About the Social Business Cell, DIU Daffodil International University (DIU) is one of the universities that has come forward to explore the social business idea among the academic community in Bangladesh. The Social Business Cell started in 2010 under the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE). Initially there were three members in the Cell under FBE Research Centre and now a total number of 21 faculty members are associated with the Cell. Beside social business research, DIU Social Business Cell has been engaged in various activities since 2011. In academia, the Cell has been working in collaboration with Yunus Centre (YC) and is engaged in the countrywide social business campaign. Since then, the Cell organized a number of talks, workshops, seminars and festivals. Later on, as a united platform, the Social Business Cell was recognized as a formal body of the FBE Research Centre of DIU. The Cell is headed by Mr. Masud Ibn Rahman, Assistant Professor of Statistics, who also is as an Academic Advisor of YC and has been working intensely with YC in various capacities. Being instructed by Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the Cell was motivated to work with young minds along with social business campaigns in many universities throughout the country. Nevertheless, a team of DIU, comprising of students and teachers, frequently shoulder some responsibilities of the Gala event of YC Social Business Day since 2012. The Cell played a significant role for the “Networking of YC with Bangladeshi Universities”. Many academic scholars, vice-chancellors, distinguished professors and a bunch of young researchers are already associated under this umbrella. The purpose of the Cell is to promote social business concept in the society and thus to help solving social problems. This is a unique centre of DIU for extensive research and development. The university is on the way to establish a Social Business Research Centre. It also has a plan to establish a social business institute in future. Research Initiative of Social Business Cell: Presently the Cell is conducting a research project titled ‘An Empirical Study on the Perception of Social Business in Bangladesh’ funded by DIU. In the face of a growing expansion of social business concept across the country,
it is necessary to sense the general perception of people through different perspectives. In this connection, the DIU Social Business Cell has taken a research project under the leadership of Mr. Rahman. A group of students and young researchers has been working under this project. Based on an empirical investigation, this study will analyze, through some statistical analyses, the level of understanding of Bangladeshi people about the aspects of social business and its widespread activities. The data collection and analysis is done and the report is in its final stage. The policy makers will be able to identify the impact of the social business campaign and the degree of this effort on the basis of its recommendation. In DIU, more and more faculty members are getting involved spontaneously in social business research. Under the supervision of the Cell, a group of young researchers is engaged in a series of research work, some of which are cited below: • Masud Ibn Rahman, Assistant Professor, Research Topic: An Empirical Study on the Perception of Social Business in Bangladesh. • Rumana Parveen, Assistant Professor, Research Topic: Definition of Social Business: Confusions or One Universal Concept around the World. • Mr. Shakhawat Hossain, Assistant Professor, Research Topic: Accountability in Social Business: The Necessity to Vanguard on time. • Mr. Md. Masum Iqbal, Assistant Professor, Research Topic: Social Business Marketing: Scopes and Challenges. • Md. Nazmul Hassan, Lecturer, Research Topic: Social Business Model: applicability in Developing Countries-The Bangladesh Experience. • Mr. Reza Shahbaz Hadi, Lecturer, Research Topic: Reducing Environmental Pollution through Social Business.
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