International Management Research Academy www.imraweb.org International Management Research Academy (IMRA) London, United Kingdom in collaboration with Kean University New Jersey, United States of America presents 2014 IMRA-Kean International Conference 29-31 May, 2014 "Globalization and the Convergence of Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship" Venue: Kean University, New Jersey, United States of America Page 1 of 22 Conference Brochure & Call for Submissions Call for Submissions You are invited to participate in the ‘2014 IMRA – Kean International Conference’ organized by the International Management Research Academy (IMRA), London, United Kingdom in collaboration with the School of Management, Marketing & International Business, College of Business & Public Management, Kean University, New Jersey, United States of America, during Thursday 29th May to Saturday 31st May, 2014. This conference shall be held in the campus of Kean University, USA. Conference Theme: Globalization and the Convergence of Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship The theme of the conference is, ‘Globalization and the Convergence of Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.’ As globalization rapidly evolves to the next phase of a multi-directional but converging flow of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, the 2014 IMRA-Kean International Conference offers a cross-disciplinary forum on how to best integrate management theory and practice across the emerged, emerging and frontier markets. Managing for globalization increasingly involves planning for sustainable growth and market development through social entrepreneurship and innovation. It aims to achieve tangible returns on universal education, quality of life, and happiness in addition to traditional financial objectives. Management theory and practice have witnessed various cross-fertilized strands while contributing to this goal. This conference shall be a platform to inform, debate and discuss some of these synergistic paths. Contributions are invited in the areas including but not limited to: • Strategic management • Finance and accounting • Economics • Marketing and consumer behavior • Human resource management • Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship • Organization behavior • International management • Management in Emerging & Frontier Markets • Operations management • Technology and Innovations management • Knowledge Management • Public and not-for-profit management • General management Authors may consider the above listed areas; however if they wish to develop a special session around a specific topic, the information is available in the call for submissions document. Individuals may also register and attend the conference as a participant without submitting or presenting any work. Who can attend this conference? The maximum benefit of attending this international conference shall be to researchers, academics, management consultants, corporate professionals, corporate trainers, government officials, representatives of think tanks, social service organizations, entrepreneurs, doctoral and master’s students. Page 2 of 22 Conference Venue School of Management, Marketing & International Business, College of Business & Public Management, Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey 07083 United States of America Benefits to Conference Participants • Learn and acquire cutting edge international knowledge in various disciplines of management from internationally reputed experts. • Recognition of your work on international platform as a participant or paper/poster/book presenter. • ISBN based Conference Proceedings. • In the heart of the corporate, financial and marketing capital of the USA in the New Jersey / New York area. • Potentially identify your future collaborative partner among international, vibrant and scholarly IMRA Members community. • International platform to meet corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, academics, researchers, government & policy makers from various countries. • Best Papers, Poster & Book Award including cash prizes. • Selected full papers to be published in refereed journals (previous publishers include Springer, Emerald, etc.) • Pre-Conference activities including Research Workshops / Peer Review Meetings and Special Insights with industry leaders. • Job Market – an opportunity for prospective employers and employees to interact. • Excursion / Industrial Visits (to be paid separately). About IMRA International Management Research Academy (IMRA), London, United Kingdom, is a global academy dedicated to the continuous and effective development of management theory and practice. IMRA is a collaborative catalyst between academics and practitioners in fostering relationships via creation, assistance and dissemination of cutting-edge management thinking. Currently, IMRA has more than 500 members spread across in more than 40 countries of the world. Page 3 of 22 IMRA International Conferences International Management Research Academy (IMRA) successfully convenes international conferences. The recently held last two conferences were: 2012 IMRA International Conference, London, United Kingdom This conference was held in London, UK, during 17-18 May 2012. This conference was on the theme of “Emerging Markets and the New Dynamics of Management”. There were 119 participants from 33 countries globally, during this conference. 