CONF-BPS 2024

The 3rd International Conference on Business and Policy Studies (CONF-BPS 2024) was a hybrid conference which includes several workshops (offline and online) around the world. Prof. Arman Eshraghi from Cardiff Business School, Prof. Naser Makarem from University of Aberdeen, Prof. Florian Marcel Nuţă from Danubius University from Galaţi, Prof. Xuezheng Qin from Peking University, and Prof. Li Chai from China Agricultural University have chaired these workshops on related topics. CONF-BPS 2024 provided the participants with good opportunities to exchange ideas and build networks, and it will lead to further collaborations between both universities and other societies.

Workshop

Cardiff University, UK

Workshop Chair: Prof. Arman Eshraghi, Professor in Cardiff Business School

The workshop ‘Emerging Financial Crisis and Corporate Exposure’ concluded with a coverage of topics related to financial distress and bankruptcy in the current economic climate. The students were introduced to the drivers of financial distress and why corporate bankruptcies and similar crises have been on the rise in recent times following a long period of low interest rates. Corporate bankruptcies represent a critical phase in the lifecycle of businesses, signifying a point where a company is legally recognized as unable to meet its debt obligations. This situation not only affects the company and its employees but also its creditors, investors, and the wider economy. Predicting corporate bankruptcy is a complex task that employs both financial and non-financial indicators. Financial indicators include fundamentals derived from company balance sheets and income statements, such as the Altman Z-score, which assesses the likelihood of bankruptcy by evaluating factors like liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency. Bank runs occur when a large number of customers withdraw their deposits from a bank simultaneously, fearing that the bank will become insolvent. This phenomenon is often driven by a crisis of confidence among the bank's customers. Key drivers include rumors of the bank's financial instability, actual financial mismanagement, or economic crises that lead to widespread panic. News of one bank's difficulties can quickly spread fear to other institutions, leading to a domino effect.

University of Aberdeen Business School, UK

Organizer: Prof. Naser Makarem, Assistant professor in University of Aberdeen

The workshop titled "Determinants of audit quality in a patriarchal setting" held on February 21, 2024, at the Sir Duncan Rice Library, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, was a remarkable triumph. It attracted substantial attention from a diverse range of participants representing various professional backgrounds.

A standout moment during the workshop was the presentation of research featured in the paper titled "Do Female Audit Partners Matter for Audit Quality: Evidence from Iran." This paper, currently undergoing review for publication in the distinguished Journal of Business Ethics (acknowledged with a prestigious 3-star rating by the Chartered Association of Business Schools), offered valuable insights into the impact of gender diversity on audit quality in a developing country.

The speaker, an assistant professor of accounting at the University of Aberdeen, delivered an enlightening overview of existing literature and research findings. Furthermore, the presentation explored potential policy implications, providing a comprehensive perspective on the field.

The workshop generated palpable engagement and enthusiasm among attendees, fostering lively discussions both during and after the presentation. The exchange of ideas among participants greatly contributed to the overall success of the event, ensuring it was an enriching experience for all involved.

Danubius University from Galati, Romania

Organizer: Prof. Florian Marcel Nuţă, Professor Dr. Habil. in Danubius University from Galaţi

The workshop The economic and social impact of implementing ESGs for climate-neutral universities took place as planned, on February 15, 2024, at the premises of Danubius University.

The topics covered by the workshop: ESG for universities, Climate change action and education, Voluntary reporting for carbon-neutral universities, Informal education for environmental protection, Social responsibility, the place of the university in the community, Challenges for achieving carbon-free targets, Energy efficiency and energy responsibility, and University governance challenges.

The main presentation entitled, was followed by discussions and launched the debates among participants. The participants involved freely in debates starting from the topics covered by the main speaker. There were 14 registered participants and 9 participants present in person in the meeting room. The participants (mostly students) were glad to find out in their university there are research and practical interests related to climate change action and environmental protection, subjects very significant for the younger generation. They were interested in various mitigation actions presented and asked many questions on the topic.

Among those present, there were also entrepreneur students, that recognized the necessity for universities to involve more in the community and acknowledge local development issues, including sustainability targets.

