Introduction
The 22nd Nirma International Conference on Management (NICOM 2019), organized by the Institute of Management, Nirma University (IMNU), began at 10 AM on 17th January 2019. This annual conference serves as a platform for interactive discussions between academicians and industry leaders on current management issues.
About the Conference
The conference welcomed participants from India and abroad. They presented their research under 60 sub-themes, including Transforming Business Institutions into Integrated Development Institutions, Fostering Stakeholder Value Creation, Economic Challenges, and The Knowledge Economy Paradigm.
Sessions were conducted in four tracks over three days. The event also featured three plenary sessions addressed by eminent industry leaders.
Highlights of Day 3
The third day of NICOM 2019 opened with engaging sessions on diverse topics. Discussions covered Plastic Ban in India: Why and How?, Choices that Affect Climate Sustainability, Storytelling in Advertising and Consumer Perception, Nepotism in Organizations: A Blessing or a Curse?, and Bridging the Rural–Urban Divide through Sustainable Business.
Each session encouraged active participation and fresh ideas from both researchers and practitioners.
Keynote Sessions
The first speaker of the day was Prof. Shailesh Gandhi, Professor and Dean (Programmes) at IIM Ahmedabad. He spoke on Driving Organizational Performance through Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship. The session was chaired by Prof. Nityesh Bhatt.
During the valedictory session, Shri Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General of FICCI, addressed the theme The Future of Jobs from Indian and Global Perspectives. He explained how technology and global trends are reshaping employment opportunities.
Guest of Honour Address
The Guest of Honour, Dr. Samir Shah, Associate Clinical Professor at Drexel University, USA, delivered a talk on Customer Relations and Engagement. He stressed that customers form the foundation of every organization. Businesses must evolve to match changing customer expectations. Dr. Shah noted that people trust other customers more than brand messages. Hence, companies should focus on building authentic engagement and long-term trust.