Research in Business and Economics by Suborna Barua, PhD

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐚

-> I am 𝐍𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐍𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧, a recent MBA graduate from the Department of International Business at the University of Dhaka. As a detail-oriented research assistant, I have hands-on experience in data analysis, literature review, and experimental design, with a strong passion for leveraging research in finance and economics to promote sustainable development and address climate risk.

My academic background has equipped me with skills in research and data analysis, utilizing tools such as Microsoft Office, STATA, and SPSS. I am fluent in English, Bangla, Hindi, and French, which enables me to thrive in diverse environments.

Previously, as a research assistant at the UNDP Bangladesh Country Office, I focused on financing climate risk mitigation, which deepened my understanding of sustainable financing strategies. During my BBA and MBA internships, Dr. Suborna Barua's supervision greatly influenced my interest in sustainable finance and risk management. Under his mentorship, I am researching innovative solutions at the intersection of climate finance and disaster risk management. I am currently working on two research projects - climate change's impact on the insurance sector and exploring corporate social responsibility funds for climate risk financing.

I am committed to conducting impactful research that advances sustainable financing strategies in response to climate change, aiming to contribute significantly to the field while enhancing my skills as a researcher.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐚

-> I am 𝐅𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧, an undergraduate student of the Department of Banking and Insurance at the University of Dhaka, driven by a deep passion for research, statistics, finance, economics and banking. Throughout my academic journey, I’ve developed skills in research, data analysis, and digital tools like MS Office and Google Workspace. I am fluent in Bangla, English, and Hindi, which allows me to communicate effectively in diverse environments.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Suborna Barua, my enthusiasm for research has evolved into clarity and professionalism. His guidance has been instrumental in helping me gain hands-on experience in collecting, analyzing, sorting, and interpreting data for research purposes. Dr. Barua has also connected me with fellow research assistants, offering opportunities to further enhance my collaboration and leadership skills. I have taken on mentoring roles, guiding other assistants in their research work, further refining my soft skills.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I am undergoing training in Applied Statistics and Data Science to grow my understanding of statistical techniques and improve my ability to identify patterns and trends in complex datasets. This training sharpens my problem-solving skills and equips me to tackle business challenges and make data-driven decisions.

I am also currently working on a book titled 'Financial Technology: Principles and Practices' on FinTech, an area with tremendous future potential, which will be published globally. This project has not only deepened my interest in fintech but also helped me develop valuable skills in an emerging domain.

My ultimate goal is to excel in research, inspire others, and contribute to my country's development while continuing my personal and professional growth.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐚

-> I am 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫, a graduate student of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka. I pride myself on being a diligent and enthusiastic learner, not only in economics but across various business fields. My undergraduate journey has been marked by a commitment to developing both technical and soft skills. I’ve actively worked on enhancing my teamwork, adaptability, communication, and coordination abilities.

My academic and professional pursuits extend into the realms of economics, finance, banking, and management. In terms of digital proficiency, I am skilled in MS Office, Canva, and Google Workspace, and I am fluent in both Bengali and English.

Initially, building analytical skills on my own was a challenge. However, with Dr. Barua’s mentorship, I was able to unlock my research potential. Each research project assigned by Dr. Barua presented new challenges, broadening my learning experiences. Under his expert guidance, I have gained valuable skills in collecting, sorting, and interpreting data using statistical tools, deriving practical insights from data analysis, writing comprehensive reports, and conducting thorough literature reviews—essential components of effective research.

In my role as a research assistant, I continue to enhance my critical thinking and analytical writing skills under Dr. Barua’s direct supervision. It is an honor to benefit from his mentorship, and I am dedicated to bridging economic theories with real-life applications. My goal is to make a significant impact on Bangladesh’s future economy through ongoing learning and research.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐚

-> I am 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡. I consider myself efficient, sincere, and versatile, adept at balancing multiple responsibilities. As an Economics student, I’ve developed crucial skills such as analytical thinking, data interpretation, and economic modeling. Currently, I serve as the President of the Economics Career Alliance, where I further enhance my leadership, communication, event management, and people skills. I am proficient in Bangla, English, and Hindi, and hold a DELF A1 in French and German. Additionally, I am skilled in Google Workspace, MS Office, and Canva. In exploring my interests, I’ve found a strong enthusiasm for business, banking, economics, and research.

Initially, I was slightly intimidated by research, but under Dr. Suborna Barua’s guidance, I overcame this apprehension and found the intersection of theory and application. Dr. Barua’s support has been invaluable, especially given his enthusiasm for mentoring research assistants from various departments. As a research assistant, I am enhancing my critical thinking skills and thoroughly enjoying the learning process. As I continue to develop in this field, I am considering research as a potential career goal for the future. I am dedicated to making a positive impact on the economic sector in Bangladesh.

Join me in congratulating Shamira Haque - a Research Assistant of Professor Dr Suborna Barua for starting Msc on Operations Research and Business Analytics (ORBA) this year at the Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Germany.

Since 2023, Shamira worked with Professor Barua across a wide range of projects related to financial technology and business innovation funded by the Governmentof Bangladesh and the industry. She has always been an impactful contributor to Professor Barua’s team with dedication, commitment, and strong keenship in learning.

