Bissett Insider

Bissett professor Rajbir Bhatti appointed as grant reviewer by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

 Bissett School of Business wishes to congratulate Bissett  Associate Professor, Rajbir Bhatti on being appointed as a Grant Reviewer for the  second  year in succession, by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Rajbir will be reviewing applications made to a joint initiative application to the College and Community Innovation Program (CCI) – IE and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).  The College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program is managed by NSERC in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) participates in the Innovation Enhancement (IE) Grants component of the granting agencies’ College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program in order to foster partnerships between colleges and the private sector that will lead to business innovation at the local, regional and national levels. This joint initiative allows colleges to apply for a comprehensive funding package supporting both research costs and research infrastructure (through the CFI’s new College-Industry Innovation Fund

IE Grants stimulate applied research that brings together necessary expertise from diverse fields such as natural sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities, and/or health sciences to address business-driven challenges and opportunities. IE Grants provide funding to colleges on a competitive basis to support the growth of their applied research capacity leading to collaborative applied research and technology transfer activities with and to the benefit of companies—SMEs in particular. They thus increase company engagements and contributions throughout the term of the grant. These grants will focus on an area where the college has recognized expertise and that meets local or regional needs and where there is the potential to increase the economic development of the community.

The funding limit for these grants is $400,000 per year, (payable for five years) – capped at $2 million per application.

Bissett professor Nicole Edge has paper accepted at the Qualitative Accounting Research Symposium

Bissett school of Business would like to congratulate  Assistant Professor, Nicole Edge for having her paper titled: “The Goffman Gospel According to Accounting: Maintaining Business Beliefs” accepted for the Qualitative Accounting Research Symposium sponsored by the Canadian Academic Accounting Association.

The Symposium, taking place November 28 – 29, at the University of Guelph, “brings together researchers and accounting faculty who share an interest in qualitative accounting research from diverse methodological and theoretical perspectives”.

Bissett Associate Professor, Paul Varella presents paper at conference in St. Petersburg at the GSOM Emerging Markets Conference

Bissett School of Business would like to congratulate Associate Professor, Paul Varella on the acceptance and presentation of his paper titled:  Institutionalization of External Environmental Governance of Firms a Microfoundation Study.

Abstract:
This paper introduces a qualitative study that investigates microfoundational processes for
external green governance of corporations, societal external governance onto firms for
issues associated with the natural environment. The study investigates the agency of
professionals working in corporations and eNGOs and the related social structures
associated with green governance. We then evaluate, through a series of propositions, how
agency and social structures recursively overtime help shape the institutions aimed at
governing corporate sustainability. The content analysis of the interviews with 24 senior
level professionals in this study offers additional insights to how agency and social
structures interface, as institutions evolve into establishing different governing approaches
to corporate action with sustainability relevance. The study is relevant to help understand
institutionalization processes related to the natural environment, which is a critical aspect
to the sustainable growth of economies of emerging markets.

The presentation was on the topic of Business in Society: a Change of Paradigm. That conference track was organized by the Graduate School of Management (GSOM) of St. Petersburg University, on October 4, 2019. The conference was organized by GSOM in cooperation with the Academy of Business and Society (ABIS).

The related research is funded by the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at MRU.

Bissett professor Jim Fischer busy mentoring students in the annual Stock Market Competition and with his research projects

