International Research Conference on Management and Finance kicks off on 27 Nov.

The Faculty of Management and Finance of the University of Colombo will be hosting its 10th International Research Conference on Management and Finance (IRCMF 2015) on 27 November at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo. The annual research conference initiated by the Faculty in 2002 was expanded in 2005 to accommodate international researchers, and since then was renamed ‘International Research Conference of Management and Finance (IRCMF)’. 

At present, it is a much sought-after event by academics and researchers as a platform to share their research in diverse fields of specialisations.

Professor Richard Bolden, a Professor of Leadership and Management and the Director of the newly established Bristol Leadership Centre at the University of the West of England (UWE) will deliver the keynote address at this year’s conference. He is a renowned researcher in the fields of Leadership Studies and Organisational Psychology. He will deliver his speech on ‘Leadership Paradoxes: Rethinking Leadership for an Uncertain World’ which addresses contemporary business issues in Sri Lanka.

Academic sessions will feature twenty five research papers in diverse fields such as Accounting, Business Economics, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Finance, Human Resources Management, Management and Organisational Studies, and Marketing. The papers were selected following a rigorous review process. This conference brings together scholars from Sri Lanka and many other nations including Brunei, Pakistan, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Ghana to stimulate intellectual dialogue among participants. 

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, the Industry Dialogue was introduced at the 9th IRCMF in 2014 on the theme ‘Business, Society and Nature: Building Interconnectedness’. In 2015 this dialogue will be continued with a discussion on ‘Leadership and Business Sustainability’. The panellists of this Industry Dialogue 2015 are: Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC) Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director Jegan Durairatnam, My Beverages Marketing Ltd. Managing Director R. Sarmaa Mahalingam, Hayleys PLC Head of Strategic Business Development ManohariAbeysekera, Professor of Environmental Science Professor SarathKotagama and Professor in Management and Organisation Studies Professor J.A.S.K. Jayakody. 

The Doctoral Colloquium is an addition to the IRCMF 2015, which will be held on 26 November at the Sri Lanka Foundation. This provides an opportunity for MPhil/PhD students, in the disciplines of management and finance to present and improve their research ideas and work-in-progress with the help of expert researchers, providing opportunities for discussion and interaction on issues of research and publishing. This year twenty five MPhil/PhD candidates of Universities in Sri Lanka will be presenting their work at the Doctoral Colloquium.

Dr. Sampath Kehelwalatenna and Dr. Nuwani Amaratunga of the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo are the Co-chairs of IRCMF 2015. This event will be graced by Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Dr. R. Senathiraja, the Dean of the Faculty of Management and Finance, along with all faculty members and participants. Featuring timely discussion forums and providing a path-breaking platform for local and international researchers, the IRCMF 2015 is another stepping stone for the University of Colombo in its journey towards becoming a centre for research excellence.