Let’s wish her a successful life ahead!

In his keynote, Suborna Barua, a professor of international business at the University of Dhaka, said transitioning to green SMEs would ensure sustainability by minimising waste and pollution while promoting the principles of a circular economy.

Greening SMEs the need of the hour Bangladesh may face significant barriers in exporting products to European nations in the future unless small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which provide intermediate goods and raw materials to large industries and brands, focus on greening their production units, experts said yesterday.

As about 90% of manufacturing units are SMEs in Bangladesh, sustainable development will remain a myth without greening SMEs. Yet, development plans and goals of the government provides minimal consideration and priority on greening the SME sector when it comes to sustainable development.

Highlighting this context, Professor Dr Suborna Barua delivered a a keynote on Green SMEs for Sustainable Development in Bangladesh on 23 May in a seminar as part of the 11th National SME Products Fair 2024 organized by SME Foundation at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).

Based on an exploratory research funded by the SME Foundation, Dr Barua presents the current understanding of SMEs about green practices and identifies several financial and non-financial constraints.

Professor Barua stresses that SMEs are only one component of the value chain and thus greening the entire ecosystem and value chain is essential in order to realize a paradigm shift in greening business practices of SMEs.

The seminar was joined by the Dr Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh as the Cheif Guest, and Professor of Economics Dr Shahadat Hossain Siddique, University of Dhaka and Professor Dr Zillur Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Dhaka. The seminar was chaired by Mr Salauddin Mahmud, Managing Director, SME Foundation. SME entrepreneurs and stakeholders from across the country attended the seminar.

Professor Dr Suborna Barua delivers today a keynote on Green SMEs for Sustainable Economic Development in Bangladesh at a seminar as part of the 11th National SME Product Fair 2024.

The keynote is based on a recent study led and completed by Professor Barua financed by the SME Foundation.

** Accepted Paper **

Venture Capital (VC) is the major source of capital for FinTech firms globally. But not that such funding goes everywhere.

In this paper, Professor Dr Suborna Barua and his co-author analyze the patterns and distribution of VC equity funding into FinTech firms globally. The paper explores interesting insights on the inequality distribution of VC funding for FinTechs.

This paper is the first output from Uttam Golder’s PhD research under the supervision of Professor Barua. Accepted for publication in Global Business and Economic Review (Q4, Scopus).

Access by purchasing for now: https://www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/forthcoming.php?jcode=gber

Read today’s interview of Professor Dr Suborna Barua with the daily Kaler Kantho on his plan to strengthen the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh leveraging technology and innovation.

https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/first-page/2024/05/19/1389233

Read today’s interview of Professor Dr Suborna Barua with the daily Kaler Kantho on his plan to strengthen the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh leveraging technology and innovation.

ডিজিটাইজেশনে আইসিবির আর্থিক সক্ষমতা বাড়বে ডিজিটাইজেশনে আইসিবির আর্থিক সক্ষমতা বাড়বে

Watch Professor Dr Suborna Barua speaks with NEWS24 Television on capital market and sustainability issues. The exclusive interview was aired on 11 May Saturday at 8 pm.

বাংলাদেশে গ্রীন ফাইন্যান্স এর অবস্থান কী? | বিশেষ সাক্ষাৎকার | ড. সুবর্ণ বড়ুয়া | News24 বাংলাদেশে গ্রীন ফাইন্যান্স এর অবস্থান কী? | বিশেষ সাক্ষাৎকার | ড. সুবর্ণ বড়ুয়া | News24 up-to-date with the latest news and...

** Fresh from the Oven: New Publication by Dr Barua **

Mobile financial services (MFS) platforms are considered the most retail, effective, and cost-efficient fintech intervention across the world.

In this latest paper, Dr Suborna Barua explores the determinants of user satisfaction and whether the effects of the determinants are different across gender and location by using survey data on 1,040 personal mobile financial services (MFS) users in Bangladesh.

The findings suggest that users of older age, belonging from the male gender, and having tertiary level qualification were likely to be less satisfied, compared to others with the same MFS products and services offering, regardless of variations in occupation. The findings also confirm that there are gendered and locational differences in user satisfaction and that the level of satisfaction in using the same MFS product and service offerings is likely to be different due to the differentiated effects of different demographic, MFS-specific, technology, and locational factors.

The insights from this paper offer several implications for MFS providers and policy-makers to foster financial inclusion and ensure access to financial services for all.

MOBILE FINANCIAL SERVICES AS RETAIL FINTECH INTERVENTION: WHAT DETERMINES THE GENDERED AND LOCATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN USER SATISFACTION? | Journal of Business Administration MOBILE FINANCIAL SERVICES AS RETAIL FINTECH INTERVENTION: WHAT DETERMINES THE GENDERED AND LOCATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN USER SATISFACTION? Authors Suborna Barua Professor, Department of International Business, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh DOI: https://doi.org/10.58964/JBA44N206 Keywords: D14, O14, O...

