7th International Conference on Islamic Banking & Finance (ICIBF) 2023

The Department of Accounting & Finance, in collaboration with the Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP), organized the 7th International Conference on Islamic Finance themed Sustainable Development and Islamic Finance at IoBM, Karachi, on November 14-15, 2023. The event, under the auspices of AAOIFI, Bahrain, included participation from 20+ academic, research, banking, and regulatory organizations. Representatives from 20 countries served as speakers and collaborators, marking a global engagement.

International Conference on Business Management and Sustainability (ICBMS) 2023

The Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP) collaborated with the Institute of Business Management (IoBM) to host a two-day International Conference on Business Management and Sustainability (ICBMS) from November 7-8, 2023.

On the inaugural day, the event attracted a diverse audience, including government officials, educational experts, and senior corporate executives. Distinguished guests such as Syed Muhammad Tariq Rafi and Mr. Younus Dagha graced the occasion, with a Welcome Address delivered by Mr. Talib S. Karim, President of IoBM.

Themed "The Sustainable and Innovative Businesses in Uncertain Times: Challenges and Opportunities," the conference unfolded on the IoBM campus, fostering discussions and collaboration. Keynote speeches were delivered by Dr. Asif Raza, President AMDIP, and Mr. Imran Haleem Shaikh, COO of JS Bank. The program included panel discussions on sustainable business models and the pivotal role of education and research in shaping innovative businesses.

An Academic Panel Discussion on "The role of education and research in shaping sustainable and innovative businesses,", moderated by Dr. Amber Raza, at IoBM, featured representatives from IoBM, Stanford University, UMT, LUMS, IBA, and other leading institutions.

AMDIP and IOBM demonstrated their commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange in Pakistan. The Dr. Hasan Murad School of Management (HSM) at UMT played a pivotal role, offering academic support and presenting 21 research papers out of a total of 49. The second day included workshops by Dr. Fazeel Abid (Dr. Hasan Murad School of Management, UMT) and Dr. Ayesha Iftikhar (Lahore Business School, University of Lahore), enriching the event with impactful knowledge exchange.

The International Conference on Business Management and Sustainability - 2023 serves as a testament to AMDIP and its member university’s dedication to providing a platform for meaningful dialogue, learning, and the exchange of knowledge in Pakistan.

Workshop on LEVERAGING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE by Dr Fazeel Abid

On the second day of the International Conference on Business Management and Sustainability (ICBMS) 2023, Dr. Fazeel Abid, Chairperson of the Department of Information Systems at Dr. Hasan Murad School of Management (HSM) at the University of Management and Technology (UMT), in association with AMDIP, conducted a workshop titled "Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Business Excellence." The primary objective of this workshop was to provide participants with an extensive comprehension of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its tactical implementations within the business domain. Employing a comprehensive approach integrating theoretical frameworks, practical case studies, and interactive exercises, the workshop facilitated participants in utilizing AI techniques to augment decision-making processes, streamline operational workflows, and foster innovative practices within their respective organizational frameworks.

Workshop on FUNDAMENTALS OF R SOFTWARE DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION by Dr Ayesha Iftikhar

On the second day of International Conference on Business Management & Sustainability 2023 ICBMS, Dr Ayesha Iftikhar, Assistant Professor at Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore, in association with AMDIP, conducted a workshop titled “FUNDAMENTALS OF R SOFTWARE: DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION”. The core aim of this workshop was to impart foundational R programming skills to postgraduate students and participants within the business sphere. These skills were specifically tailored to enable proficient data analysis and support decision-making in business environments. The workshop emphasized practical engagement through hands-on exercises, real-world scenario applications, and the provision of valuable resources for continuous learning and practical implementation.

8th International Conference on Business Management

Annual Board Meeting of AMDIP 2021

2nd International Conference on Business and Technology Trends (ICBTT) 2021

2^nd International Conference on Business and Technological Trends

(ICBTT-2021)

February 4-5, 2021

The International Conference on Business and Technological Trends (ICBTT) is hosted annually to promote new dynamics in the field of business and technology. The conference brings together industry experts, academicians and research scholars to shed light on the emerging business trends and how technology can be incorporated into them to accelerate the economic impact. RTS (Research Training Solution) conducted the first ICBTT at the American College of Dubai, UAE, in Jan 2020, and collaborating partners were the Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP), Jinnah University for Women, Karachi and Emerald Publishers.