2013 IMRA & RIT-ACMT International Conference, Zagreb, Croatia This conference was held in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) American College of Management & Technology (ACMT) in Zagreb, Croatia during 16-17 May 2013.The main theme of this conference was: “Management in an Interconnected World”. There were 73 participants from 21 countries worldwide, in this conference. Some of the key speakers who are leaders in corporate and academic sector, involved in the IMRA conferences were: Michael ALDRICH Inventor, Innovator & Entrepreneur: Online shopping Former IT Adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Louis TURNER Chief Executive, Asia Pacific Technology Network, United Kingdom Benoit GALICHET Holcim Slovensko and VSH, Croatia Daria MATELJAK Managing Director Croatia and Partner, Hauska & Partner consulting company, Croatia Phil NICHOLS The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States of America Scott LEE Lee Business School at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, United States of America Page 4 of 22 Stephanie JONES Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands Ben BOSE Founder, Mavens of London (a research-lead digital strategy agency), United Kingdom Ernie STARK Logikos and Experientia, United States of America Milan BANDIC Mayor of Zagreb, Croatia Phani Tej ADIDAM University of Nebraska at Omaha, United States of America John LIPINSKI Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, United States of America. Bernadett KOLES Central European University Business School, Budapest, Hungary Shawn STURGEON RIT / American College of Management & Technology (ACMT), Zagreb, Croatia Ken MORITA Hiroshima University, Japan Page 5 of 22 Glimpses of 2012 IMRA International Conference, London, United Kingdom Page 6 of 22 Glimpses of 2013 IMRA & RIT-ACMT International Conference, Zagreb, Croatia Page 7 of 22 Journals For selected papers from the IMRA Conferences, IMRA collaborated with the following internationally reputed refereed journals. All the conference participants received an opportunity to submit their papers for IMRA Special Issues of these journals and a few selected ones were published after the double-blind review process: A I & Society: Journal of Knowledge, Culture & Communication, IMRA Special Issue on Technology, culture and innovation in Emerging Markets, Publication: Springer, United Kingdom. (ISSN: 0951-5666) Asian Journal of Business Research, IMRA Special Issue: Management Trends in Emerging Markets, Publication: Asia Business Research Corporation Limited, New Zealand. (ISSN 1178-8933) International Journal of Emerging Markets, IMRA Special Issue on Emerging Markets: Exploring the diversity of theories, practices and applications, Publication: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, United Kingdom. (ISSN: 1746-8809) RIThink Multidisciplinary Online Journal, IMRA Special Issue on Management in an interconnected world. Publication: RIT-ACMT, Zagreb, Croatia. RIThink brings together scientists, researchers, experts, and students in an open academic discourse of innovative ideas, both tested and untested. (ISSN 1848-5324) Similarly, for the 2014 IMRA-Kean International Conference, there shall be an announcement for the Special Issues of internationally reputedpeer reviewed journals. ISBN for Conference Proceedings The Conference Proceedings for this conference will be in CD/DVD/USB format and will have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 978-0-9573841-1-5. The Conference Proceedings will publish only reviewed, accepted Extended Abstracts, Full Papers and Posters of registered (in person / in absentia) participants, if they are submitted before the deadline. Unfortunately, we are unable to include any late submissionsin the Conference Proceedings, even if they are accepted for the conference. Page 8 of 22 Country representation in IMRA International Conferences IMRA International Conferences has been represented by the following countries: Saudi Hungary Australia Arabia India Slovakia Azerbaijan Brazil Canada China Congo Croatia Denmark Egypt Finland France Germany Hong Kong Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Moldova Netherlands Pakistan Poland Romania Russia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States of America Page 9 of 22 Feedback by participants of IMRA International Conferences The following is a brief summary of the feedback from the feedback forms, video clips and emails by some of participants for the IMRA International Conferences held at different times: (randomly ordered). A detailed feedback for the same is available on http://www.imraweb.org/feedback “Thank you for wonderful occasion to meet interesting and clever people.” Veronica VRAGALEVA University of the Academy of Science of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova “Wonderful venue, surprisingly insightful programme”. Scott LEE University of Nevada at Las Vegas, United States of America Thisimagecannotcurrentlybedisplayed. “1st of all thank you very much for very well organized conference, I really enjoy it! I never attend so well-organized conference before.” Kamila BORSEKOVA University of MatejBel, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia “Thank you for such a thoughtful conference. I particularly enjoyed the opening session speakers and the closing session speakers.” Paul POPPLER Bellevue University College of Business, Bellevue, United States of America “Really enjoyed the conference, some good key speeches! lovely fruit and of course the paparazzi !!” Parminder JOHAL University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom “Nice people, nice discussions, excellent organization! Interesting presentations and ideas. All in all, a perfect conference!” Timo ZUMBRO University of Muenster, Germany Thisimagecannotcurrentlybedisplayed. Thisimagecannotcurrentlybedisplayed. “Excellent conference in every sense. Papers were interesting, innovative and well delivered. Venue and support were perfect. Superb organization of event made for a relaxed, productive opportunity for academic exchange.” Valerie Priscilla GOBY College of Business Zayed University, United Arab Emirates Page 10 of 22 “The whole conference has been extremely successful and contributed to my research experience. I therefore recommend all to participate in the future IMRA conferences. Andrews OWUSU Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom “I would like to thank you and all members of the organizing committee for one of the best organization I involved in. Everything was in perfect order and I enjoyed every session I attended. Hope to see you in future organization.” Halil YILDIRIM BulentEcevit University Zonguldak, Turkey “A timely effort by IMRA to focus on research works intended for emerging markets which provides lots of technological innovation and business opportunities. I would expect to conduct this event in the coming years also.” Rifat SHARMELLY The Australian School of Business, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia “Very inspiring. Great examples of inter-disciplinary approach. Wide geography of participants is a big plus and advantage of the IMRA Conference.” Andris OZOLS Daugavpils University, Duagavpils, Latvia “Really an international conference, with a very good organization and opportunities to create relationships for future research activities.” Luisa BOSETTI University of Brescia, Italy “Excellent” Abdul TAMBI UniversitiTeknologi MARA, Perak, Malaysia “Very focused event; Good for Networking ; Well Organized ; Friendly! THANK YOU TOO!! It was a super conference. Really enjoyed it. Met some super people including you!! Hope all well and keep in touch.” Stephanie JONES Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands “Wonderful opportunity for post-graduate students to present their research outcomes.” Patrick EBEWO Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa Page 11 of 22 “This conference was worth of attending and a very nice experience that I will remember all my life.” Maja BRACIC Student, RIT / American College of Management & Technology (ACMT), Zagreb, Croatia “A very well organized conference. It is beneficial (and) helpful for all groups of people: Researchers, Businessmen, Students, Academics and practitioners. It is an appropriate way to flourish and enhance your network and awareness of different people all over the world. I thoroughly enjoyed all the conference, it was very well organised. Most of the presentations were so engaging and very beneficial. It was really a very good experience for me personally. The conference is over but still it will be remembered due to the way it is conducted. I do believe that everyone attended is satisfied with the outcome of the conference and this could only become possible because of the organisers who put their best to organise it in the best possible manner. I thank you once again for your effort exerted in the conference and making it one of the memorable events in research activities. Looking forward to actively participate in any events or activities that will come soon.” Marwa ANIS Loughborough University, Cairo, Egypt “A multi-disciplinary platform for academics to exchange ideas and research experience on topical issues with practical relevance. I really liked the conference and hope to be able to take part in it again. When I came back I did inform my colleagues about the conference and sent them the links.” Messaoud MEHAFDI