Faculty

Area of Interest and Research

• Retail Technology, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience, Ecommerce, QCommerce, AI in Visual Merchandising

Teaching Courses and New Courses Developed

• Research Methodology, Statistics, Marketing Management, Essentials of Management, Digital Marketing, Visual Merchandising, IT Applications in Retail , and Retail Management

Academic Positions and Assignments

Professional Experience

Chief Faculty, Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) (18 September 2008 – 20 June 2025)

• Assigned the role of Head of School since April 2022.
• Teaching subjects including Research Methodology, Statistics, Marketing Management, Essentials of Management, Digital Marketing, IT Applications, and Retail Management.
• Developed syllabus for BBA and MBA programs.
• Served as functional head of all departments across campuses to maintain academic and ethical standards, and promote professionalism and collegiality.
• Coordinated academic activities and fostered research opportunities for faculty and students.
• Optimized physical learning environments and integrated instructional technologies.
• Guided and organized workshops, seminars, webinars, and faculty development conferences.
• Managed industry and alumni interface, promoting value addition, institutional growth, and academic collaborations.
• Reported to management on school matters and key developments.
• Supervised curriculum updates, class schedules, assessments, graduation requirements, and academic programs.

Cluster Leader (Visual Merchandising), Pantaloons – Noida & Delhi

• Led 3 stores as Cluster VM Head, ensuring consistent brand identity through merchandise and communication.
• Planned and implemented visual communication and store designs, including props and fixtures.
• Liaised with project teams, brand managers, and HO for display themes and brand requirements.
• Planned and executed events, activation programs, and budgeting for displays.
• Ensured implementation of planograms and VM principles.
• Conducted space planning for brand ROI optimization.
• Trained store operations teams in visual presentation and space productivity.

Visual Merchandising Consultant, Future Group

• Worked on independent visual merchandising projects across Future Group stores.
• Developed innovative VM solutions and conducted competitive analysis.
• Researched customer experience (5 senses approach) for design planning.
• Coordinated with department managers and monitored sales metrics.
• Trained customer care teams on visual merchandising standards.
• Standardized merchandise presentation and performed space planning and retail layout design.
• Handled product categorization based on fast/slow movers and color-blocking displays.

Course Coordinator, IMS-AFJD (Now DIA Noida) (July 2005 – March 2007)

• Organized fashion shows and coordinated academic activities for the Fashion Department.
• Managed visiting faculty scheduling and developed course guides.
• Oversaw syllabus design for international programs and set up the Resource Centre and Design Labs.

Faculty, International Polytechnic for Women, South Delhi

• Taught Pattern Making, Garment Construction, Textile Science, Fashion Forecasting, and Range Development.

Training Executive, Aptech Ltd. (IT-Retailing), Regional Office – South Extension, New Delhi (August 1995 – November 2001)

• Coordinated B.Tech (OUBC Canada), BCA (MAHE) courses and worked with marketing teams for course promotions.
• Trained franchise centers and resolved customer complaints.
• Maintained ISO documentation for marketing and administered exams regionally.
• Provided continuous support to franchise centers and managed communication workflows.

Research Papers and Working Papers

• Kaur, J., Saini, S., Behl, A., & Poonia, A. (2024). Impact of Digital Storytelling on Improving Brand Image Among Consumers. Journal of Promotion Management, 30(8), 1348–1376. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2024.2403760
• Saini. S, Bansal. S, Verma .P, Revolutionizing visual merchandising: A study on the acceptance of digital signage in Indian fashion apparel stores, Journal of Statistics and Management Systems, Vol 26, 5, 1265-1278, https://doi.org/10.47974/JSMS-1181 , https://www.tarupublications.com/doi/10.47974/JSMS-1181
• Saini.S, Bansal. S, Associating Designed Information and Novelty with Purchase Intentions for Product Displays in Fashion Apparel Stores, 2023, Indian Journal of Marketing, Vol 53, 12, 8-26, https://indianjournalofmarketing.com/index.php/ijom/issue/current
• Saini. S, Bansal. S, Verma .P, Use me or use me not? A communication tool - digital signages for fashion apparel stores, 2022, Journal of Content, Community & Communication, Vol. 15 Year 8, June-2022 ,ISSN: 2395-7514, DOI: 10.31620/JCCC.06.22/04, https://www.amity.edu/gwalior/jccc/pdf/june-2022-04.pdf

Research in Progress

• Plant Based Meat, Q Commerce, QR code for restaurants, AI in Visual Merchandising

Case Repository and Publications

• S. Routray, R. Nargundkar, S.Saini and R.Saxena, (2014),“ Information System Strategy at Neelkanth Drugs”, registered with Richard Ivey Publishing. Case id : 9B14E014 - Richard ivey case is available in all ivey league institute like Harvard ,Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, U Penn, Princeton and Yale.
• S. Routray, R. Nargundkar, S.Saini and R.Saxena, (2014), “Teaching Notes: Information System Strategy at Neelkanth Drugs”, registered with Richard Ivey Publishing. TN id: 8B14014.

Books, Chapters and Technical Reports

• R.Saxena, M. Sil, N. Sinha and, S. Saini , “BG0017- Challenges in Indian Retailing”, published in book Resource Book on Case Studies in Business Management, 2013, 159-169.

