Long ago India had accounted for over a quarter of world output. As late as in the early part of the British rule, a fourth of the world textile requirement was met by the Indian producers. There have been historians who attributed the decline of the Roman Empire partly to its perennial trade deficit with India and the resultant drain on Roman wealth. With over a billion of population and a huge hidden economic potential that is getting unleashed now, India has the ability to lead global trade in future years too. However, despite a glorious past in international trade and a remarkable potential, India has been grossly underperforming in international trade in the recent decades. There are researchers and policy makers working in different parts of India and the world with focus on trade issues and strategies having direct and indirect significance to India. A number of policy changes have also occurred in India partly due to internal liberalization and partly due to external commitments including under the WTO Agreements. Still, India's trade progress even in recent years has been too little. Therefore, there is a need to focus on this issue further and induce more research work to facilitate result-oriented, strategic policies.
This International Conference is one of the series of strategic academic initiatives taken up by the WTO Research Centre at I.I.M Kozhikode on the issue of India's global competitiveness under WTO system. The earlier initiatives included a National Seminar on 'WTO, India & Emerging Areas of Trade' organized during April 21-22, 2006, the selected and thoroughly edited papers of which have been recently published as a book under the same title with a focus on the challenges and strategies. The WTO Research Centre has also developed a website for facilitating India's WTO-related information network. This Conference has the following
objectives.
- To review trade policies and trade performance in the pre- and post-WTO era.
- To identify trade performance gaps and future trade potentials.
- To locate and evaluate future strategies for faster trade growth and greater trade share.
- To explore the possibility of outlining a mutually beneficial and harmonious process of global trade negotiations considering the developmental priorities.
BROAD THEMES
- Trends of international trade since 1980s
- Trade achievements since 1995
- Studies on trade potentials
- Potential-achievement gap: India's trade woes
- India's changing trade policies
- Future trade policy requirements
- New areas of trade
- Trade issues & concerns
- Trade negotiations
- Developmental aspects of trade
- Lessons from global trade achievements
- Regional opportunities
- Sector-specific issues
- New trade vision & strategy
- Other related areas
FOR WHOM
This Conference will immensely benefit academic researchers, corporate analysts and consultants, government officials, doctoral students, and trade and business observers having stakes or interest in issues related to global trade, WTO system, competitiveness, and India's rapid ascendance in global trade. The benefit will be in terms of both new insights into the issues of their concern and opportunity to develop new professional relationships and collaborations. The participants will be included in the data bank and network of experts being developed by the Centre and will be entitled to receive all future updates of the Centre on related issues and activities.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Speakers at the Conference will include analysts and researchers from industry, academia, government, media and public life who are working on or dealing with aspects and issues related to the themes of this Conference. Papers and cases based on research, experience or promising ideas focusing on any of the stated objectives and themes of the Conference are invited for consideration for presentation at the Conference. The papers will be selected on the basis of their potential to contribute to future trade progress, particularly of India. The papers should preferably be within 20-25 pages including tables, figures and appendices. The papers should be typed in MS Word format and printed in double space, Times Roman font, and font size 12 on single side of the paper. The title page of the papers should give your full name, affiliation, telephone/fax number and the e-mail address. The papers may be sent in hard form or as e-mail attachment to rameshan#AT#iimk.ac.in*. An abstract of the paper not exceeding 500 words should reach the Conference Chair by July 25, 2008. Full papers should be submitted before September 19, 2008. Authors of the selected papers will be informed before October 10, 2008. Authors of all papers accepted for the Conference will be required to give copyright declaration in the format to be supplied later.
DURATION & VENUE
The Conference will start at 9.30 a.m. on December 26, 2008, and end at 5.00 p.m. on December 27, 2008 . A sight seeing trip (including to the historic site where the Portugese sailor Vasco-da-Gama first landed in India in 1498) could be arranged, on payment basis, on December 28, 2008, depending upon the interest among participants. The Conference will be held at the premises of Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode that stands in the midst of an ocean of greenery. Around the Conference, the locality has a pleasant temperate climate.
ACCOMMODATION
Limited accommodation facility is available at the Institute Guest Houses. Accommodation in this facility will be provided on a sharing first-come-first-served basis. For others, convenient budget/star hotels are adequately available in Calicut (Kozhikode). If any assistance is required on accommodation or other related issues, the Conference Chair may be contacted.
REGISTRATION FEE
The following will be the registration fee for participants of different categories.
Rs. 2,000/- |
Doctoral and other students |
Rs. 4,000/- |
Academic and non-profit organizations |
Rs. 6,000/- |
Commercial establishments including consulting firms |
US $300 |
Participants from abroad |
Registration fee will cover the cost of Conference materials, and charges of boarding and lodging (where accommodation is provided). Registration fee may be sent by crossed DD drawn in favour of I.I.M Kozhikode payable at Kozhikode (or Calicut). Registration Fee and Nomination Form should reach the Conference Chair by November 14, 2008. Late Registration is permitted up to November 28, 2008 with an additional Fee of 25% of the normal Registration Fees mentioned above and up to December 12, 2008 with an additional Fee of 50% of the normal Registration Fees mentioned.
Registration fee can also be paid through electronic money transfer system and confirmation to such transactions are to be intimated to the Conference Chair. The required details for such transfer are furnished hereunder;
For International transfer
IIM Kozhikode Branch Code : 10565
IIM Kozhikode Account No : 10401159541
Swift Code : SBININBB392
For transfers within India
IIM Kozhikode Branch Code : 10565
IIM Kozhikode Account No : 10401159541
Swift Code : SBIN0010565
BEST PAPER AWARD
Two registered participants whose papers selected for presentation at the Conference are adjudged as the best among the submissions will be given citations at theConference and their full registration fee will be reimbursed.
NOMINATION
Nominations for the Conference can be made in the enclosed Nomination Form. Photocopies of the enclosed Nomination Form or the Form downloaded from the conference website can also be used if additional forms are required. The duly filled-in Nomination Form along with the Registration Fee may be sent to the Conference Chair before November 14, 2008 or before November 28/December 12, 2008, with relevant late registration fee.
CONTACT ADDRESS OF CONFERENCE CHAIR
The following is the contact address of Conference Chair for making any related queries and for sending the abstracts, full papers, Nomination Form and Registration Fee.
Dr. P Rameshan
Professor (Strategic Management)
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
I.I.M Campus P.O., Kunnamangalam
Kozhikode (Calicut) – 673 570 (Kerala) INDIA
Tele: (91) 495-2809 111/280 3001-9 (9 lines)
Fax: (91) 495-280 3010-1
E-mail: rameshan#AT#iimk.ac.in*
