Dr Spinder Dhaliwal, Reader in Entrepreneurship, spoke at the XVIth international conference, organised by partner institute of the University of Westminster Jagannath International Management School (JIMS) in Kalkaji, New Delhi, about young entrepreneurs.
The theme of the virtual conference, which was held on 24 April, was ‘Business Sustainability in the Post-Pandemic Era: Resetting Strategies in Domains of People, Technology and Environment’. Dr Spinder Dhaliwal presented her paper titled ‘Young Entrepreneurs – The Future of our Society?’, discussing how young entrepreneurs, with their energy, drive, confidence and resilience could be the perfect formula for entrepreneurial success. She also spoke about how encouraging enterprise for the young is crucial.
Dr Dhaliwal’s research involved conducting a series of qualitative interviews with ten young entrepreneurs in the UK who had started up their own business, to illuminate the position of young people in business. Issues explored include their background, their influences, how they financed their business, their experiences of entrepreneurship and the particular issues that face them as young people in business.
Her paper sheds lights on several issues and challenges the role of universities, governments and public and private bodies. It also explores the role of mentors, and the support structure that will encourage young people to successfully start up and develop their own business. Dr Dhaliwal says that through entrepreneurial skill, self-motivation and creativity, young entrepreneurs are making the grade, with some of their businesses being traditional and some online. She adds that they may be part of the answer to societal and economic problems and provide a new generation of socially and environmentally aware businesses as well as being compelling and inspirational role models.
Talking about the conference, Dr Dhaliwal said: “It was a unique honour to speak in front of 200 delegates in one of the most distressed places in the world. As COVID-19 ravages large parts of India and the world watches and offers aid, this key conference touched on the future for India and beyond during these trying times. India is facing the full glare of the COVID-19 outbreak, the discussions were so real and people were adjusting to living long term with a new way of life.”
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