Montclair State University

The Second Research Symposium

Background:

After the successful staging of the first research symposium, sponsored by Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok in 2006 and the follow-up publication titled, "Services Management in Asia Pacific: Issues and Challenges" edited by C. Jayachandran, Juhary Ali, Samir Chatterjee and Singha Chiamsiri in 2007. It is proposed that a second research symposium is held with a challenging topic and achieving a publication of a book. The second symposium will be staged by the University of Wollongong in Dubai and it is hoped that about fifty presenters from the Middle East region as well as around the world will participate. The workshop will be co-chaired by Prof Michael Thorpe of College of Graduate Studies, University of Wollongong, Dubai, Prof C. Jayachandran of Montclair State University, USA and Prof V. Nagadevara of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

Symposium Topic:

It is widely believed that clustering strategies will accelerate economic development through diffusion of technology, knowledge and innovation, and entrepreneurship; also clusters are expected to foster linkages leading to multiplier effects across the world. Therefore, successful models of clustering are being replicated to promote competitive advantage of firms and nations (Michael Porter). In recent years, the interplay of forces of globalization and advances in information and communication technologies (ICT).