University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, United Kingdom “I was highly impressed with the level of support and feedback received on emailed queries. Very competent organizing team. Thank you!” Rozenda HENDRICKSE Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa “Superb in all aspects.” Mohammad Shajib KHADEM Vodafone Hutchison Australia Project, Sydney, Australia “I would like to congratulate you for the wonderful conference. I also would like to ask you to thank Jeanie (sp.) and Alexandra (sp.) for all the trouble they went through on my account.” Kaizo BELTRAO EBAPE/FGV, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Page 12 of 22 About Kean University With a rich history in higher education that spans more than 150 years, Kean University is a world- class, vibrant and diverse university offering more than 48 undergraduate and 35 graduate programs, with over 85 options for graduate study including doctoral programs in psychology and education leadership. Kean distinguishes itself through excellence in academics, strategic investments in both research and cultural facilities and initiatives, and a commitment to the success of every student. Dedicated to preparing students for rewarding careers, lifelong learning, and fulfilling lives, Kean offers a broad range of disciplines, the expertise of a diverse and world-savvy faculty, and a student- centered learning environment and campus community. Kean is the third largest public university in New Jersey, and the largest producer of teachers in the state. Today, the University boasts New Jersey’s first comprehensive program dedicated to the development of a new generation of mathematics, science and technology teachers and researchers— the New Jersey Center for Science Technology and Mathematics (NJCSTEM). Exemplary of its commitment to global education, in academic year 2013-14 Kean University commenced the offering of its full-time programs, including Business, at a newly-built campus in Wenzhou, China. Kean University is one of only a few American universities approved by the Chinese government to build a full-scale American campus in their country. Building a campus in Wenzhou, a city in the prosperous and growing Zhejiang Province, will give Kean a powerful presence in the world’s second largest economy and help transform the next generation of relations between New Jersey and China, and perhaps the U.S .and China. In Kean University President Farahi’s words at the Wenzhou campus ground-breaking ceremony: “This is an historic moment. Our students now have the benefit of studying abroad, in the midst of the world’s fastest-growing economy. Our rigorous curriculum in China, conducted in English, is designed to prepare students for the globalized economy and culture of the 21st Century.” Page 13 of 22 About the College of Public and Public Management The College of Business and Public Management at Kean University is a dynamic learning environment dedicated to providing unique opportunities for the citizens of New Jersey. Globalization and the rapid diffusion of technological innovation present both opportunities and challenges to society. The College of Business and Public Management seeks to provide an atmosphere which values high-quality faculty/student interaction and the production of intellectual contributions. Students can pursue careers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Students also have the opportunity to take part in a vigorous internship and cooperative education program with regional as well as global businesses. The College is organized in three schools: the School of Accounting and Finance, the School of Criminal Justice and Public Administration, and the School of Management, Marketing and International Business. Under the visionary leadership of Dean Michael Cooper, the College recently embarked on a transformational path that establishes the new ‘Global Business School,’ as a pioneer in global business education emphasizing a unique combination of academic insight, leadership development and practical preparation on a worldwide scale. Page 14 of 22 The Conference Venue and surrounding area The United States of America (USA), a federal presidential constitutional republic, is the fourth-largest country in the world in total area. Experts claim that people first migrated into North America, some 12,000 years ago. Today, the USA economy is the world’s largest with Gross Domestic Product of $16.2 trillion. New Jersey is a state in the North-Eastern and Middle-Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the U.S. state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania, and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey is the fourth-least extensive, but the 11thmost populous and the most densely populated of the 50 United States. New Jersey lies mostly within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is also the third- wealthiest U.S. state by 2011 median household income. New