Academic Profile : Faculty

Assoc Prof Ruchi Sinha.jpg picture
Dr Ruchi Sinha
Associate Professor (Practice), College of Business (Nanyang Business School)
Dr. Ruchi Sinha is an organizational psychologist and Associate Professor (Practice) in the Leadership, Management, and Organization (LMO) Department at Nanyang Business School. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University (USA), Dr. Sinha brings a unique blend of rigorous scientific methodologies and practical insights to both academic and professional arenas.

Dr. Sinha's expertise spans a wide range of critical areas in organizational behavior and leadership. Her core research focus includes team dynamics, wellbeing, climate/culture, workplace conflict resolution, leadership effectiveness, and negotiation skills. She has developed particular proficiency in teaching negotiation skills and trust-building strategies, especially in remote and cross-cultural contexts, and leadership development programs tailored for emerging leaders and women in leadership roles. Ruchi has achieved an overall normalized citation index (CNCI) of 2.47, signifying that her research impact is 2.5 times higher than the global baseline. Her work has garnered over 1000 citations, resulting in an H-index of 11. Notably, the majority of her publications are in prestigious A/A* or ERAA Tier 1 outlets.

In the evolving landscape of work, Dr. Sinha has contributed significantly to understanding remote work challenges, workplace flexibility, and maintaining work-life balance. Her research and consulting work extend to specialized fields such as extreme action team management (e.g. Submarines and Space Teams), where she applies psychological principles to understanding leadership, trust, voice and effectiveness in long-duration missions. Dr. Sinha's industry knowledge spans multiple sectors, including technology, public administration, and the space industry. She has fostered strong industry-academia partnerships, applying her research to real-world challenges in organizational management.

As a thought leader, Dr. Sinha has gained international recognition through her TED talk on negotiation skills, which has garnered over 3.8 million views. She regularly contributes to public discourse through media appearances, conference presentations, and publications in outlets such as Harvard Business Review.
Dr. Sinha is also recognized for her expertise in diversity and inclusion, career development strategies, and workplace well-being. Her work in conflict management and decision-making processes has been applied across various organizational settings, from startups to large corporations.

In executive education, Dr. Sinha has designed and delivered customized leadership programs and industry-specific workshops. Her teaching approach combines academic rigor with practical relevance, preparing both students and executives to navigate complex organizational landscapes.

With her multifaceted expertise and ability to bridge theory and practice, Dr. Sinha continues to make significant contributions to both scholarly advancement and executive decision-making in the rapidly evolving field of organizational management.

Industry Funding & Research Grants
Dr. Ruchi Sinha has secured significant industry funding and grants totaling over AUD 1.3 million. Her major funding sources include:

a) Australian Defense Science and Technology Group: Over $700K for research on undersea decision-making and neurobiological markers of mental performance (2019-2023).
b) Government Department for Education: Multiple grants totaling over $400K for projects on principal and teacher leadership capability, public school wellbeing, and school climate improvement (2018-2024).
c) BAE Systems: AUD 25,000 for developing and evaluating a flexibility program (2020-2021).
d) Society for Human Resource Management Foundation, USA: AUD 82,082 for research on work-life interference (2008-2010).

These grants demonstrate Dr. Sinha's strong partnerships with industry and government, applying her research to real-world challenges in various sectors including defense, education, and human resource management.
a) Organizational Behavior and Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics; Workplace Conflict Resolution; Trust Building; Voice & Psychological Safety in Teams

B) Leadership and Strategic Management
Leadership Effectiveness; Women in Leadership; Shared leadership; Decision-Making Processes

C) Negotiation and Communication
Negotiation Strategies & Interpersonal Skills in Professional Settings

D) Diversity, Well-being, and Work-Life Integration
Diversity and Inclusion; Workplace Well-being; Work-Life Balance; Flexible/Remote Work Arrangements; Employee Engagement.
 
Awards
Teaching & Learning Excellence: Commendation for outstanding teaching (top 10%)
Top Mid-Career Teacher Award: Teaching & Learning Excellence
Research Excellence: Commendation for outstanding research contribution (top 10%)
Student Voice Teaching & Learning Award: Voted by Post Graduate students as the top teacher
Top Research Team: Commendation for the Development of Research Education Seminar Series program for HDR students
Best Conference Paper Award: Hierarchy and team learning (Research published in 2020)
Research Excellence Commendation: Early Career (Top 10%)
 
Courses Taught
Leadership for Growth; Advanced Negotiation Skill; Executive Education Courses (Custom and Standard)
 
Supervision of PhD Students
Ruchi has successfully supervised six Higher Degree students to completion between 2017 and 2024:

Vaibhav Gupta (PhD) - "Trust building in family firm successors and post-succession legitimacy."

Affan Bokhari (PhD) - "Leader narcissism and follower work outcomes: role of leader-member exchange, follower identity overlap, and identity threat."

Christina Stothard (PhD - “Role of Power Hierarchy and Learning for Team Effectiveness,” at the University of Adelaide (Department of Psychology).

Gaya Wickramasinghe (PhD) - "Power legitimacy and task performance in collective decision making."

Kathryn Stephenson ((PhD) - "Organizational Cynicism: Measure Development."

Cecilia Tournour (MPhil)- "Risks of adaptive leadership: exploring the impact on leader engagement and wellbeing.”

Additionally, Ruchi is supervising two students currently:

Imogen Weigall (Principal Supervisor, (PhD) - "Neurophysiological Markers of Shared Mental Model in Teams."

Chloe Dziego (Co-supervisor, (PhD) - "Neurophysiological indicator of information processing and performance."