Research Centre | R&D Annual Report 2015

Centre for Sustainable Development and
Corporate Social Responsibility in Business

REPORT OF ACTIVITIES

Talk Series Do Anti-Dumping Measures Affect Chinese Exporting Firms 14 January 2015
CSDCSR in collaboration with FAM's Department of Economics invited Prof. Sun Qian from Fudan University to give a talk to staff and students about anti-dumping measures effect on Chinese exporting firms.

Talk Series Sustainable City for Business 4 February 2015
Adjunct Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ghazali Dato’ Yusoff, the Industrial Advisor for Bachelor of International Business was at UTAR Sungai Long Campus on the 4th of February 2016. He gave a talk on the latest development of sustainable city to raise awareness among students, academic staff and CSDCSR members. In his presentation, Dato’ Dr. Ghazali gave an introduction to some of the changes in accordance to the programmes of sustainable city and to the value system's fusion. He also elaborated on the importance of cross-cultural exposure and when we will no longer have rural and urban areas but “ruban” when 80% of the citizens would be living in cities. He also articulated his belief that all basic rights must be accessible and that this aspect is illustrated through the fundamental motto in life, “Care, Share, and Dare” which is fully related to the ultimate values and human civilization.

Talk Series
Sustainable City for Business
4 February 2015

Adjunct Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ghazali Dato’ Yusoff, the Industrial Advisor for Bachelor of International Business was at UTAR Sungai Long Campus on the 4th of February 2016. He gave a talk on the latest development of sustainable city to raise awareness among students, academic staff and CSDCSR members.

In his presentation, Dato’ Dr. Ghazali gave an introduction to some of the changes in accordance to the programmes of sustainable city and to the value system's fusion. He also elaborated on the importance of cross-cultural exposure and when we will no longer have rural and urban areas but “ruban” when 80% of the citizens would be living in cities. He also articulated his belief that all basic rights must be accessible and that this aspect is illustrated through the fundamental motto in life, “Care, Share, and Dare” which is fully related to the ultimate values and human civilization.

Talk Series Bond Valuation and the Malaysian Bond Market 25 March 2015
The centre continued its Talk Series by inviting Mr. Lee Khee Joo and Mr. Shaharul Zain to share their perspective of bond valuation and the status of Malaysian's bond market to academic staff and students. Mr. Lee Khee Joo, Head of Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme (FSTEP) gave students and staff an overview of the financial sector and the career pathway to the sector. The second speaker was Mr. Shaharul Zain, Chief Business Officer of Bond Pricing Agency Malaysia elaborated on the agency's method on bond valuation and the prospects of the Malaysian bond market.

Talk Series
Bond Valuation and the Malaysian Bond Market
25 March 2015

The centre continued its Talk Series by inviting Mr. Lee Khee Joo and Mr. Shaharul Zain to share their perspective of bond valuation and the status of Malaysian's bond market to academic staff and students.

Mr. Lee Khee Joo, Head of Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme (FSTEP) gave students and staff an overview of the financial sector and the career pathway to the sector. The second speaker was Mr. Shaharul Zain, Chief Business Officer of Bond Pricing Agency Malaysia elaborated on the agency's method on bond valuation and the prospects of the Malaysian bond market.

Talk Series Training Session on Turnitin Software 2 June 2015
There were two training sessions conducted for academic staff to be familiar with the usage of Turnitin software. It is part of the university's requirement to assess the originality of students' academic thesis. The training session was conducted by Cik Farah Waheeda Jamaluddin and Cik Fitriya Binti Abdul Rahim.