Being mindful of the ongoing pandemic situation, the format of 2^nd  ICBTT was decided to be hybrid. Accordingly, it was hosted jointly on February 3-4, 2021, by Research Training Solutions (RTS) and the American College of Dubai, UAE, in collaboration with the Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP); Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Benazir Abad; Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology (KASBIT), Karachi; University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore; Pakistan Study Center, University of Sindh; Emerald Publishers; tbc (the brand consultants), Karachi and Michal & Parkins, Dubai.  

The theme of the 2^nd ICBTT was selected, “Technological Diversity and Inclusion in Business Innovation”, to understand the impact of diversity and inclusion on organizational processes. Businesses all around the globe are now incorporating the latest technological trends for influencing processes, improving outcomes and gaining better insights.  

Speakers from the University of Aveiro, Portugal; Canadian University, Dubai; Al Ain University, Dubai; Nottingham Trent University, UK; International Balkan University, Macedonia; Al Dar University, Dubai; Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi; Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur; NED University, Karachi; Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro; University of Loralai, Balochistan; University of Karachi; Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Benazirabad and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Dubai participated in 2^nd ICBTT.

The two-day conference entailed various exciting sessions such as insightful panel discussions, keynote speeches, research paper presentations, and post-conference workshops. Dr Nawaz Ahmad, Conference Director, initiated the inaugural session and Research fellow, University of Aveiro, Portugal, followed by a welcome speech from Prof Dr Hasan Wahbah, President American College Dubai and Guest of honour Prof Dr Amanat Ali Jalbani, Vice-Chancellor Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Benazirabad. Thanks to participating scholars and collaborating institutions, the vote of thanks to participating institutions was delivered by the Conference Convener Prof Dr Tariq Raheem Soomro, Dean CCSIS, SMIEEE, IoBM, Karachi.

Right after the inaugural, the three keynote speeches were delivered by Prof Helena Nobre, University of Aveiro, Portugal; Dr Raza Ali Khan, NED University, Karachi and Dr Suresh Kumar, Institute of Business Administration Sukkur, respectively.

To understand the importance of technological inclusion, diversity, and their overall impact on the businesses, a panel discussion revolved around two aspects shaping our world, i.e. business and technology. A group of impactful panellists were engaged in a meaningful discussion that explored how businesses are continuously evolving in the light of emerging technologies.

Dr Tariq Raheem Soomro, Dean CCSIS, SMIEEE, IoBM, Karachi moderated the panel discussion, and the panellists included Dr Muhammad Nawaz Brohi, Vice President, Bath Spa University, UAE; Dr Naeem Zafar, Dean, ALDAR University, UAE; Dr Reyaz Ahmad, Al Ain University, UAE; Dr Nawaz Ahmad, University of Aveiro, Portugal; Dr Shajara Ul Durar, Nottingham Trent University, UK; Dr Syed Fayaz Ahmed, IoBM, Karachi; and Dr Abdul Raziq, University of Loralai, Balochistan.

The ICBTT’s call for papers was launched globally. A total of 103 research papers were received from Pakistan, UAE, India, Nigeria, Australia, Macedonia, Portugal and the United Kingdom. These papers then went through a double-blind peer-review process, out of which 54 papers were selected (acceptance rate 52%) for presentation based on their originality, applicability of ideas and contribution to the respective fields. These papers were selected after the peer review by the experts of respective fields and then were divided according to the themes. Finally, papers were presented in nine parallel sessions chaired by Prof Dr Dilshad Zafar, Jinnah University for Women Karachi; Dr Irfan Khan, Jinnah University for Women Karachi; Dr Adnan Pitafi, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro; Dr Fatima Beena, American College of Dubai; Dr Syed Fayaz Ahmad, IoBM, Karachi; Dr Zahid Channa, SBBU-SBA, Pakistan; Dr Salman Bashir, SBBU-SBA, Pakistan; Dr Aamir F. Shamsi, SZABIST, Karachi, Pakistan; Dr Maria Dos Santos, ISCTE-Institute University of Lisbon- DINÂMIA´CET, Portugal and Dr Muhammad Tariq, IoBM, Karachi, Pakistan.

The day started with three keynote speakers; Dr Arabella Bhutto, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Pakistan; Syed Azfar Hussain, National Incubation Center, Karachi, Pakistan and Dr Liza Alili Sulejmani, International Balkan University, Macedonia, followed by a couple of workshops.

