The International Conference on Business Management (ICoBM) was attended by CEOs, top tier corporate heads, policy makers, government officials, corporate sector, social sector, development experts, academicians, researchers (scholars and practitioners), economists, financial institutes, social sector organizations, human resource development professionals and university scholars of PhD/MPhil/MS. The theme of the conference was “Business, Academia & Government Partnership for a Better Future”.
Around 35 research papers will be presented in12 academic session of the Business Conference. The conference comprises two tracks: Academic Track, and Corporate Track. The academic track includes Management, Economics, Finance, Human Resource Management, and Marketing & Information Systems. The Corporate Track comprises of presentations of renowned business tycoons on important business related issues.
Conference Sessions
A G Ghaffari moderated a session on the final day of the International Conference on Business Management (ICoBM). The session focused on the challenges posed to business by the geopolitical environment and the required response to these challenges in terms of change management through leadership development.
Prof Dr Rasul Bakhsh Rais, Political Analyst and Prof at LUMS, took a non-deterministic view of the geo-political scenario affecting Pakistan. Dr Sarwar Azhar, Professor UMT Business School, discussed the role of leadership in preparing organizations to meet unexpected but huge phenomena. Nazir Naqwi, Deputy Executive Director Citizens Foundation, gave a brief presentation on the role of leaders in organization development. He said that leaders need to be wise, able to make the best use of knowledge, and make the most of their time. Saeed Alvi, Chairman TEVTA, said that Pakistan needs leaders who are tolerant, liberal, committed to democratic principles and understand Islam in its true essence without relying on the priestly class to interpret it for them.
Summing up the discussion, Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad, Rector UMT, said that geo political environment is the ABC of business. Essentially, business of the world is business; it implies gaining access to markets, adapting to change, being innovative, and dynamic. He observed that Pakistan was in close proximity with emerging world economic powers, India and China, and there is no reason why we too cannot benefit from their economic prosperity. He cited the example of Brazil, Mexico and Canada that are thriving just because they are geographically placed near the USA. He said that Pakistan has opportunities for growth but we need to seize them. He concluded by saying that the recipe for success, if there is one, lies in developing the people. The US, he said has the best developed people in the world. American men and women are developed as leaders and realigned with the interests of the American nation and that is why America rules. Dr Hasan said that by these standards alone, it is the youth of Pakistan who need to transform themselves as the leaders of tomorrow and meet the challenges of today.