Dr. Erum Zaidi, Head of Research Center (Department of Research, Training, and Linkages, headed by Prof. Dr. Jawaid A. Qureshi)
Dr. Erum Zaidi works at SZABIST as an Assistant Professor, as Head of Research Centre; Focal person Industry and Academia Linkage and ORIC. She also runs her family business, Cleaning Concepts (Pvt.) Ltd., a leading organization for waste management and building maintenance services in Pakistan, which she and her husband launched in 1993. Currently, she is the Marketing and HR director at Cleaning Concepts.
Erum holds a PhD in Entrepreneurial Marketing, an MS (Management Science), and an MBA (Marketing) from SZABIST Karachi. Her schooling at Mama Parsi School has inculcated her passion for continuous learning and proved her an achiever. She has done industry research projects for retail and consumer audits in mapping marketing strategies for Engro Polymer, Toyota, Khaadi, DairyLand (Day Fresh), Engro Foods, Abu Dawood, and UBL. She has provided and facilitated strategies for HR policies in hiring PWD and GT programs for HBL, Engro Foods, Agha Khan Hospital, and TCS. She has conducted surveys for UNDP on the YEP program and has received acclaim from the organizations mentioned above. She has worked on a research project with Toyota-Indus on launching their upcoming brands. As the Head of Research Center she has initiated faculty training from industry experts.
As an academician, she has six publications in well-reputed international journals. Out of which two are impact factor journals. She has a keen interest in the research of AI and Machine Learning in the discipline of Social Media Marketing and IMC.
Different universities frequently invite Erum to conduct digital and social media marketing training. She gave training to women entrepreneurs and young entrepreneurs at IBA-CED on social media marketing, budget making, and entrepreneurial marketing strategies. She has imparted training to students at Dadabhoy University on leadership style, conflict management, and startup management. She has been lecturing as a guest speaker on launching small businesses at Iqra University and is part of the jury of entrepreneurship competitions at Iqra University. She provides training on conflict management, faculty productivity enhancement at City School Systems and is invited by TV channels to give talks on various topics. She has also worked with Injaz Pakistan to develop the entrepreneurship program at DHA Suffa University and has received appreciation for how she took the audience with the concepts.
Erum is an active member of Rotary Midcity, MAP, and OPEN organizations and regularly participates in seminars, conferences, and other activities.
Research Center Objectives
Research Center, Faculty of Management Sciences (2022-2023)
1: Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain (OLS)
About the SIG:
The globalization and the development of the economy as a process enable the creation of a single market and in this process logistics is an important tool. A market with well-organized logistics and supply chain management facilities has a qualified advantage over other economies, whereas improving logistics infrastructure may serve as a competitive tool and is also effective in rising market share. Moreover, we believe that trade logistics and supply chain management are needed by emerging countries in order to improve their competitiveness as by obtaining the advantages of globalization. The success in combining international supply chains starts with the capability of companies to move goods across borders faster, in a more consistent manner and cheaper.
Supply chain academics and practitioners enjoy a unique bond. The applied heritage of logistics and supply chain motivates researchers to identify problems residing in current and future practice, address them in a conscientious manner, and to provide findings that yield meaningful insights. Fortunately, there has never been a better time to work with practitioners in light of the disruptive forces at work in industry and the thirst for meaningful insights. The OLS SIG therefore will act as a supporting body to those studying, researching and teaching Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain.
SIG 2 – Human Resource Management
About the SIG
Effective management of the organizational workforce is necessary for the efficient management of organizations. Hence, organizations are actively searching for ways to enhance their competitiveness by adopting effective people management practices. Among other things, this research group in involved in the study of management practices that increase organizational performance through a more committed and engaged workforce while also maintaining employee well-being.
The researchers in this group are actively involved in publishing relevant research in collaboration with local as well as reputed international scholars. This platform provides support to faculty members as well as graduate students who are interested in the study of people management and its related topics in organizations.
SIG 3: Finance and Economics
Vision
SZABIST Special Interest Group for Finance and Economics aspires to promote in-house research collaborations, knowledge sharing, resource sharing and enhancing skills of both faculty and graduate research students in the MS and PhD research programs. It aims to provide a platform for aspiring researchers to share research ideas, seek mentorship, critical evaluation, feedback and mutual collaboration. It can enable team-work and more impetus in research output as well as improving its depth and quality.
Objectives and Functions
Research Themes Explored in Special Interest Groups
SIG 4: Entrepreneurship & Marketing
About SIG: Entrepreneurship and marketing research group is supported by faculty of management sciences SZABIST Karachi, combining various activities under one common goal. The intensive networking increases the relevance of research and teaching. This group bring together faculty and research students with similar interests to focus on particular areas of entrepreneurship and marketing, develop projects, undertake joint activities, and share expertise.
The nature of this research group is such that it covers a diverse range of areas of interest and expertise. The guiding objectives of this research group are: