Event Name: 6 Days Faculty Development Program on Research Methodology 3.0: Structural Equation Modeling	Event Date:November 25–30, 2024
Faculty Coordinators: Dr. Fehmina Khalique	Event Timings: 02.00 PM – 5:00PM
No. of Participants : 100+	Venue:Online
Resource Persons: 1. Dr. Saurabh Agarwal, Professor of Machine Learning and Data Analytics at HBTU Kanpur, UP 2. Dr. Dhaval Maheta (Professor & Trainer) Department of Business and Industrial Management Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat 3. Dr. Saumendra Mohanty (Director - Government Business at ValueFirst a Tanla Company Adjunct Professor- Lloyd Business School, Adjunct Professor of Practice, Bennett University) 4. Dr. Balamurugan Balusamy Associate Dean, Shiv Nadar University- Top 2% of Scientists by Stanford University.	MOC: Dr. Fehmina Khalique

Expected Outcome:

By the end of this Faculty Development Program (FDP), participants will be able to:

• Gain Conceptual Clarity: Develop a strong understanding of advanced research methodologies, with a focus on Research Methodology 3.0, which integrates traditional and contemporary research techniques.
• Master Structural Equation Modelling (SEM): Acquire in-depth knowledge of SEM concepts, including model specification, identification, estimation, and validation using tools like AMOS, SmartPLS, or LISREL.
• Apply Advanced Statistical Techniques: Learn to implement Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Path Analysis, Mediation, and Moderation Models for hypothesis testing and theory building.
• Enhance Research Writing Skills: Improve the ability to interpret SEM outputs and translate findings into high-quality research papers suitable for Scopus, ABDC, and SSCI-indexed journals.
• Use AI & ML in Research: Understand how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can be integrated into SEM-based research for enhanced predictive analytics.
• Develop Industry-Oriented Research Perspectives: Learn how SEM can be leveraged for research in domains such as business, social sciences, healthcare, and technology to address real-world problems.
• Hands-on Training & Software Proficiency: Gain practical exposure through live demonstrations and hands-on sessions using statistical software for data analysis and model building.
• Networking & Collaboration: Engage with renowned researchers, academicians, and industry experts, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations for future research.
• Improve Research Grant Prospects: Enhance the ability to design research proposals that align with funding agencies' requirements, increasing the likelihood of securing research grants and funding opportunities.
• Ethical Research Practices: Understand best practices in research ethics, data handling, and avoiding issues like multicollinearity, model overfitting, and p-hacking in SEM studies.

This FDP will equip participants with cutting-edge research skills, enabling them to conduct high-impact research, contribute to policy-making, and improve academic and industry collaborations.

Detailed Report

An online Faculty Development Program was successfully organized by Department of Management at Lloyd Business School from November 25–30, 2024. The event was organized under the able guidance and leadership of Dr. Vandana Arora Sethi, Group Director, Head Growth and Strategy at Lloyd Group of Institutions. The program aimed at enhancing the pedagogical, research, and technological skills of faculty members, equipping them to meet contemporary academic and professional challenges. The theme of the FDP was Research Methodology 3.0 with Structural Equation Modelling”. The event was organized under the guidance and visionary leadership of Dr. Vandana Arora Sethi, Group Director and Head of Growth and Strategy.

The FDP witnessed enthusiastic participation from around 100 participants from 44 Institutes from 15 States across the country and also from University Putra Malaysia. Some of the participating Institutes were Himalyan University, Itanagar- Arunachal Pradesh, Central University of South Bihar, Mahatma Gandhi Central University Motihari & Patliputra University, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, , Gitatarattan International Business School, Jamia Millia Islamia University, The NorthCap University ,Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology-Punjab, Gokaraju Rangaraju College of Pharmacy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, SR University, University of Hyderabad- Telangana, Banaras Hindu University, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra.

The FDP was graced by seasoned academicians and researchers like

• Dr. Saurabh Agarwal, Professor of Machine Learning and Data Analytics at HBTU Kanpur, UP
• Dr. Dhaval Maheta (Professor & Trainer) Department of Business and Industrial Management Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat
• Dr. Saumendra Mohanty Director - Government Business at ValueFirst a Tanla Company Adjunct Professor- Lloyd Business School, Adjunct Professor of Practice, Bennett University
• Dr. Balamurugan Balusamy Associate Dean, Shiv Nadar University- Top 2% of Scientists by Stanford University.

This FDP helped the participants to understand the process of testing the theoretical model using Covariance based SEM and Partial Least Square based SEM based on R Studio, SPSS and Python.

The FDP concluded with the distribution of Certificates. The FDP was a resounding success, fostering professional growth and inspiring innovative teaching practices. We look forward to organizing more such initiatives in the future to continue empowering educators.

