Dr Spinder Dhaliwal, Reader in Entrepreneurship at the Westminster Business School, was a keynote presenter to students at the Jagannath International Management School in Delhi on 19 February 2024.
Her speech was part of a workshop titled Survival of Start-ups in India Using Lean Start Up Methods, a process of rapid testing and iterating while developing products. Key lessons included thinking creatively and looking for a problem or gap where a sustainable business can be developed. In Dr Dhaliwal’s lively session, students shared their creative business ideas and came up with proposals such as apps for healthier food, sustainable businesses and travel ideas. Students were asked to consider how viable and environmentally friendly their potential businesses could be.
Dr Dhaliwal said: “It was interesting to engage with students in Delhi and to speak to the staff there.”
Spinder also presented at the 19th International conference titled Transformation 2024: Integration of People, Technology and the Environment to Build Sustainable Business Organisations on 17 February 2024 at the Jagannath International Management School. She shared her recent research co-authored with Dr Richard George titled Challenges Facing Bangladeshi Female Entrepreneurs in the Brick Lane Area of East London UK, which was previously presented at the ISBE conference at Aston University in November 2023. This research identified challenges faced by Bengali Asian female entrepreneurs in East London, particularly in Tower Hamlets, and the development and transition of these businesses following the pandemic. Women in this area have faced cultural and business barriers and have had to develop resilience, learn to use technology and IT and adapt to modern business practices such as using social media for promotion.
Dr Dhaliwal teaches on the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Enterprise Development MSc course, where she leads the modules Entrepreneurial Mindset and Opportunities Creation and the Entrepreneurial Project. Dr Dhaliwal researches ethnic minority businesses, women in business and young entrepreneurs. She has written extensively about entrepreneurship and the business community. In addition to her academic research, her work has featured in The Independent, The Financial Times Advisor, The Daily Mail and BBC programmes.
Dr Dhaliwal also leads the Entrepreneurship Research Group at the Westminster Business School. She is a former Vice President of the Institute of Small Business and Enterprise (ISBE). Dr Dhaliwal regularly speaks to major organisations to help them target and understand the Asian community. Her clients have included Barclays, Pirtek and the Human Resource Development Council of Mauritius.
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