Talk Series From Local to Global, the SinChew Experience 29 June 2015
CSDCSR in collaboration with FAM organised the talk entitled “From Local to Global, the Sin Chew Experience” on the 29th of June 2015 at Bandar Sungai Long Campus. The talk was presented by the Industrial Advisor for Bachelor of Global Economics, Ms. Rita Sim, the Director and co-founder of CENSE, Centre for Strategic Engagement Sdn. Bhd. In 2011, Ms. Rita Sim was named Woman Super Achiever at the 2nd CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Marketing and Branding. She also authored a book entitled “Unmistakably Chinese, Genuinely Malaysian”. She was accompanied by Media Consultant, Datuk Oong Boon See. The main purpose of the talk was to expose students to the challenges that the media industry is facing from a business perspective. She started the talk by giving the students and staff how Sin Chew started 86 years ago and it is considered a home-grown brand. She also shared how Malaysia is lacking in terms of international home-grown brand besides Petronas, Selangor Pewter and Proton. Thus, the company was considered as a successful brand when they were able to do a dual primary listing on the main board of Malaysia and Hong Kong Stock Exchange simultaneously in the year 2008 and it was the first Malaysian company to do so until today. The merged entity was known as Media Chinese International Ltd (MCIL) which comprises of Ming Pao Enterprise Corporation Limited (Hong Kong), Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (Malaysia) and Nanyang Press Holdings Berhad (Malaysia). She further shared the reasons on why newspaper firms need to be listed and some of the impacts during their listing on Bursa Malaysia. Lastly, she challenged the audience to look into some of the future challenges for the company and even the industry as a whole in terms of the growing presence of social media, lower printed newspaper circulation and the reduction of advertising revenue for newspaper.

Talk Series
From Local to Global, the SinChew Experience
29 June 2015

CSDCSR in collaboration with FAM organised the talk entitled “From Local to Global, the Sin Chew Experience” on the 29th of June 2015 at Bandar Sungai Long Campus. The talk was presented by the Industrial Advisor for Bachelor of Global Economics, Ms. Rita Sim, the Director and co-founder of CENSE, Centre for Strategic Engagement Sdn. Bhd. In 2011, Ms. Rita Sim was named Woman Super Achiever at the 2nd CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Marketing and Branding. She also authored a book entitled “Unmistakably Chinese, Genuinely Malaysian”. She was accompanied by Media Consultant, Datuk Oong Boon See.

The main purpose of the talk was to expose students to the challenges that the media industry is facing from a business perspective. She started the talk by giving the students and staff how Sin Chew started 86 years ago and it is considered a home-grown brand. She also shared how Malaysia is lacking in terms of international home-grown brand besides Petronas, Selangor Pewter and Proton. Thus, the company was considered as a successful brand when they were able to do a dual primary listing on the main board of Malaysia and Hong Kong Stock Exchange simultaneously in the year 2008 and it was the first Malaysian company to do so until today.

The merged entity was known as Media Chinese International Ltd (MCIL) which comprises of Ming Pao Enterprise Corporation Limited (Hong Kong), Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (Malaysia) and Nanyang Press Holdings Berhad (Malaysia).

She further shared the reasons on why newspaper firms need to be listed and some of the impacts during their listing on Bursa Malaysia. Lastly, she challenged the audience to look into some of the future challenges for the company and even the industry as a whole in terms of the growing presence of social media, lower printed newspaper circulation and the reduction of advertising revenue for newspaper.

Talk Series The Various Path in the Real Estate Industry 2 July 2015
In July 2015, CSDCSR in collaboration with the Department of Building and Property Management invited Ms. Jolene Teo from Amax Real Estate Sdn. Bhd. to give a talk to academic staff and students taking about Building and Property Management programme on issues relating to the property market and its outlook. She also touched on the aspect of how to be a valuer and real estate agent.

Talk Series Property Market Outlook – Opportunities and Trends And A Career in Real Estate 7 July 2015
The following talk organised by CSDCSR was given by two industry experts that touched on the property market outlook and a career in real estate. Mr. Kevin Lim, Director of Sales & Marketing from Hartamas Real Estate (M) Sdn Bhd shared the prospects of Kuala Lumpur market outlook and trends. The second speaker, Mr. Christopher Chan who is the Associate Director of Hartamas gave students an insight on the career prospects in the property development industry.

Talk Series
Property Market Outlook – Opportunities and Trends And A Career in Real Estate
7 July 2015

The following talk organised by CSDCSR was given by two industry experts that touched on the property market outlook and a career in real estate. Mr. Kevin Lim, Director of Sales & Marketing from Hartamas Real Estate (M) Sdn Bhd shared the prospects of Kuala Lumpur market outlook and trends.

The second speaker, Mr. Christopher Chan who is the Associate Director of Hartamas gave students an insight on the career prospects in the property development industry.