Peking University, China

Organizer: Prof. Xuezheng Qin, Professor in Peking University

The 3rd International Conference on Business and Policy Studies (The 3rd International Conference) Beijing Chapter and Peking University Seminar on Market Policy and Human Capital was successfully held in Conference Room 305, School of Economics, Peking University On the afternoon of January 14, 2024. Scholars from Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and other universities shared and discussed market policy and human capital research.

The meeting was moderated by Dr. Li Xiaolong, Deputy Director of the Center for Market Economy Research at Peking University. The meeting started with a speech by Prof. Qin Xuezheng, Director of the Center for Market Economics Research of Peking University, who summarized the academic activities and achievements of the Peking University Market Center team in the past year, including online and offline discussions, academic conferences, and subject undertakings. He also put forward his plans and expectations for the future development of the Marketing Center.

Subsequently, the participating scholars made academic presentations of their papers. During the reporting process, the speakers and participants actively interacted and discussed, and the meeting was successfully concluded in a warm atmosphere of academic discussion.

China Agricultural University, China

Organizer: Prof. Li Chai, Associate Professor in China Agricultural University

The 3rd International Conference on Business and Policy Studies (Beijing Chapter) in conjunction with the Seminar on Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development was convened with great success in the Conference Room on the 5th floor of the International College at China Agricultural University, Beijing, on the afternoon of February 25, 2024. Scholars engaged in the presentation and discussion of their cutting-edge research on topics such as corporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), environmental performance, low-carbon policies, and other facets of sustainable development.

The session was expertly chaired by Dr. Li Chai, an Associate Professor at China Agricultural University, with Dr. Bing Liu, Dr. Aoyu Hou, and Dr. Shanghong Li contributing their invaluable insights as workshop reviewers. The event featured scholarly presentations on their research papers, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas among the speakers and attendees. This spirited interaction paved the way for an enriching dialogue on the subject matter. The conference wrapped up on a high note, marked by a vibrant atmosphere of academic exchange and collaborative spirit.

Online Session

The online session of the 3rd International Conference on Business and Policy Studies (CONF-BPS 2024) was held on February 27, 2024. Prof. Fawaz Khaled from Oxford Brookes University, Prof. Guanming He from Durham University, Prof. Naser Makarem from University of Aberdeen, and Prof. Florian Marcel Nuţă from Danubius University from Galaţi have given keynote speeches on related topics of Financial Transparency, Financial Integration, etc. Also, we invited authors of qualified papers to deliver oral presentations at the Online Session. Four authors have presented their studies of enterprise mergers, luxury brand construction, risk analysis, etc. Questions from the audience were collected and answered by the presenters.

Highlights

Title: Mortgage Default, Property Prices and Banks' Lending Behaviour in Hong Kong SAR
Presented by: Fawaz Khaled, Ph.D., School of Built Environment, Oxford Brookes University

Title: Assessment of the Efficiency of Corporate Business Activities
Presented by: Guanming He, Ph.D., Accounting Department, Durham University

Title: Do Female Audit Partners Matter for Audit Quality? Evidence from Iran
Presented by: Naser Makarem, Ph.D., Department of Accountancy and Finance, University of Aberdeen

Title: The Economic and Social Impact of Implementing ESGs for Climate-neutral Universities
Presented by: Florian Marcel Nuţă, Ph.D., Department of Finance and Business Administration, Danubius University from Galaţi

Title: WTO E-commerce Negotiations: A Path to the Multilateral Digital Trade Rules
Presented by: Shurui Kang, Inner Mongolia University

Title: Restriction on Foreigners' Employment Violates the Principles of Equality and Non-discrimination - From the Perspective of Thailand Foreigners' Working Management Emergency Decree
Presented by: Yingtong Ou, School of Asian Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Videos

You can find the Youtube Playlist of online session Here.

Publications

Accepted papers of CONF-BPS 2024 will be published in Advances in Economics Management and Political Sciences (Print ISSN 2754-1169). They will be submitted to Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), Crossref, CNKI, Portico, Google Scholar, and other databases for indexing.

Title: Advances in Economics Management and Political Sciences
Press: EWA Publishing, United Kingdom
ISSN: 2754-1169