While IIMA is a school of management, its scope is much wider than that of a traditional business school. Its research and training activities also extends to the areas of concern for the society at large. IIMA has been making significant contribution to management research in a wide range of areas which are relevant to policy makers. Some of these are listed below:

• The Ravi Matthai Center for Educational Innovation offered specially designed programmes on Strategic Leadership for Principals of CBSE schools
• The Center for Innovation, Incubation, and Entrepreneurship launched the third round of a unique national search-cum-competition of high tech and mass impact innovations called Anveshan
• The Center for e-Governance developed a unique Motor Vehicle SMS System and helped in its implementation in the office of the Superintendent of Police in Ahmedabad
• The Center for Management in Agriculture made significant contributions to the on-going research in the field of agriculture and agri-business management
• The Public Systems Group carried out significant research work in the fields of management of health services, energy and environment, infrastructure management and telecom policy
• The Center for Management of Health Services was set up to address the managerial challenges in the delivery of health services and make a contribution to the formulation and implementation of policies for the health sector
• The Institute set up for the Center for Retailing to enhance the existing intellectual capital engaged in retailing to augment interaction between academia and industry to promote developmental activities in organized retailing

  Besides these the Institute has entered into a collaboration with Future Generation Foundation to strengthen management education in Egypt and to conduct management development programmes in Cairo for senior executives from Egypt and neighbouring countries.
  
  The Institute played a major role in the creation of an Association of Asia Pacific Business Schools and entered into a collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation, Singapore to design, develop and launch a management development programme for non-profit organizations.  

  One of IIMA’s missions is to improve the management of inadequately managed strategic priority sectors. This mission builds on IIMA's success in applying management know-how to non-conventional areas of management such as agriculture, healthcare, literacy and various public services. It implies a commitment to focus management knowledge, skills, and technologies for the betterment of society. It involves mastering and applying new management paradigms of development (the helped person as a resource), targeting crucial inappropriately managed sectors, and training for effective change agents and transformational leadership and not merely for greater techno-managerial expertise.