Talk Series Excel Training 4 August & 11 August 2015
Ms. Lee Hui Shan, Ms. Lee Sin Yee, and Ms. Siti Nurhidayah gave students and staff some interesting tips and guidelines on how to use excel for data analysis.

Talk Series Personal Branding in the Corporate World 18 August 2015
This event was jointly organised by CSDCSR and Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation, UTAR. On the 18th of August Ms. Shirley Low, Vice President Marketing from Lafarge Malaysia Berhad gave a talk to students on the importance of personal branding. Presenting to audience Lafarge’s VP marketing, Ms. Shirley Low said, “Personal brand is what people say about you when you leave the room. It will only take as much as seven seconds for another person to make an impression about you”. She emphasized the importance of personal branding and its influence in getting first jobbers the break into a successful career. “It doesn’t matter how good your grades were, everyone is on the same level playing field at an interview. So how do you differentiate yourself from one another?” she questioned. Ms. Low stressed on the importance of non-verbal and verbal communication skills. Non-verbal communication comes from dressing, posture and overall body language. This will demonstrate the confidence and seriousness of the candidates in wanting the job. The session continued with the second presenter, Ms. Stella Yew who is the Commercial & Portfolio Branding Manager for Lafarge. She shared her own personal experiences as an individual from a small town, with a Chinese educated background, and on how she moved up in a MNC to where she is today.

Talk Series
Personal Branding in the Corporate World
18 August 2015

This event was jointly organised by CSDCSR and Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation, UTAR. On the 18th of August Ms. Shirley Low, Vice President Marketing from Lafarge Malaysia Berhad gave a talk to students on the importance of personal branding.

Presenting to audience Lafarge’s VP marketing, Ms. Shirley Low said, “Personal brand is what people say about you when you leave the room. It will only take as much as seven seconds for another person to make an impression about you”.

She emphasized the importance of personal branding and its influence in getting first jobbers the break into a successful career. “It doesn’t matter how good your grades were, everyone is on the same level playing field at an interview. So how do you differentiate yourself from one another?” she questioned.

Ms. Low stressed on the importance of non-verbal and verbal communication skills. Non-verbal communication comes from dressing, posture and overall body language. This will demonstrate the confidence and seriousness of the candidates in wanting the job.

The session continued with the second presenter, Ms. Stella Yew who is the Commercial & Portfolio Branding Manager for Lafarge. She shared her own personal experiences as an individual from a small town, with a Chinese educated background, and on how she moved up in a MNC to where she is today.

Talk Series Corporate Governance and Risk Management of Top 3 Malaysian Local Banks; Risk Management and Business Sustainability 21 August 2015
Mr. Wong Teck Keong and Mr. Vincent Tung were invited to give a talk to staff about corporate governance and risk management issues. Mr. Wong Teck Keong touched mainly on the issue of banks reducing its risk by looking into various measurements before banks borrow to external parties. Mr. Vincent Tung on the other hand shared on the issue of risk management and business sustainability.

Activities Gotong-Royong 28 August 2015
The Gotong-Royong Project by CSDCSR successfully took place at Sungai Long Campus and the surrounding areas on 28th of August 2015. Volunteers from Sungai Long Medical Centre, Deloitte including Deloitte Senior Audit Manager Kenix Yap as well as UTAR staff and students participated in the cleanliness campaign. Mr. Phang delivered a speech on the nature of some livable cities around the world. “It is the continuous efforts from everyone that sustains the livability of a city,” said Phang while expressing his hope that the hard work by the volunteers would spur the beginning of a new hygiene consciousness in the community. He continued saying that everyone should be aware of how crucial individual action is in keeping the city clean and healthy.

Activities
Gotong-Royong
28 August 2015

The Gotong-Royong Project by CSDCSR successfully took place at Sungai Long Campus and the surrounding areas on 28th of August 2015.

Volunteers from Sungai Long Medical Centre, Deloitte including Deloitte Senior Audit Manager Kenix Yap as well as UTAR staff and students participated in the cleanliness campaign. Mr. Phang delivered a speech on the nature of some livable cities around the world. “It is the continuous efforts from everyone that sustains the livability of a city,” said Phang while expressing his hope that the hard work by the volunteers would spur the beginning of a new hygiene consciousness in the community. He continued saying that everyone should be aware of how crucial individual action is in keeping the city clean and healthy.

