School of Business Environment

The School will facilitate the study and analysis of emerging business environments, trends and future scenarios so as to help policy makers develop appropriate legislative/policy frameworks and administrative systems and to enable thinking on appropriate strategies and structures that encourage creativity and entrepreneurship for business. Understanding the business environment will, inter alia, include keeping track of economic trends, financing options, developments in technology, legal and business environments, etc and disseminating information and generating a dialogue on possible solutions.

Development of new technologies has always been at the heart of economic growth and business development. The impact of technology change is evident in a wide array of sectors including information technology, life sciences/biotechnology, energy, manufacturing, etc. A new technology can change the way a business sector operates while incremental changes can lead to new products, lower costs, etc. -- changes which have a direct impact on business and corporate affairs. IICA will need to constantly scan developments in emerging technologies and use the information for advising the Government/Corporate sectors and also as input for the various training programmes conducted by the IICA.

Drawing energy from renewable sources and its efficient use is a challenge for business sustainability. The current national and business planning/priorities are taking this strategic consideration fully into account and vast resources are being earmarked for ensuring energy security and availability of energy for sustained development and economic growth. Significant research is also being conducted on new and renewable sources of energy. IICA will seek to develop basic competence to keep track of important developments in this area and to explore possibilities of business development in areas of energy sustainability.

The environment occupies centre-stage in today’s international debate on sustainable development. Environmental issues have a direct bearing on business functions in terms of technology and equipment, product performance, recycling, cost of production/service, etc. In some cases, these issues are grave enough to impact the survival of some industries/units. The School of Business Environment will work to create basic understanding of the issues involved to be able to render appropriate strategic and policy advice to the Government and the corporate sector.