York City (NYC) is truly one of the world’s flagship, exciting and most diverse cities. With spring-perfect weather expected in late May, NYC offers myriad of sightseeing, cultural and shopping opportunities that include the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and Broadway, to mention a few. Kean is conveniently located in Union, New Jersey— just 30 minutes by commuter train from New York City and an hour from Philadelphia. New Jersey Transit serves the campus with a local train stop, and Newark International Airport (EWR) is a 10-minute drive from the main campus. JFK airport, the other international airport serving the New York City area is also accessible. The University also operates a branch campus in Ocean County, New Jersey – Kean Ocean where students can earn both bachelors and graduate degrees from Kean. The venue for this IMRA-Kean International Conference shall be the Kean University campus. Page 15 of 22 Welcome Message from the Conference Chairs This conference organized by IMRA and Kean University wishes to capture the changing rules of management theory and practice for the next phase of globalization. We are particularly interested in thought provoking competitive papers, posters and books which capture and articulate the ways in which management thinking will have to be changed or customized to be effective and efficient in this new environment. The 2012 IMRA International Conference held in London, UK, successfully attracted 119 participants from 33 countries. The 2013 IMRA International Conference held in Zagreb, Croatia, was also highly successful involving participants from more than 20 countries. We believe that 2014 International Conference in New Jersey, USA, shall provide you opportunities to disseminate your research, learn from other researchers and network with other like-minded IMRA members. We look forward to meeting you in New Jersey, USA; The garden state of the USA! Conference Chairs • Michael CHATTALAS, Kean University, New Jersey, United States of America • Michael COOPER, Kean University, New Jersey, United States of America • Jatin PANCHOLI, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom • Paurav SHUKLA, Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom Conference Committee • Xuanwei CAO, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China (Co-Chair of the Conference Committee) • Amit SHAH, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, United States of America • Namjae CHO, Hanyang University, Seol, Korea Executive Committee • Bernadett KOLES, Initiative for Regulatory Innovation Center, Central European University Business School, Budapest, Hungary • Ernie STARK, Logikos and Experientia, United States of America • Jayadev M, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India • Justin PAUL, University of Washington, Washington, United States of America • M THENMOZHI, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India • Phani Tej ADIDAM, University of Nebraska at Omaha, United States of America • Xuanwei CAO, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China Advisory Council • Louise TURNER, Asia-Pacific Technology Network, United Kingdom • Rajeev BATRA, University of Michigan, United States of America • D. Scott LEE, University of Nevada – Las Vegas, United States of America • Paurav SHUKLA, Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom • Jatin PANCHOLI, Middlesex University, United Kingdom Page 16 of 22 Conference Programme Schedule The following is a tentative programme schedule for this conference: Thursday 29th May 2014: 1 pm to 5 pm: Pre-Conference Events Friday 30th May 2014: 8 am: Welcome & Refreshments 9 am to 5:30 pm: Conference sessions 7 pm to 9 pm: IMRA Conference Dinner Saturday 31st May 2014: 8 am: Welcome & Refreshments 9 am to 5:30 pm: Conference sessions Sunday: 1st June 2014: Excursions / Industrial Tours in New Jersey / New York area (optional and to be paid separately) The above dates are fixed but the session schedule is likely to change based on the availability of expert speakers and accepted proposals for various activities. The final conference programme schedule will be declared one month prior to the conference. Certificate of Participation Each registered participant who attends the conference in person / absentia, shall be awarded a Certificate of Participation. The certificate will have names of all the co-authors with a clear indication as to who has presented. Submission Categories There are three categories of submissions for the 2014-Kean IMRA International Conference: (1) Competitive papers: These represent the completed original work by the authors. The full-papers in this category once reviewed, accepted and registered (in person / in absentia) will be included in the competition for the awards. (2) Posters: These represent findings from a current working paper. Authors display posters of their research, distribute their papers, and are available to discuss and answer