The first workshop was named “Theory of Constraint: Throughput Accounting”, conducted by Mr Afzal Adamjee (Assistant Professor, Textile Institute of Pakistan). The second workshop was named “Global Research Visibility and Platforms” by Dr Nawaz Ahmad (Research fellow, University of Aveiro, Portugal). The rationale behind conducting these workshops was to help increase the understanding of the research basics of the participants and enlighten them about the platforms through which they can enhance their visibility.

The conference was the hallmark of great collaboration between different countries around the world. The industry experts, academia and other experts from Portugal, Dubai, Pakistan and UK put a way forward for exploring new horizons in the business and technological innovation domain. ICBTT aims to increase such scholarly collaborations in the near future and help bring new insights from the experts on a single platform to facilitate participants.

At the end of the conference, the concluding remarks were shared by Prof Dr Hasan Wahbah, President American College Dubai, Prof Dr Amanat Ali Jalbani, VC SBBU-SBA, Pakistan; Prof Dr Tariq Raheem Soomro, Conference Convener and Dean CCSIS, SMIEEE, IoBM, Karachi and Dr Nawaz Ahmad, Conference Director and Research Fellow, University of Aveiro, Portugal. They thanked all participants and guests for gracing the conference with their presence and contributing through meaningful insights. They also thanked the partner institutions Emerald Publishing, Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP), KASBIT, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU), Pakistan and Pakistan Study Center, University of Sindh, Jamshoro. The 3^rd ICBTT will be held in Turkey in collaboration with Istanbul Gelisim University, Istanbul, Turkey. 

7th International Conference on Business Management (ICOBM) 2020

The 7^th International Conference on Business Management (ICOBM) 2020

December 19-20, 2020

International Conference on Business Management (ICOBM) is the flagship conference of business schools, hosted annually in various regions of Pakistan. A prominent feature of this conference is that a consortium of business schools jointly organizes it, and constantly new members are joining this consortium. The past six conferences of this series held in Lahore, Karachi, Sukkur and Islamabad. UMT hosted the first three ICOBMs in Lahore, Sukkur IBA University hosted 4th ICOBM, 5^th ICOBM was held at Institute of Business Management (IOBM) Karachi, and 6^th ICOBM was hosted by NUST Business School, NUST, Islamabad.

The 7th ICOBM was organized virtually on December 19-20, 2020, by the Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP) and University of Management and Technology (UMT) in collaboration with Universities of South Asia on the theme of "Covid-19 Pandemic: Business and Management Challenges and Opportunities". The conference's rationale was to bring industry, academia and government bodies on one platform and explore the problems and opportunities caused by Covid-19 through research and expert talks. Various Pakistani and South Asian Universities collaborated for the 7^th ICOBM. South Asian partners included Nepal Administrative Staff College, Nepal; Post Graduate Institute of Management Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka; and the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. Pakistani Universities included the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi; Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur; National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad; FAST School of Management (FSM), Islamabad; and Karakoram International University (KIU), Gilgit.  Industry partners include Express Pac, Aries Global Logistics, Conflu core, CNW Courier Network, OTS and Research Training Solutions (RTS).

This was a two-day conference compromising of three panel discussions, a deans' forum, and sixteen sessions for research paper presentations, two post-conference workshops, besides opening and closing ceremony sessions. The opening ceremony of the conference was graced by Mr Lakshman R Watawala, Past President AMDISA; Mr Talib Syed Karim, President IoBM/Vice President AMDIP; Dr Muhammad Aslam, Rector UMT; Dr Attaullah Shah, Vice Chancellor Karakoram International University (KIU), Gilgit/ President Gilgit Chapter of AMDIP; Dr Naveed Yazdani, Dean HSM-UMT; Mr Marlond Antunez, CEO of CNW Associates Europe & America/Associated Partner of Hofstede Insights Uruguay and Portugal; Mr Tahir Hafeez, Global Logistics and Supply Chain Director, Tetrapack; and Mr Ijaz Yusuf, Conference Chair, UMT. 

The Deans Forum was held on the theme "The Challenges and Consequences of Transformation to Virtual Teaching Methods" and was Moderated by Ms Memoona Zareen, Secretary AMDIP.  Deans of Pakistani Business School participated in the Deans Forum, including Dr Syed Irfan Hyder, Rector/Acting Dean IoBM, Dr Naveed Yazdani, Dean HSM-UMT, Dr Sadia Nadeem Dean FSM, Dr Niaz A. Bhutto, Hod Management Sciences, Sukkur IBA University, Dr Iftikhar.ul.Amin, Deputy Director, IMSciences, Peshawar, Dr Ali Sajid, Director Lahore School of Management, Ms Shima Haider, Director QEC Indus University and Dr Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, Professor of Management, Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA. The Deans Forum reflected upon the challenges of business schools in times of pandemics with a futuristic perspective, and the need for institutional collaboration was highlighted through brainstorming.

