About

Introduction:

The role of entrepreneurs in promoting growth for economies was first discussed by Schumpeter in the 1930s. Since then, large amounts of literature on entrepreneurship has been published, emphasizing its key role in promoting growth and development, employment generation, and increasing overall welfare. Although the basic function of entrepreneurship in the economy is developing innovative goods and services that fulfill society's needs remains unchanged, its nature has evolved over time to adjust to changing needs, technologies, and unique issues that societies face. Many macro and micro level factors affect entrepreneurial activities. Three key issues relevant to the developing countries in general and muslim countries in particular during contemporary times can be identified.

First, the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a plan of action for people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. SDGs constitute ambitious, comprehensive, and multifaceted goals that have changed the development paradigm from a narrow focus on economic growth to sustainable development that incorporates economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Other than requiring large amounts of resources, achieving the SDGs also necessitates newer ways of doing business and carrying out economic activities. Given the disruptions caused by COVID-19, most countries will face further challenges to achieve the SDGs. Moving forward, entrepreneurs will play an important role in coming up with innovative sustainable models that can help achieve the SDGs and fulfill the different needs of societies.

Second, the nature of entrepreneurship would be different in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era. New entrepreneurial initiatives would have to integrate digital technologies in their business and operational models to create economic and social values. What was not possible in the past under the brick-and-mortar architecture legacy can now be realized by using different innovative models that utilize digital artifacts. These innovative models include the internet of things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, blockchain, and application programming interfaces (APIs).

Third, there is a recognition that entrepreneurial solutions for societies' problems must be sensitive to the specific social and cultural contexts. In this regard, entrepreneurship must be framed to satisfy the specific needs influenced by cultural and social conditions. This is particularly relevant for many Muslim societies where the preferences are shaped by cultural and religious values and norms. Specifically, halal goods and services consumed by Muslims have certain unique features and characteristics that must fulfill the religious values and principles. Entrepreneurs play an important role in providing appropriate halal goods and services that satisfy the needs of the Muslim population.

While there is a large literature on entrepreneurship in general, discussions on entrepreneurial activities promoting sustainable development and halal economy are relatively scant. The conference/ manuscript aims to solicit and publish theoretical, conceptual, empirical, and best practices research on entrepreneurship that focuses on sustainable solutions and halal economy. Given the importance of entrepreneurship in contemporary times, the conference/manuscript will fill the gap in the literature by providing unique perspectives on under-researched areas of entrepreneurship.

Please click here to view the conference abstracts.

About Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), was founded in 2010 to continue fulfilling QF’s vision of unlocking human potential. A homegrown research and graduate studies, the university acts as a catalyst for positive transformation in Qatar and the region while having a global impact. Located within Education City, HBKU seeks to provide unparalleled opportunities where inquiry and discovery are integral to teaching and learning at all levels utilizing a multidisciplinary approach across all focus areas.

HBKU is committed to actively contribute to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 by building and cultivating human capacity through an enriching academic experience and an innovative research ecosystem. Through applying creativity to knowledge, students will have the opportunity to discover innovative solutions that are locally relevant and have a global impact. At HBKU our students, faculty, staff, partners, and leadership all share a common belief in the power of higher education and research to make a positive impact on the development of nations.

More information at www.hbku.edu.qa/en

About Center for Islamic Economics and Finance

The Center for Islamic Economics and Finance (CIEF) is one of the research arms of the College of Islamic Studies, at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, that is dedicated to the study of relationships between Islamic faith and economic phenomena and the effect on the behavior of individuals, institutions, and markets by broadly examining Islamic perspectives on production, redistribution, and exchange through an interdisciplinary approach. Over the years, CIEF has organized several conferences, namely:

• 10th International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance (23 – 24 March 2015, Qatar)
• Harvard University Muslim Alumni Islamic Finance Conference (14 – 15 October 2016, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)
• Harvard University Muslim Alumni Islamic Finance Conference (26 – 27 October 2018, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)
• CIS-QFC Global Conference on Awqaf (4 – 6 December 2018, Qatar)
• International Conference on Islamic Finance 2020 on Circular Economy (5 – 6 February 2020, Qatar)
• International Conference on Islamic Finance 2021 on Sustainability and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4 – 6 April 2021)

More information at https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/cis/research/cief 

About Education City

Qatar Foundation’s flagship initiative is a campus of more than 12 square kilometers that hosts branch campuses of some of the world's leading educational institutes, a homegrown university, and other research, scholastic, and community centers. Together, these institutes make Education City a unique model of academic and research excellence, pioneering a new approach to multidisciplinary, global education and enabling breakthroughs that benefit Qatar and the rest of the world.

Total number of students across our universities and schools: 8,000+
Universities located in Education City: 9
Schools as part of our pre-university education network: 11
More information at https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city

About Qatar

Qatar has been an independent sovereign state since 1971. Qatar comprises an 11,500 square kilometer peninsula extending northwards into the Arabian Gulf. It has 563 km of uninterrupted coastline. The country’s population stands at 2.69 million and its capital city is Doha.
Local time is GMT/UCT + 3 hours. There are no daylight savings adjustments.

Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, very hot summers and mild winters. Mean monthly temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of 40°C+ during the summer. Rain is infrequent, falling in brief showers mainly in winter.

Capital: Doha
Population: 2.69 million
Area: 11,500 sq. km
Language: Arabic
Religion: Islam
Currency: Riyal
Power Connection: The power plugs and sockets are of type D and G. The standard voltage is 240 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

More information at https://www.visitqatar.qa