different units of NALCO after the initial success. |
| 11th -13 th June, 2nd – 4th July, 26th -28th July, 2018 |
As a resource person, conducted a training session on ‘Change management’, ‘Conflict Management’ and ‘Culture of Organization’, for in-company MDP on ‘High Impact Management Skills for Organizational effectiveness in a dynamic Business Environment’ for E4 and E5 mid-level managers of SAIL-ISP Burnpur at MDIM campus. |
| 8-10th Jan, 18 and 6th – 8th June, 2018 | As a resource person, conducted a training session on ‘Change management’, ‘Conflict Management’ and ‘Culture of Organization’, for MDP on ‘Project Management’ for government officials, West Bengal Civil Service Probationers at MDIM campus. |
| 13th Oct, 2017 | As a Program Director, conducted a in-company MDP on ‘Stress Management’, for employees of Employee Provident Fund Organization at MDIM campus. |
| 22nd – 27th Aug, 2017 | As a resource person, conducted an in-company training sessions on ‘Personality Development’, ‘Change management’ and ‘Conflict Management’, for MDP on ‘Project Management’ for senior-level employees of Geological Survey of India at MDIM campus. |
| 19th – 21stAug, 2016 | As a Program Director, designed and conducted Open MDP on ‘High Impact Management and Leadership’, for particpants from IOCL, NALCO, Eastern Coal India and Northern Coal India, NSPCL, Power grid Corporation& NTPC at MDIM campus. |
| 26th – 28th Dec, 2015 | As a Program Director, designed and conducted Open MDP on ‘High Impact Management and Leadership’, at MDIM campus. Mid-level managers from coveted companies like IOCL, NALCO, Eastern Coal India and Northern Coal India, David Alver, NSPCL participated. |
| 6-8th Nov, 2015, 19-21st Nov, 2015, 15th – 17th Aug, 2016. |
As a resource person, conducted a ‘change management sessions’ for Mid-level officers of LIC as part of in-company MDP program titled “General Management” at MDI Murshidabad campus. |
| 21st June, 2009. | As a resource person, conducted a session on “Interpersonal skill and leadership” in Ministry of Youth and sports affairs, BBSR. |
| 8th June, 2009 | As a resource person, conducted a session on ‘Personal Effectiveness’ in SIRD, Bhubaneshwar. |
| 26th– 27 th Feb, 2007 | As a Program Director, conducted an in-house MDP successfully on “Managing Change Primer” jointly with Dr. Chitta Samant in NALCO, a leading PSUs in the field of Aluminum production. |
| 2025 | Principal Investigator of sponsored project from “Centre of Financial Services”, MDI Gurgaon titled “Social Selling and Co-value creation as Double-Edged Sword for Frontline Employees in Indian Banking Industry”. The grant aid received is 7.3 lakhs. (Completed) |
| 2024 | Project director of Sponsored Mega Research Project from ICSSR titled “Evidence-Based Exploration of Psychological Need Satisfaction and Mental Health Outcomes: Role of Coping Mechanism and Digital Mental Health Interventions among Gen Z in Maharashtra’ under the special call for Vision Viksit Bharat@2047 (VVB@2047) along with colleagues from different B-schools. The grant in aid received was 20 Lakhs. Project duration was one year (2024-25). |
| 2014 | Principal Investigator of Sponsored Mega Research Project entitled “Differential Treatment of Ethnic Groups on Gender Violence: Moderating Role of Policing and Societal Culture” which was approved by ICSSR (Ministry of Human Resource Development), New Delhi and supervised a team carrying members like Research Associate, Research Assistant and Field Investigator. The grant in aid received was10 Lakhs. Project duration was one year (2014-15). |