questions during the assigned poster session. (3) Book Presentations: These represent fully published textbooks, reference books and any other relevant books authored / co-authored by the participant(s). The book must be published already. The books in progress or books reviewed but not yet published will not be considered. The in-house books for limited audience such shall NOT be accepted in this category. Important: A participant cannot submit more than 2 outputs in a single category above and not more than 3 outputs in total for the entire conference. A participant may also attend the conference without submitting any output. (Highlight comment setup 23/12/2013 12:14:24 blank) Submissions and Double Blind Review Process Each of the submissions shall go through the process of double blind review. Reviewers will evaluate each work on the basis of: (a) Quality of the research; (b) Contribution and big picture significance of your work to the field of management; and (c) Interest of the topic to current and potential IMRA members (d) Relevance of the submission to the main theme of the conference. Stage-1: Submission of Extended Abstract (common for all the above 3 categories) The first stage is to submit an Extended Abstract of 750 to 1,000 words for a competitive paper / poster / book. All the Extended Abstracts shall pass through the double-blind review process first. Page 17 of 22 Based on the reviewers’ comments, the authors will have to revise their Extended Abstracts and resubmit the same. Stage-2: Final Submission The next stage is dependent upon the category of output as follows: (1) Competitive papers: Submission of final papers in Competitive papers category is optional. However, we encourage you to submit full papers as the final full papers submitted before the deadline shall only be considered for the awards and possible publication in the Special issues of the journals. Authors will get feedback on the full papers through the double-blind review system as well as at the conference when meeting with experts in the field. (2) Posters: Submission of Posters is a must for the participants who have submitted their earlier Extended Abstract in Poster category. Based on the comments by the reviewers in certain cases, some authors may be recommended to submit a Poster even if the author(s) have earlier indicated a competitive paper category. The participants must submit electronic copy of a Poster before the deadline. Further guidelines for Poster is available on: http://www.imraweb.org/guidelines-for-poster-session (3) Book Presentations: Submission of 1 (one) hardcopy of the book is a must for the participants who have submitted their earlier Extended Abstract in Book Presentation category. Further guidelines for Book Presentation is available on: http://www.imraweb.org/guidelines-for-book-presentations Note: (Highlight comment setup 23/12/2013 11:07:51 blank) It is mandatory that all accepted submission are presented at the conference by at least one author. General Submission process All submission activities including submissions, (Highlight comment setup 23/12/2013 10:56:27 blank) reviews and notifications for this conference will be electronic, through the conference portal website: http://imraweb.org/conferences/2014usa In order to use the conference website (e.g. to submit a manuscript or provide a review), you will need to create a login id / sign up at: www.imraweb.org/conference and click on ‘Create Account’ on the top-menu. Now follow the online instructions and create your free IMRA account for the 2014 IMRA-Kean International Conference, New Jersey, USA. If you already have a user account for the IMRA’s earlier conference, then you DO NOT have to create another user account. In this case, you can go to the following link: www.imraweb.org/conference and login at the right-hand side under ‘User’. In case you have forgotten old password, then click here. All the guidelines, step-by-step procedures for submission and forms can be found on: http://www.imraweb.org/guidelines-forms Important: Any of the submissions not adhered to the above mentioned guidelines shall not be reviewed and shall be outright rejected as per the IMRA policy. Page 18 of 22 Awards The following awards are constituted for this conference: • Best Competitive Paper Awards (in various subjects) • Best Poster Award • Best Book Presentation Award • Special Award for Significant Contribution to IMRA The participants who have submitted Extended Abstracts but NOT submitted final full paper shall not be eligible for the Best Competitive Paper Awards category. The decision of the Conference Chairs shall remain final and binding to all. IMRA Job Market IMRA Job Market is a platform where potential employers and employees interact, formally and informally and explore various job opportunities. All the conference participants who are present shall be allowed to participate in the IMRA Job Market. There is no separate fee to be paid by the