Our Faculty

  • Assistant Professor (Grade – I)

Virajanand Varma

Assistant Professor (Grade – I)
  • PhD – Management, Auburn University
  • MS – Human Resource Management, Auburn University
  • MBA – General Management, VGSOM, IIT Kharagpur
  • BE – Mechanical, Jadavpur University
Virajanand Varma is a faculty in the OB&HRM area at IIM Ranchi. He has taught at the university level for over 17 years. He has also worked in the industry for over nine years and was involved in power plant operations, project management, software development, and change management consulting. Viraj is a certified SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and PROSCI Certified Change Practitioner. He is an active member of the Academy of Management, OD Network, National HRD Network, and Society for Human Resource Management. Viraj lives in Ranchi and loves reading, watching movies, and spending time with his family.

Teaching Areas

  • Organization Development and Change
  • Organizational Structure and Design
  • Performance Management
  • Employer Branding
  • Leadership

Experience

  • Associate Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India
  • Assistant Professor, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA
  • Visiting Assistant Professor, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX
  • Adjunct MBA Faculty, Strayer University, Columbus, GA
  • Visiting Assistant Professor, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant/Instructor, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
  • Senior Strategic Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers, India
  • Senior Software Engineer, Patni Computer Systems

Training & Consulting Areas

  • Change Management
  • Organization Development
  • Employee Experience
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Leadership Development

Research Area

  • Organizational Change
  • Middle managers
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Strategizing Activities and Practice
  • Leadership
  • Management Education

Current Research Interests

  • Organizational Change
  • Middle managers
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Strategizing Activities and Practice
  • Leadership
  • Management Education

Professional Affiliation

  • Academy of Management (ODC and HR Divisions)
  • Southern Management Association
  • Society for Human Resource Management
  • National HRD Network
  • OD Network

Publications

  • Haynie, J.J., Varma, V. and Ragland, E. (2022), “Daily supervisor support, engagement and prosocial behavior: how turnover intentions reduce the resources to pay it forward”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(6), 575-590. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2021-0255
  • Varma, V.(2020). The “write your name” activity: an introductory classroom exercise on organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior Education. 13, 131-142. https://www.neilsonjournals.com/JOBE/abstractjobe13varma.html
  • Varma, V. (2019). Understanding resistance to change: An experiential exercise. Management Teaching Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/2379298119831412
  • Varma, V. (2019). Developing change readiness: A video-based classroom activity. Management Teaching Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/2379298118822497
  • Haynie, J., Mazzei, M., Svyantek, D., & Varma, V. (2016). Job insecurity and compensation evaluations: The role of overall justice. Management Decision, 54(3), 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2015-0134
  • Sankar, C.S., Varma, V., & Raju, P.K. (2008). Use of Case Studies in Engineering Education: Assessment of Changes in Cognitive Skills. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education & Practice, 134, 287-296.
    • Presentations:
  • Haynie, J., Varma, V. & Ragland, E. (2021). Daily supervisor support, engagement, and extra-role behaviors: The role of psychological attachment” (Co-authored by Jeffrey Haynie and Elizabeth Ragland) at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2021.
  • Varma, V. (2018). Understanding change readiness sentiments: A video-based classroom activity. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of Southern Management Association, Lexington, KY.
  • Varma, V. (2017). Understanding resistance to change: An experiential exercise. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of Southern Management Association, St. Pete Beach, FL
  • Varma, V., Harris, S.G., Armenakis, A. A., & Feild, H. S. (2013). Information Cues and Processes Shaping Middle Managers’ Change Readiness Sentiments. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  • Varma, V., Harris, S.G., Armenakis, A. A., & Feild, H. S. (2013). Frames and Actions: Middle Managers’ Sensegiving of Change Readiness Sentiments Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  • Varma, V., Harris, S.G., Armenakis, A. A., & Feild, H. S. (2012). Middle Managers’ Initial Change Concerns: Examining Change Readiness Beliefs in the U.S. and India. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
  • Haynie, J. J., Flynn, B., Harris, S. G., Varma, V., Credo, K., & Vitale, D. (2010). The role of perceived organizational support in times of uncertainty. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada.
  • Varma, V., & Harris, S. G. (2008). An Empirical Examination of the relation between Merger Communication and Post-merger Identification, Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Anaheim, CA.
  • Varma, V., & Mitra-Varma, K. (2008). A Cross-Cultural Study of P-O Fit Messages in Recruitment Websites of the U.S. and India, Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Anaheim, CA.
  • Varma, V., & Brown, S. B. (2008). Psychological Collectivism and Team Member Outcomes: Does TMX Matter? Paper presented at the Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Conference, San Francisco, CA.
  • Varma, V. (2007). Union-management Cooperation in Organizational Change – A Conceptual Proposition, Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Varma, V. (2006). Using Change Management Models to Manage Organizational Identification Change – A Model, Paper presented at the Academy of Management Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Awards

  • Dr. Hubert S. Feild & Dr. Achilles A. Armenakis Endowed Fellowship Award, 2009-10.
  • Graduate Research Travel Award, Auburn University, 2009
  • Doctoral Consortium Fellow – OMT/MOC Division, Academy of Management, Chicago, IL, 2009
  • Doctoral Consortium Fellow – ODC Division, Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA, 2008.
  • Graduate Assistantships, Auburn University, 2005-2010