Photo by University of Guam: More than 100 participants from 17 universities in Taiwan, China, and Japan joined the University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration virtually on March 17 and 18 for its 16th annual International Conference on Business, Economics & Information Technology. ()
The School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Guam hosted an opportunity for international research collaboration among 17 universities in Japan, Taiwan, and China last Thursday and Friday at the 16th annual International Conference on Business, Economics & Information Technology, known as ICBEIT.
A total of 109 participants tuned in virtually for 31 presentations on research of common interest in the Asia Pacific region related to accounting, marketing, strategic management, finance, and economics.
“Research and knowledge — not only in medical science, but in the fields represented in this conference — are a testament to what the human mind and spirit can do to overcome the challenges we face and others we have yet to face in the future,” said conference chair Maria Claret Ruane, a professor of economics at the University of Guam, in her opening remarks.
The pandemic inspired many of the projects presented, as researchers looked to find adaptive and innovative business and economic solutions. One presentation showed the significant impact of live sales demonstrations online, known as “live commerce,” on Japanese consumers’ motivation to buy. Another presentation by UOG Professor Kevin Ho revealed how privacy concerns and misinformation during the pandemic affected people’s perception of COVID-19 contact-tracing technology.
Through the work of research teams under the guidance of agricultural economist Kuan-Ju Chen of UOG’s Cooperative Extension and Outreach unit, UOG was able to contribute two case studies on “ag-preneurship” opportunities to produce whiskey and tea. Another UOG project highlighted stressors for agricultural producers in the Pacific that may affect their mental health and local food production. These presentations led to discussions on Guam’s island-wide Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative and its work to build a more sustainable economy and develop global partnerships.
In its 16 years of fostering academic and cultural exchange, ICBEIT has sparked a new opportunity. The University of Guam and National Chung Hsing University, an agricultural school that has developed a foundation in agricultural science and technology research, will host the conference, focusing on agricultural, community, and economic development. It is tentatively scheduled for late-September.
ICBEIT was organized in partnership with Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Economics, Economic Research Center; the Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Economics; and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Graduate School of Management. It was co-sponsored by the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honor Society for Economics at UOG and the Society for Economics at the Osaka Prefecture University.
For more information on the research projects mentioned, please contact conference chair Dr. Maria Claret Ruane at ruanem@triton.uog.edu.