Editorial Positions and Reviews

• Reviewed 6 research papers for Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services

Conference, Seminar Paper and Presentations

• Research Paper presentation on “Acceptance of digital signages for fashion apparel stores- the new emerging tool for Visual Merchandising in India” at Global Leadership Research Conference (GLRC 2023), Amity University, 13th - 15th March 2023.
• Research Paper presentation on “Consumer Responses to Aesthetic Appeal for Digital Screens (A study of apparel stores in Delhi NCR)” at 8th AIM AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium and Conference 2020, BIMTECH, 3rd – 6th Jan 2020
• Research Poster Paper presentation on “Doctoral Track – Investigating how epistemic value and aesthetic appeal affect purchase intentions for product displays in apparel stores”” at 7th PAN IIM World Management Conference IIM, Rohtak, 12th - 14thDec 2019.
• Research Paper presentation on “Consumer responses to design information and novelty for product displays ( a study of apparel stores in Delhi NCR)” at NASMEI 2019 IIM, Indore, 26th -28th July 2019
• Research Paper presentation on “Exploring the antecedents of Intentions to use Digital Screens – A study on apparel stores in Delhi NCR” at EMCB 2019 IMT, Ghaziabad, 6th -8th Jan 2019
• Presented Case Study on “Dhruv Medicos Private Ltd. Right Antidote – Follow aggressive growth or sell the retail business?” at Global Leadership Research Conference 2018 , 14th – 15th March 2018 at Amity University , Noida
• Research Paper presentation on “Antecedents of purchase intentions for sustainable apparel: an empirical study in Delhi NCR”; published in the proceedings of national conference on sustainable to innovative fashion and textile: road to success; excellent publishing house; Pg No: 40-43; ISBN No: 978-93-86238-19-1

MDP Sessions, Workshops and Technical Lectures

• Participated in two day workshop on Business Intelligence using Power BI, Skill Nation, 21st – 22nd Jan 2023.
• Participated in Executive Development Program on “Data Visualization and Interactive Dashboards with Tableau” conducted by FAIIB, on 17th Dec 2022.
• Participated in five days online workshop on PLS-Sem 4, Numerical Analytics Instrument Pvt Ltd., 7th Nov – 11th Nov 2022
• Participated in four days workshop on R programming, Intellectual Manch 14th Oct – 17th Oct 2022.
• Participated in one week workshop on Mixed-Method Research Design Using Qualitative and Quantitative Methods , Koach Scholar, 15th Sept- 20th Sept, 2022.
• FDP on “Academic writing & publication, Koach Scholar, 15th – 16th July 2022
• Attended a one-month workshop on Structural Equation Modelling and Artificial Neural Network” Organized by Lal Bahadur Shastri Research Centre for Public Policy and Social Change (LBSRC) – A research wing of LBSIM, Delhi, 21st May - 19th June, 2022
• Attended, APA and academic writing, MyInnerLog, Jan 15th – 16th 2022
• Participated in one week workshop on Data analysis, Blueforskning, 14th – 21st Oct 2021
• Attended 5 days online e-workshop on “Nuts & Bolts of Thesis Writing ”, Research Smith, 11th May – 15th May 2021
• Attended weekend course on “Art of Doing Effective Literature Review” Koach Scholar, 20th Feb – 20th March 2021.
• Attended online faculty development programme on “ Contemporary Topics in Marketing Management” IIM, Indore, 1st March – 12th March 2021
• Participated in CMEE, workshop, Jan 30th & 31st 2021 , IIM, Noida
• Attended online faculty development programme on “ How to teach online” IIM, Indore, 6th July – 11th July 2020
• Attended 5 days online faculty development programme on “ The art and science of research publications”, IMI, 18th June – 22nd June 2020
• Attended online faculty development programme on “ Contemporary research practices in social science”, Amity institute of travel and tourism, 30th May – 05th June 2020
• Attended sessions on “ Training program on manuscript drafting and publishing” TORMP-2020, Eudoxia , 16th May – 17th May 2020
• Workshop on Research Methodology and Structural Equation Modeling at Amity Business School, AUUP, 21st Dec 2019.
• Executive Development Program on “ Ethical Road to Publication” at Amity Business School, Amity University, Noida , 25th Jan 2019.
• Management Development Program (MDP) on “Service Improvement, Innovations and Marketing” at IMS , Ghaziabad May 19, 2018
• India UK Design Education Workshop – Future of Design Education by Design Council AND British Council , 29th – 31st January 2018 at IHC, New Delhi
• National Conference on Marketing contemporary practices in modern marketing: a roadmap for 2020 on 9th Sep 2017
• Faculty Development Program on Advance Research Methodology at FDDI, Noida 25th May – 27th May 2016.
• National Conference on Fashion Apparel and Textiles (NCFAT ’17) on 29th March 2017
• Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “ Structural Equation Modelling” 19th March – 23rd March 2016 – Five Day at Birla institute of technology, Ranchi(Noida Campus)
• Management Development Programme (MDP) on “Digital Marketing” at IIM , Noida Nov 25-28, 2015
• International Conference on Advances in Management & Decision Sciences, Gautam Buddha University, 12thJuly 2015.
• Faculty Development Program on Advances in Research Methods & Data Analytical Tools, AIMA, 9-11th July 2015
• Attended Seminar on “The Future of Marketing” by Dr. Philip Kotler, Mar 14, 2014
• Attended a Case Study Development Course conducted by ISB-Ivey at ISB Mohali , May 4-6 , 2013
• Attended workshop on “Innovating Business Models” with BMI Consulting Services, Nov26, 2011.
• Attended workshop on “Calligraphic Writing” at NID, New Delhi , May 23-27, 2011
• Attended workshop on “Designing for Persuasion: Creating Dynamic, Multi-sensory Experiences for Customer Delight” at NID, Ahmedabad , Aug 22 - 24, 2007
• Attended workshop on “Lighting Design and Choreographing Light ” at NID, New Delhi , April 23 – 27, 2007

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Noida Management Association

Doctoral Dissertations and Awards

• Investigating the acceptance levels for changing scenario of visual merchandising – A study of apparel stores of Delhi NCR.