The academic year is always an exciting time of year for finance students as the much anticipated Annual Bissett Stock Market Competition is well underway! The 14th edition of the annual competition has thirteen teams of three competing for the right to have their names added to the revered trophy which resides in the Bissett office. Teams have until the end of March to test themselves in both Canadian and US stock markets. With a variety of strategies in play, including buy-and-hold, frequent trading, and the inclusion of options and margin in the mix, it is shaping up to be an exciting time for participants. This is another great example of how Bissett School of Business offers students impactful learning opportunities through experiential opportunities. Thanks for your leadership Jim!
In terms of his research endeavors, Jim Fischer was in Minneapolis during reading week to present his paper “Modern Portfolio Theory and the Efficient Markets Hypothesis: How Well Did They Serve Canada’s Baby-boom Generation? to the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Financial Services. The meeting is held annually in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the Financial Planning Association, attracting a large number of academics as well as industry practitioners.
Abstract: Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and the Efficient Markets Hypothesis (EMH) have influenced portfolio management strategies for an entire generation. Taking the example of an average Canadian family from 1977 to 2016, this paper examines how well MPT and EMH served the baby-boom generation of investors. A model investing strategy was constructed based on the principles of MPT and EMH. The strategy was evaluated for its ability to adequately provide for the subject couple in retirement. Results of this portfolio were compared to other popular investment alternatives. Using generally-accepted rules-of-thumb in financial planning, the MPT strategy was found to have provided an adequate retirement income for the subject couple. Some of the other strategies moderately exceeded the returns of the MPT strategy, while others under performed this benchmark. Analysis of these discrepancies reinforced the significance of diversification and of re-balancing portfolios through dynamic asset allocation.

Bissett professors Mohammed El Hazzouri and Leah Hamilton have papers published

Congratulations to Associate Professors Mohammed El Hazzouri and Leah Hamilton for having their paper published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing,  titled: “Why Us?! How Members of Minority Groups React to Public Health Advertisements Featuring Their Own Group”.  The research press release was published in The Conversation Canada and several other venues.

Bissett Assistant Professor, Tashfeen Hussain completes oral defense for his PhD

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Tashfeen Hussain who recently completed his oral defense of his thesis! Tashfeen’s thesis has been approved without revision through the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. The title of the thesis: “Implications of firms’ interactions with debt markets”.

Tashfeen has also been selected to write a chapter on an upcoming book on Corporate fraud. The chapter is titled: “The spillover impact of corporate fraud”.

 

 

Bissett Professor Tashfeen Hussain has two papers accepted for presentation at Houston conference

Bissett Assistant  Professor, Tahsfeen Hussain, has had two papers accepted for presentation in the South Western Finance Association Conference to be held in Houston in March. The papers to be presented are: “Do Credit Default Swaps Impact Lenders’ Monitoring on Loans?” and “Board Interlock and Fraud Restatement Spillover”. The SWFA Conference is a highly reputed finance conference.

 

Bissett Professor Rachael Pettigrew to present at conferences in Ottawa and Malta

Bissett School of Business  Assistant Professor Rachael Pettigrew is presenting research on how employers are adapting to the new parental leave policy extension on a panel discussing Work and Family Issues at the Vanier Institute of the Family,  Families in Canada Conference. The Conference takes place in Ottawa on March 27-28, 2019.

Rachael will also present a paper titled  “Transition to Parenthood: Time Off Work and Informal Leave Strategies for Employed Canadian Fathers” at 8th International Community, Work and Family (CWF) Conference, Community, Work and Family in Diverse Contexts and Changing Times in Malta 23rd-25th May 2019

Bissett Professor Mohammed El Hazzourri has paper published in Journal of Advertising

Associate Professor Mohammed El Hazzouri and colleagues( Kelly J. Main, Lisa Sinclair) published a paper in the Journal of Advertising titled: “Out of the Closet: When Moral Identity and Protestant Work Ethic Improve Attitudes toward Advertising Featuring Same-Sex Couples,”. The research press release was published in The Conversation Canada and The National Post: https://theconversation.com/out-of-the-closet-easing-the-backlash-against-same-sex-couples-in-advertising-110740

Bissett Associate Professor Frank Cotae receives grant to compile a publication for Nova Chemicals Corp.

Bissett Associate Professor, Dr. Frank Cotae and Mr. David Bobich (SAIT) received a grant of $17,500 from  Canada Green Corps and the United Nations Association in Canada | Brigade verte du Canada et Association Canadienne pour les Nations Unites. The result was a professional publication for Nova Chemicals Corp, a $3.2 billion multinational company.
 Babich, D., Radev, A., Cotae, F., Kawaguchi, T. (2018). Area Calculations for a 220 MWt Solar Steam Generator. Research report for Nova Chemicals, Corp.
The content of this report supports the MDG Goals – Ensure Environmental Sustainability and Global Partnerships for Development, and SDG Goals – Affordable and Clean Energy and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure for Cold Climate Countries.