prospective employees / job applicants. There shall be a nominal fee to be paid by the prospective employers to participate in the Job Market. The details of which can be provided upon request. Invitation for Proposals to chair or lead Workshops / Research Round Tables / Special Sessions / Pre-Conference activities You are cordially invited to submit a proposal to chair or lead a specific Workshop / Research Round Tables / Special Sessions / Pre-Conference activities, etc. for the conference that you may wish to lead / chair. Kindly refer to the following web page: http://www.imraweb.org/guidelines-forms Invitation for Reviewers IMRA Reviewers are experts and experienced individuals who review the submissions with utmost rigor and integrity. You are invited to apply for becoming a Reviewer for IMRA. Please refer to the following web page: http://www.imraweb.org/guidelines-forms Key dates & Deadlines 1) (Highlight comment setup 23/12/2013 10:57:03 blank) Deadline for submission of Extended Abstract (750–1000 words) for paper / poster / book: 10th January 2014. 2) Deadline for submission of Proposal for Chairing / Research Workshops / Doctoral Colloquium, Leading Research Round Tables / Workshops / Special Session: 15th December 2013. 3) Communicating the decision regarding extended abstract acceptance/rejection to the author(s): 15th February 2014. 4) Deadline for Early-bird Registration (fee payment with concession): 15th March 2014. 5) Visa Letter Availability: From 16th March 2014. 6) Deadline for submission of final full Competitive Paper / Poster / Book (This is optional and not mandatory):15th April 2014. 7) Deadline for Final Registration (fee payment without concession): 30th April 2014 8) Conference dates: 29th to 31st May 2014. Sponsorship Various opportunities for sponsorship are available. Interested organizations are requested to contact IMRA for more details. Accommodation & Logistics The participants are expected to book and pay for their accommodation and travel on their own. There are various options for accommodation ranging from budget hotels to 5 star hotels to suite each individual's requirements. There shall be a list of suggested and negotiated hotel details with special IMRA Discount Rates, provided on the web page http://www.imraweb.org/logistics very soon so that the participants can get detailed information and plan in advance. Page 19 of 22 Registration At least one of the author(s) of the accepted Extended Abstracts MUST register for the conference to have their output included in the Conference Proceedings. The participant(s) who register before receiving the decision regarding "Acceptance" of their Extended Abstracts are not guaranteed that their submissions shall be accepted Participants who wish to attend the conference but are not submitting any output must also register. The registration fee is as follows: No. Categories* Early Bird Fee on/before 14th March 2014 Regular Fee after 14th March 2014 1 Academic Registration Fee for Members of IMRA $485 $585 2 Academic Registration Fee for Non-members of IMRA $605 $705 3 Corporate Registration Fee for Members of IMRA $1,115 $1,215 4 Corporate Registration Fee for Non- Members of IMRA $1,355 $1,455 5 Students Registration Fee for Members of IMRA $295 $395 6 Students Registration Fee for Nonmembers of IMRA $355 $455 7 Presentation in Absentia – Registration Fee $355 $455 8 Guest / Spouse Registration Fee $200 $300 *Currency in US dollars Group registration: Group registration fee (3 or more individuals from same organization) will get 15% fee waiver (discount) in the grand total. The participants who wish to register as a group must contact IMRA Admin in advance regarding their registration fee payment. Important: All registered participants of this conference shall receive a complementary one year membership of IMRA. Corporate registration: This is applicable for individuals from corporate organizations including entrepreneurs and self-employee professionals. Academic registration: This is applicable for individuals from academic sector working in full / part- time employment in any type of academic institution. Registration for Students: Kindly note that the Student fee is applicable only for full-time doctoral / master students. This is NOT applicable for any part-time doctoral / master student. Participants who are in part-time doctoral / master students will not get any student concession and will have to pay regular registration fee. At the time of the registration and fee payment, full-time students have to send an email with evidence of their full-time studentship including identity card, a certificate from the director. In order to get a concessional fee as a student, the participant must email to IMRA Admin: (i) Scanned identity card as a student (ii) Scanned letter on the letterhead signed by the Programme Leader / Head of the Department or concerned authority at the university stating clearly that the participant is a full time student