Seminar Disaster Risk Reduction: Building Safer and Resilient Communities 25 November 2015
A seminar titled “Disaster Risk Reduction: Building Safer and Resilient Communities” was held on 25th of November 2015 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. The objective of the seminar was to enlighten the participants on basic knowledge on managing crises and emergency management. Founding President of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK) Malaysia and former Director General of Fire and Rescue Department, Datuk Dr. Soh Chai Hock and Fire and Rescue Department Director, Tuan Khiruddin Bin Drahman shared with the attendees the Malaysians’ experiences in transforming crises into achievements.

Seminar
Disaster Risk Reduction: Building Safer and Resilient Communities
25 November 2015

A seminar titled “Disaster Risk Reduction: Building Safer and Resilient Communities” was held on 25th of November 2015 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. The objective of the seminar was to enlighten the participants on basic knowledge on managing crises and emergency management.

Founding President of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK) Malaysia and former Director General of Fire and Rescue Department, Datuk Dr. Soh Chai Hock and Fire and Rescue Department Director, Tuan Khiruddin Bin Drahman shared with the attendees the Malaysians’ experiences in transforming crises into achievements.

Talk Sustainability, Innovation and Leadership 30 November 2015
This talk is organised by CSDCSR, Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation (DCC), and Institute of Management and Leadership Development (IMLD). The industrial talk on Sustainability, Innovation and Leadership was held at UTAR Sungai Long campus on 30th of November 2015. This talk aimed to share how clean technology, renewable energy, product system design and supply chain strategies are able to meet the economic development aspirations while addressing the social and ecological challenges. SKF Malaysia Managing Director, Dr Dario Cardone said the industrial revolution marked an era of tremendous growth, innovation, and prosperity in many parts of the world, but those achievements also had unintended consequences that are increasingly obvious. “Our approach to sustaining growth while meeting environmental and social challenges is part of SKF Care. SKF Care incorporates four fundamental principles – business, the environment, employees and the community”, he continued. SKF’s successful business is contributed by aligning their operations and strategies with not only their values and principles but also environmental obligations.

Talk
Sustainability, Innovation and Leadership
30 November 2015

This talk is organised by CSDCSR, Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation (DCC), and Institute of Management and Leadership Development (IMLD).

The industrial talk on Sustainability, Innovation and Leadership was held at UTAR Sungai Long campus on 30th of November 2015. This talk aimed to share how clean technology, renewable energy, product system design and supply chain strategies are able to meet the economic development aspirations while addressing the social and ecological challenges.

SKF Malaysia Managing Director, Dr Dario Cardone said the industrial revolution marked an era of tremendous growth, innovation, and prosperity in many parts of the world, but those achievements also had unintended consequences that are increasingly obvious. “Our approach to sustaining growth while meeting environmental and social challenges is part of SKF Care. SKF Care incorporates four fundamental principles – business, the environment, employees and the community”, he continued. SKF’s successful business is contributed by aligning their operations and strategies with not only their values and principles but also environmental obligations.

Talk Risk Management in Asset Securitization 2 December 2015
The last talk organised by the centre in the year 2015 was to increase the awareness of our Building and Property Management students and all UTAR staff on risk management in asset securitisation. Some of the issues shared include the importance of the restoration of securitisation on the economy, how regulatory changes shapes the ABS market, new capital requirements and the impact on banking, mortgage legislation update and the future of mortgage funding market, outlook for consumer ABS including autos, credit cards and equipment funding and restructuring trends in commercial real estate backed securities.

Talk
Risk Management in Asset Securitization
2 December 2015

The last talk organised by the centre in the year 2015 was to increase the awareness of our Building and Property Management students and all UTAR staff on risk management in asset securitisation. Some of the issues shared include the importance of the restoration of securitisation on the economy, how regulatory changes shapes the ABS market, new capital requirements and the impact on banking, mortgage legislation update and the future of mortgage funding market, outlook for consumer ABS including autos, credit cards and equipment funding and restructuring trends in commercial real estate backed securities.

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R & D ANNUAL REPORT 2015

Centre for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility in Business

Centre for Sustainable Development and
Corporate Social Responsibility in Business