Ponmythili Muralidharan

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Ponmythili Muralidharan

Junior Faculty - Organization Behaviour & Human Resource

Area of Expertise: OB,HR & Strategy

Dr. Ponmythili Muralidharan is an academic researcher, author, and educator specializing in Organizational Behaviour, Leadership, and Behavioural Ethics. With over 15 years of experience in teaching, research, and executive education, her work explores how power, identity, and organisational systems shape human behaviour in the workplace.

Her research examines leadership, organisational dehumanisation, ethical conduct, moral resilience, and the lived experiences of individuals navigating complex organisational environments. A distinctive feature of her scholarship is the integration of Indian philosophical perspectives, particularly Karma-Yoga and dharma-based ethics, with contemporary organisational theory.

Dr. Ponmythili is the author of The You You Forgot, a book that explores identity, selfhood, and the human search for meaning amidst the demands of modern life. Her scholarly work combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including grounded inquiry, time-lagged research designs, and structural equation modelling.

As an educator and leadership facilitator, she has designed and delivered programmes for MBA participants, executives, and organisational leaders across diverse industries. Her teaching and executive education engagements focus on leadership, power and influence, ethics, decision-making, and personal effectiveness.

Through her research, teaching, and writing, she seeks to bridge academic rigour with practical relevance, helping individuals and organisations cultivate more ethical, reflective, and human-centred forms of leadership.

Research Interests

Her main research interest is in the area of transformational leadership, Self-Concept, Values, and Karma-Yoga.

Peer - reviewed Journal Articles

Shagirbasha, S., Muppidathi, P., & Vilma, A. (2026). Cogs in the machine: Ethical costs of organizational dehumanization and knowledge hoarding in service-intensive hospitality contexts. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 137, 104699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2026.104699 (ABDC A* | SSCI | Q1 Scopus)
Muppidathi, P. (2026). Who We Become Under Transformational Leaders: Self-Expansion to Karma-Yoga. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion. (Sole-authored; Q1, Scopus Indexed)
Muppidathi, P., & Krishnan, V. R. (2021). Transformational leadership and follower's perceived group cohesiveness: Mediating role of follower's Karma-Yoga. Business Perspectives and Research, 9(2), 269–285. (ABDC-C | Scopus)
Muppidathi, P., & Krishnan, V. R. (2015). Effect of transformational leadership on followers' collective efficacy and group cohesiveness: Social identity as mediator. Humanities and Social Sciences Review, 4(3), 363–372. (ABDC-C | Scopus)
Muppidathi, P., & Magesh, R. (2016). Impact of followers' self-expansion on relationship between transformational leadership and follower's identity. International Journal of Business and Administration Research Review, 2 (No 1, 2016), 221-226.
Muppidathi, P., & Magesh, R. (2016). The effect of factors of transformational leadership on followers' duty-orientation in a research and development organization. International Journal of Management and Social Science Research Review, 1 (No 3, 2016), 257-262.

7 Top Tier Conferences (AOM, INDAM, Pan IIM, NAOP and IJAS)

"Post-COVID-19 Sales Force Effectiveness – A Qualitative Study" [with Dr. K. Rajeshwari, Great Lakes Institute of Management and Dr Shibashish Chakraborty, IIM Ranchi]. 28th Recent Advances in Retailing and Consumer Science Conference, at Baveno, Italy, between 12 July 2021 and 15 July 2021.
"Transformational leadership and group cohesiveness: Mediating role of followers' Karma-Yoga" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. Conference of the Indian Academy of Management, IIM Tiruchirappalli, 3 Jan 2020.
"Generation(s) of Art Vs. Genus of Valuation: A Match or a Mismatch?" [with Dr Vishal Gupta IIM(A), Dr. Kirshna Priya (Aurangabad University) and Dr. Sunita]. Academy of Management Conference 2017 – Atlanta, 4th- 8th August 2017.
"Impact of transformational leadership on group cohesiveness and followers' life-satisfaction" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. 4th Pan-IIM World Management Conference, IIM Ahmedabad, 14 Dec 2016.
"Impact of Transformational Leadership on Followers Collective Efficacy and Duty-Orientation" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. 26th Annual Conference of the National Academy of Psychology, IIT Madras, Dec 2016.
"Effect of transformational leadership on follower's collective efficacy and group cohesiveness: Social identity as mediator" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. at International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 15 January 2015.
"Impact of Transformational Leadership on Duty-Orientation of Followers: Self-Expansion as Mediator" [With Dr Venkat R Krishnan]. at 9th International Research Conference, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, 29 December 2014.

4 Working Papers (Future work)

"Post-COVID-19 Sales Force Effectiveness – A Qualitative Study" [with Dr. K. Rajeshwari, Great Lakes Institute of Management and Dr Shibashish Chakraborty, IIM Ranchi]. Planning to send to Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (ABDC – A level).
"Gender and overtime work: Evidence from textiles industry in India" [with Dr. Vidya Mahambare, Great Lakes Institute of Management and Dr. Sowmya Dhanaraj, Madaras School of Economics]. Planning to send to Personnel Review (ABDC – A level)
"Impact of transformational leadership on Follower's Life-Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Follower's Perceived Group Cohesiveness" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. Planning to send to Leadership and Organization Development Journal (ABDC – B level)
"A Study On the Impact of Transformational Leadership Behaviour On Self-Expansion and Duty-Orientation" [with Dr. Venkat R Krishnan]. Planning to send to South Asian Journal of Business Studies: Emerald Publishing (ABDC – C level)

Press Articles:

Muralidharan, P. (2026, May). Beyond the mark sheet. The Hindu: Education Plus. https://www.thehindu.com/education/what-is-an-exam-result-really/article70904971.ece
Muralidharan, P. (2026, March). Life lessons from exams. The Hindu: Education Plus. https://www.thehindu.com/education/what-exams-do-not-test-what-students-carry-forward/article70669586.ece
Muralidharan, P. (2026, January). A smooth transition. The Hindu: Education Plus. https://www.thehindu.com/education/the-readiness-gap-before-the-first-job-and-how-to-close-it/article70448411.ece
Muralidharan, P. (2025, November). The unspoken in the classroom. The Hindu: Education Plus. https://www.thehindu.com/education/preparing-students-for-life-beyond-exams/article70243892.ece
Muralidharan, P. (2024, November). Elevating Leadership: How Emotional Intelligence Inspires Transformation Beyond Authority. Economic Times Education. https://education.economictimes.indiatimes.com/blog/elevating-leadership-how-emotional-intelligence-inspires-transformation-beyond-authority/115295121

Book Review

Book Review: Rajiv Malhotra. (2012). Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism. (New Delhi: HaperCollins Publishers India), pp. 474, ISBN 978-93-5029-190-0).