Day 1

Day 1 witnessed an enthusiastic participation of over 80 attendees, including academicians, research scholars, and students from 44 Institutes across 15 states. The expert for the day was Dr. Saumendra Mohanty, Adjunct Professor at Lloyd Business School and Adjunct Professor of Practice at Bennett University. Dr. Mohanty delivered an insightful session on the concepts of Correlation and Regression, utilizing tools like Jamovi and Orange.

Day 2

The second day of the workshop was guided by Dr. Saurabh Agarwal, Professor of Machine Learning and Data Analytics at HBTU, Kanpur. Dr. Agarwal is a distinguished alumni of IIT Kanpur and has published several papers in reputed journals. The session was on Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Day 3

Day 3 of the Faculty Development Program began with and insightful session by Dr.Dhaval Mehta, Professor and Trainer at Department of Business and Industrial Management at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat. With a profound experience of 22 years Dr. Mehta gave valuable inputs on Statistics for Reflective and Formative Constructs. His lucid style was well received all the participants. The session concluded with satisfactory answers to all the queries raised by the participants. 

Day 4

Day 4 of the Faculty Development Program was an extension of the topics discussed by Dr. Dhaval Mehta. Dr. Mehta further elaborated on the concepts of Moderation and Mediation. His lucid illustrations and clarity captivated the audience, effortlessly conveying complex ideas with precision.

Day 5

Day 5 of the FDP witnessed an expert session on the topic “Research Writing for publication in reputed Journals” by Dr. Dr.Balamurugan Balusamy Associate Dean, Shiv Nadar University- Top 2% of Scientists by Stanford University. Sir is a distinguished Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Vellore, Tamil Nadu. The topic holds high relevance amongst academic fraternity. Dr. Balusamy gave meaningful tips on how to improve chances of publications in reputed journals.

Day 6

Day 6 of the FDP witnessed an expert session on the topic “Artificial Neural Network‐ Multilayer Perceptron & Radial Basis Function using Python” by Dr. Saumendra Mohanty, Director ‐ Government Business at ValueFirst a Tanla Company, Adjunct Professor ‐ Lloyd Business School, Adjunct Professor of Practice, Bennett University. Dr. Saumendra Mohanty highlighted the basics of ANNs, their applications, and practical implementation using modern tools. The session began with an introduction to ANNs, explaining how these computational models are inspired by the human brain and are used for solving complex problems like classification, prediction, and pattern recognition. Participants were introduced to the structure and functioning of artificial neurons and how they form layers to process data efficiently.

Overall, the FDP was a great learning experience for the participants and proved to be a valuable initiative for enhancing the research skills and academic proficiency of the participants. Through detailed sessions on the chosen topics, the program successfully addressed the critical aspects of conducting rigorous and impactful research. The hands-on exercises and interactive discussions enriched the learning experience, enabling participants to apply these methodologies effectively in their respective research projects. The FDP also fostered an environment of knowledge-sharing, encouraging collaboration among faculty members from diverse disciplines.

Learning Outcome

After completing this Faculty Development Program (FDP), participants were able to:

a. Understand Advanced Research Methodology

• Comprehend the principles of Research Methodology 3.0, integrating traditional and modern research approaches.
• Differentiate between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research

b. Master Structural Equation Modelling (SEM)

• Explain the fundamentals of SEM, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Path Analysis.
• Identify key concepts like latent variables, measurement models, and structural models.

c. Apply Statistical Techniques for Data Analysis

• Perform Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
• Conduct mediation, moderation, and multi-group analysis.
• Interpret model fit indices such as RMSEA, CFI, TLI, and SRMR.

d. Use Research Software Proficiently

• Gain hands-on experience with AMOS, SmartPLS, LISREL, or R-based SEM tools.
• Learn to visualize and modify structural models for better theoretical contributions.

E. Enhance Research Writing and Publication Skills

• Translate SEM analysis into high-quality research papers for reputed journals (Scopus, ABDC, SSCI).
• Write impactful research reports with data-driven conclusions.

F. Integrate AI & ML in Research

• Explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in SEM for predictive modeling and data-driven decision-making.

G. Develop Interdisciplinary Research Competence

• Apply SEM techniques to business, economics, psychology, healthcare, and technology research.
• Collaborate with researchers across disciplines to develop innovative and data-driven solutions.

H. Improve Research Funding and Proposal Writing

• Design research proposals with a robust methodology to increase the chances of securing funding grants.

I. Ensure Ethical and Rigorous Research Practices

• Recognize and avoid research biases, model overfitting, and data manipulation.
• Adhere to ethical guidelines in data collection, analysis, and reporting.

J. Contribute to Policy and Industry-Oriented Research

• Apply SEM to real-world industry problems, aiding in policy formation and decision-making.
• Leverage research insights to address business and societal challenges.

 

By the end of this FDP, participants were equipped with advanced research skills, practical SEM expertise, and the ability to publish impactful research in leading journals.