in a particular programme. Page 20 of 22 Presentation in Absentia: The author(s) who intend to submit their work but are unable to attend the conference in absentia may register for "Presentation in Absentia". All the reviewed and accepted submissions of registered participants (including Absentia) shall be included in the Conference Proceedings. If you are a single author and have submitted your Extended Abstract but cannot attend the conference, you may choose to attend the conference in Absentia by paying the registration fee for "Presenting in Absentia". You shall be sent a Certificate of Participation in Absentia, Conference Proceedings CD/DVD/USB and relevant literature by post. If your Extended Abstract is co-authored with two or more authors and all the co-authors are unable to attend the conference, any one of the co-authors may choose to attend the conference in Absentia by paying the registration fee for "Presenting in Absentia. You shall be sent one set of Certificate of Participation in Absentia, Conference Proceedings CD/DVD/USB and relevant literature by post. Guest / Spouse Registration: Guest / Spouse of any participant whose submission is accepted and has paid the registration fee is welcomed to join the conference with a separate Registration Fee paid as a Guest/Spouse registration. Guest / Spouse shall be registered only if the primary participant has registered and paid the registration fee. Guest / Spouse must not be an author or co-author for any of the submissions at the conference. The fee for Guest/Spouse registration shall include coffee breaks, working lunches, conference dinner, conference kit and attending the Inauguration Session of the conference. Guest/Spouse shall not be entitled to attend any technical session or co-author / present any paper / poster. Guest/spouse shall not be awarded any certificate of participation. There are wonderful sight-seeing places nearby where the guest/spouse can spend rest of the time. If the guest / spouse wish to attend the entire conference or want to obtain a Certificate of Participation, he/she will have to pay the fee applicable to the regular participant. Note: All the participants including Reviewers, Chairpersons for Workshop / Research Round Table / Special Sessions, Track/Session Chairs, Doctoral and Masters Students, MUST pay the registration fee for the conference. The above rules regarding deadline and concession apply to all the participants equally. Due to the budget constraints of IMRA, we are unable to provide any reimbursement / sponsorship towards any of the expenses including travel, accommodation, etc. of any of the participants including Reviewers, Chairpersons for Workshop / Special Sessions, Committee members, Track/Session Chairs, Doctoral and Masters Students, etc. Hence, please do not send any email for further request regarding the same. (Highlight comment setup 23/12/2013 11:08:39 blank) Payment for Registration Fee The registration fee to be paid by: (a) Debit/Credit Card using PayPal OR (b) Direct Bank Transfer to IMRA, London, UK The details of the same will be available on the Registration web page. The registration fee includes the Conference Proceedings on CD/DVD/USB, Conference Kit, Conference Program Brochure, Certificate, coffee breaks, cocktails, working lunches, conference dinner and one-year free membership of IMRA. The food during the conference shall have both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. If you have any specific dietary requirements, kindly inform the IMRA Admin while completing the registration process. Page 21 of 22 Cancellation & Withdrawal A participant may apply for cancellation of registration / withdrawal of the submission latest by 30th April 2014. No refund will be made on or after 30th April 2014. All the requests for cancellation and withdrawal are subject to deduction of administrative expenses and other procedures as per the IMRA policy mentioned on http://www.imraweb.org/visa Contact details London, United Kingdom International Management Research Academy (IMRA) Suite 18848, Lower Ground Floor, 145-157 St John Street, Farringdon, London EC1V 4PW United Kingdom New Jersey, United States of America School of MMIB (Management, Marketing and International Business), College of Business & Public Management, Kean University 1000 Morris Avenue, Willis Hall 105F Union, New Jersey: 07083 United States of America Websites: (1) Conference Webpage: http://www.imraweb.org/conferences/2014usa (2) IMRA: http://www.imraweb.org (3) Kean University: http://www.kean.edu (4) Any Questions? Visit http://www.imraweb.org/faqs Join the discussion with the IMRA members on • Join IMRA Members Community on: http://www.imraweb.org/community • Join IMRA Group on LinkedIn • "Like" IMRA on Facebook • Watch Photos & Videos of IMRA • Follow IMRA on Twitter Disclaimer This conference is subject to the terms and conditions mentioned on www.imraweb.org/disclaimer changing from time to time. Page 22 of 22