To bridge the inter-university and university-industry gap, the three-panel discussions were designed on the following themes:

• Covid-19 Pandemic and Business Challenges: Discussion with CEOs
• Role of International Governing Organizations and Government Institutions during Covid19 Pandemic
• Quality Education during Covid-19 Pandemic

Various national and international speakers from industry, academia, and governing bodies participated in the panel discussions.

Speakers of the 1^st Panel Discussion "Covid-19 Pandemic and Business Challenges: Discussion with CEOs" were Mr Syed Zawar Haider, Supply Chain Transformation Lead, Pepsi Co., Mr Muhammad Hussain, CEO and MD, Express Pack, Mr Faisal Ahsan, CEO, Xarasoft, Mr Alamgir Chaudhry, CEO, National Productivity Organization, Mr Ahsan Umer, CEO Infinite connections, Mr Imran, Quality Head K&Ns Food and Ms Madeeha Mubeen, Senior Supply Chain Analyst Pepsi Co.

The 2^nd Panel Discussed the "Role of International Governing Organizations and Government Institutions during Covid19 Pandemic". The speakers were Mr Abdus Salam, Supply Chain Manager, Pakistan Railways, Mr Imran Chaudhry, Technical Advisor, USAID Project, Dr Muhammad Tariq, Country Director, USAID and Mr Ijaz Yusuf, and Mr Irtiqa Zaidi, Former Project Director TTFU/NTTFC, Ministry of Commerce.

The 3^rd Panel discussed "Quality Education during Covid-19 Pandemic" with Industry experts and representatives from South Asian Universities. The discussants included Mr Zubair Awan, BIETS Center of Excellence Global, Mr Usama Abdus Samad, Conflucore Inc. USA, Dr Ishaq Bhatti, Norway, Dr Samantha Rathnayak, University of Sri Jayewardenpura, Sri Lanka, Dr Trilochan Pokharel, Nepal Administrative Staff College, Nepal and Dr Umer Azeem, HOD Management, UMT.

ICOBM call for papers was circulated globally, and in response, more than 140 papers were received from various countries of the world. All the papers went through the peer review process, and 92 papers were selected for presentation based on the rigour, relevance and contribution. Finally, thematic distribution was made on these papers and 80 papers were presented in 16 parallel sessions. These sessions were chaired by experts of respective fields. Paper presenters belonged to 17 countries of the world, including Egypt, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Turkey, the USA, and Zimbabwe.

Post Conference Workshops (PCW) were conducted to help young faculty members and research scholars and enhance their research and publication understanding. 1^st PCW was held on the topic "Global Research Visibility and Platforms" and was conducted by Dr Nawaz Ahmad, Assistant Professor and Research Consultant, IoBM Karachi (156 Publications and 1000+ Citations). The 2^nd PCW addressed the "Structural Equational Modeling Using AMOS", and the speaker was Dr Haris Aslam, Associate Professor, UMT.

The conference extended the collaborations of Pakistani academia, and more business schools joined the consortium. Also, the international universities from Nepal and Sri Lanka partnered in the ICOBM. It is expected that in the future, the consortium of ICOBM will expand to other South Asian countries. Together, we will be able to support the regionalization of Industry and Academia. These partnerships will also bring the south Asian countries closer, and the academic and business associations will increase in the region.

The 7^th ICOBM was closed with the closing remarks of Ms Memoona Zareen, Secretary AMDIP. In her speech, she reflected upon the history of ICOBM and recalled the contributions of Dr Hasan Soahib Murad(L), Patron of ICOBM, who initiated this series of conferences. She praised Mr Ibrahim Hasan Murad for reviving ICOBM and opening the doors for further collaborations. She thanked Dr Naveed Yazdani Dean HSM, UMT, Mr Ijaz Yusuf, Conference Chair, Mr Ali Asghar, Conference Manager and the whole UMT team for their efforts to organize this wonderful two-day event. She also thanked all the national and international partner institutions, speakers, presenters and participants for their support and contributions. Particularly the guests of honor Mr Talib Syed Karim, Dr Attaullah Shah and Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala and Dr Muhammad Aslam for their participation and invaluable insight. The conference concluded with the announcement of the 8^th ICOBM to be held in 2021.