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Gender Inequality in Pakistan
Panel Discussion: Gender Inequality: Cross-cultural perceptions of women and men today Moderator: Ms. Tahira AbdullahPanelists: Mr. Deepak Perwani, Dr. Jawad Syed, Ms. Nuzhat Kidwai Event: School of Tomorrow 2015Organised by: Beaconhouse School System Key points (reported by Bolo Bhi): Start at a grassroots level to help women in poverty, says fashion designer Deepak Perwani…
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Talking It Out: Pakistan’s Fear of Expressing Itself
By Siham BasirThe Express Tribune, November 29, 2015 KARACHI: Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantee citizens’ freedom of speech and expression but why is it that, in 2015, we are not free to express ourselves without fear, asked actress Nadia Jamil while moderating a session on…
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Work Life Balance
Sage video interview with Professor Jawad Syed on work life balance: What does work life balance mean to you, how do you define it? Why is the topic important for organisations? What are the key debates or questions in this field? Why is WLB important globally? What inspired you to…
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SAAM Webinar: What Can CEOs Do to Foster Inclusive Culture and Gender Equality
In this webinar, held on 22 January 2025 (3-5pm), esteemed panel of guest speakers shared their invaluable insights and experiences. -Mr Musadaq Zulqarnain, Chairperson of Interloop, highlighted impactful interventions to promote gender equality within Interloop and other organizations. -Ms Faeza Asad Khan, Chief Strategy Officer of Abacus, shared her experiences…
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Integrating Heritage and Folk Wisdom into Business Education
Report by: Sania Tufail and Irfan Khan, NBEAC, HEC, Islamabad Event: NBEAC Deans and Directors Conference, Lahore, 17-18 February 2025 Synopsis This thought-provoking panel explored how folk wisdom, classical literature, and cultural heritage can enrich business education by promoting ethical leadership, emotional intelligence, and creativity. Drawing on figures like Ghalib,…
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Bridging the Gaps: Women’s Leadership, Structural Barriers, and the Role of Policy in Pakistan
Event: “What Can CEOs Do to Foster Women’s Leadership and Drive Organizational Success?” – Webinar by South Asian Academy of Management (SAAM) – 22 January 2025 Speaker: Memosh Khawaja, Former CEO & President – Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG), Henkel and Haleeb Synposis In this SAAM webinar talk, Memosha…
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Breaking Barriers: Women, Work, and Cultural Expectations in Pakistan
Event: “What Can CEOs Do to Foster Women’s Leadership and Drive Organizational Success?” – Webinar by South Asian Academy of Management (SAAM) – 22 January 2025 Speaker: Faeza Asad Khan, Chief Strategy Officer, Abacus Synposis In this reflective conversation, Faeza Asad Khan discusses the gendered challenges women face in Pakistan’s…
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Case: Gender, Ethnicity, and Intersectionality: Alina’s Career Journey in Balochistan
Synopsis This case traces the personal and professional journey of Alina, a Punjabi-speaking woman from Sibi, Balochistan, navigating multiple roles and challenges in a context shaped by patriarchal norms and ethnic divisions. Despite early leadership promise and strong family support, Alina’s career progression at her university remained stagnant for 18…
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Case: Organizational Culture at Esta Pakistan
Synopsis In early 2024, Imran Aziz, General Manager of Esta Pakistan, a subsidiary of the multinational chemicals and inks company Esta, faced significant operational and cultural challenges. Anonymous complaints of ethical misconduct, many politically motivated, led to pressure from headquarters for a formal investigation. Simultaneously, the company’s market share dropped…
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A Normative Framework of Ethical Leadership in Islam
Abstract This paper examines the normative framework of ethical leadership in Islam, contrasting it with mainstream ethical theories. Drawing from Islamic texts, including the Quran, Hadith, Nahj al-Balagha, the paper presents a leadership model that prioritizes social responsibility, collective wellbeing, and accountability to God. Ethical leadership in Islam is framed…
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The Purpose of Life
Dr Asad Areeb’s Guest lecture at LUMS on 19 February 2025. Topic: The Purpose of Life (video available) Language: Urdu About the speaker: Dr. Asad Areeb is a Pakistani scholar and author, known for his contributions to Urdu literature, including works on literary criticism, history, poetry, and juvenile literature. Key…
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Pakistan @ Hundred: Four Possible Scenarios of Human Capital in 2047
As Pakistan seeks to become a thriving economy in 2047, efforts to accelerate progress in human capital development will be essential. Simulations of several realistic scenarios show how much Pakistan’s economic productivity could increase by investing more in human capital over the next 25 years—to 2047, the 100th anniversary of…
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What Does a Professor Do?
A few days ago, during December vacations, I was busy working on an urgent family business consultancy assignment, when my 8-year old son asked: “Dad, why are you working on in your break? Didn’t you say your lectures are over?” I was about to explain, but realized that many also…
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Ethics and Politics
Today (11 May 2023), during the concluding session of my MBA class on ‘Business Ethics and Islam’ (BEI) at LUMS, I posed a sensitive question to my students: “Was it ethical for the former PM Imran Khan to accept financial and land donation by Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town…
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ChatGP in the Classroom
In early 2023, as ChatGPT/OpenAI was first introduced to the public, I integrated this tool into my Executive MBA class at LUMS. During a lecture on business ethics, I assigned my students an impromptu task: to use ChatGPT to generate real-life scenarios illustrating ethical dilemmas at work. Working in their…
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Empress Nur Jahan of India
Nur Jahan (born Mehr-un-Nissa, c. 1577-1645) was the chief wife and empress consort of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. She is considered to be one of the most powerful and influential women in Indian history. More decisive and proactive than her husband, she was the real power behind the throne for…
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Silence is the Key
The first prerequisite for seeking knowledge is silence. Often in my sessions on communication, I share the following amazing narration from Islamic history (Al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p.48) which neatly lists five key stages of knowledge, i.e., silence, listening, remembering, practicing, and disseminating. Imam Jafar Sadiq narrates the following tradition about…
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Diabetes in Pakistan
The recent statistics on diabetes rates in the world, i.e., % of people age 20-79 who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, are alarming. Unfortunately Pakistan tops this list with about 30% rate (Source: World of Statistics). According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 20% of adults aged…
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Imam Hussain and Freedom
Jawad Syed In his famous tribute to Imam Hussain, Allama Iqbal eloquently states: تا قیامت قطعِ استبداد کردموجِ خونِ او چمن ایجاد کرد(رموزِبیخودی)Loose translation: Through his ultimate sacrifice in Karbala, and by steadfastly refusing to pledge allegiance to the tyrannical and illegitimate caliph Yazid bin Muawiya, Imam Hussain (the Prophet’s…
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Jinnah: A Role Model of Inclusive Leadership
Jawad Syed In a world filled with xenophobia and othering, where opportunistic and expedient politicians across the globe frequently exploit hate to gain cheap popularity and votes, it is pertinent to draw inspiration from the following letter to the editor of Time magazine by Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam), the founder…
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Case: Samina’s Career Experiences in the UK and the Middle East
Synopsis This case follows the career journey of Samina, a second-generation British Pakistani retail leader, as she transitions from RetailCo in the UK to a multinational retail firm in Dubai. Samina, who rose through the ranks to become the youngest Store Manager in RetailCo’s history, faced skepticism and resistance from…
South Asian Academy of Management 