BAFE international conference a first for UTAR

It was a first for the Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) to join hands with the Centre for Accounting, Banking and Finance, Centre for Business Management and Centre for Economic Studies to organise the International Conference on Business, Accounting, Finance and Economic (BAFE) 2013 at UTAR Kampar Campus on 4 October 2013.

Themed "Paving the way for value creation towards sustainability", the one-day conference saw more than 100 papers submitted from an impressive group comprising approximately 22 international participants from as far as Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Nigeria and Iran, 70 local participants from both public and private institutions of higher learning and also 50 participants from UTAR.

Local and international participants converging at the conference venue

"This BAFE conference aims to attract young and experienced researchers and scholars who are here to present and share their research ideas and findings in the area of business, accounting, finance and economics. I believe each and every research presenter in today's proceeding would contribute to new theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge of all participants," FBF Dean Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong said during his welcome speech.

Also invited to give an opening address during the conference opening was UTAR Director of Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research (IPSR) Prof Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman. "I am confident that these sharing sessions would go a long way in paving the way to a sustainable future as far as value creation is concerned," he remarked, and proceeded to extend his gratitude to sponsors such as Malaysian Association of Company Secretaries, William CH Tan & Associates, A.W. Faber-Castell, Spritzer, Sage Asia Pacific, Oxford Fajar Sdn Bhd, OCBC Bank, Pustaka Prinsip Sdn Bhd, Book Channel Sdn Bhd, TC Integrated and Mr YF Ng for their munificent contribution that ensured the success of BAFE 2013. "For those who are here in this campus for the first time, I would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to take a tour around this award-winning campus after the conference," he concluded.

Prof Choong presenting a token of appreciation to Prof Faidz

Winners of the BAFE 2013 Best Paper Award were also announced and awarded during the conference opening. They were:

Rogel L Limpiada - Title: Adherence to Quality Management Principles of Public and Private Higher Education Institutions in the CALABARZON Region
Mui-Yin Chin, Chen-Chen Yong, Siew-Yong Yew - Title: An Analysis on Vertical Intra-industry Trade between ASEAN-5 and China Using Spatial Panel Model
Phuah Kit Teng, Wan Jamaliah Wan Jusoh - Title: Determinants of non-Muslim Consumers Buying Intention with Regard to Halal Labeled Food Products: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis Model
Zarina Begum Ebrahim, Azwan Shah Aminuddin, Muna Kameelah Sauid, Nurul Ain Mustakim - Title: Measuring Customer Satisfaction Towards Service Quality of Counter Service at Malacca Municipal Council

Rogel was all smiles upon receiving the BAFE 2013 Best Paper Award from Prof Faidz

Maizura Mohamad from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka expressed her pleasure for being able to participate in the conference. "It is great to be here to gain knowledge from the speakers and other outstanding paper presenters," she remarked. Maizura, who was also one of the presenters, mentioned that she looked forward to listening to all the presentations, especially the one from the Philippines (Rogel L Limpiada) who garnered the BAFE 2013 best paper award."

Rogel presenting his award winning paper