Recently, Professor Dr Suborna Barua joined a session as an invited panel discussant at the Research Publication Fair (All Institutes) 2024 held on 11th February at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka.

In the session, two papers were presented - one titled “Informal SMEs in Bangladesh: Formalization Challenges and Way Forward” jointly by Professor Dr Melita Mehjabeen of IBA and Associate Professor Dr Sadia Noor Khan of Banking and Insurance Department; and the other titled “Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Access to Finance in Bangladesh” by Professor Sheikh Morshed Jahan of IBA.

The session was chaired by Director of IBA Professor Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen.

** Green and Resilient Debt Platform for Bangladesh by UNDP: The Design Phase **

Among the key experts, Dr. Suborna Barua, Professor, Department of International Business, University of Dhaka and Chairman, Investment of Corporation of Bangladesh stressed on having a de-risking mechanism for the international investors borrowers, particularly for foreign exchange risk and default risk.

Step taken to foster private capital for green and resilience building initiatives in Bangladesh Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), underscores Bangladesh's readiness to leverage international private finance for green and resilience initiatives during the National Consultation Workshop on the Green and Resilient Debt Platform.

** COVID-19 threatens SDG financing and progress in developing countries **
- Dr Barua and his team find in a recent research

The COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented global health crisis, rapidly transferred into a global economic and social crisis.

Through a three-fold analysis using a mixed-method approach on pre- and post-Covid public financial data of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Dr Suborna Barua and his team find that there is mounting pressure on the fiscal balance in the two developing countries and they suffer from significant external financing gap.

The research finds that public funding priorities have already taken a shift from SDGs to economic survival and recovery, which poses as significant threat to the progress toward achieving SDGs by 2030.

Read the full article to know more at The European Journal of Development Research (Scopus Q1, Impact Factor 2.5).

COVID-19 Effects on Public Finance and SDG Priorities in Developing Countries: Comparative Evidence from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - The European Journal of Development Research The COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented global health crisis, rapidly transferred into a global economic and social crisis. The pandemic has threatened the world’s commitment to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 as governments in developing countries have shifted their prioritie...

Yesteday, Dr Suborna Barua and his team delivered the final dissemination of findings of the study on Identifying Risk Factors Affecting Sub-sectors’ Enterprises and Drawing Matrix to Mitigate Risks for Enterprise Survival funded by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation - PKSF.

Dr Barua led the study team and submitted the final report on behalf of DM WATCH.

In a recent show on Ekattor, Dr Suborna Barua speaks about the role of investment corporation of Bangladesh and the future of the capital market.

নির্বাচনের পরে বেশ কিছু ফ্যাক্টর নিয়ে চাঙ্গা হতে প্রস্তুত শেয়ারবাজার | Sharebazar | rthojog | নির্বাচনের পরে বেশ কিছু ফ্যাক্টর নিয়ে চাঙ্গা হতে প্রস্তুত শেয়ারবাজার ...

Dr Suborna Barua’s work crosses the 2000 citations mark!

Have a look at the latest issue of the Journal of Financial Markets and Governance (Vol 2, Issue 2) just released today both in printed and digital versions. Professor Dr Suborna Barua is the Managing Editor of the Journal.

This issue includes five high quality articles after a rigorous double blind peer review process, covering topics in capital markets, macroeconomy, digital finance, and poverty reduction.

We are happy to include a specially invited article contributed by Dr Atiur Rahman, Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank and a Professor at the Development Studies, University of Dhaka.

Very soon the Journal will announce the Best Paper award for the last two years. JFMG encourages submissions from authors across the world.

Vol. 2 No. 2 | Journal of Financial Markets and Governance

** Fresh from Oven **
Supply chain sustainability becomes critical for export sectors as global buying countries and companies require it more than ever. Particularly, Europe is likely to restrict or ban imports from suppliers that are less sustainable in future. As a result, Bangladesh’s RMG sector is likely to face greater scrutiny in the days to come.

Read Dr Barua’s latest co-authored article that explores the drivers and barriers of social sustainability in the RMG sector of Bangladesh.

The article is published in The International Journal of Logisitics Management with ABDC Rank A and Scopus Rank Q1.

Drivers and barriers for implementing social sustainability in supply chains: a qualitative investigation of a developing country's multi-tier suppliers | Emerald Insight Drivers and barriers for implementing social sustainability in supply chains: a qualitative investigation of a developing country's multi-tier suppliers - Author: Shobod Deba Nath, Gabriel Eweje, Suborna Barua

Following the last training in July at the University of Dhaka, Dr Suborna Barua just finished coordinating the 2nd round training of government officials on ‘Mobilising Climate Finance: Concepts, Strategies, and Implications’ CCDB Climate Centre, Gazipur held from 15 - 20 October, 2023. The first four days of the training were at the NEC-II Auditorium, Planning Commission Campus, Agargaon and the rest was residential at CCDB Climate Center.

The 7-day training was participated by twenty senior officials from ERD, Planning, IMED, IDCOL, IWM, and Bangladesh Bank who deal with climate finance projects and issues for the country on a day to day basis.

Coordinated by Dr Barua, the training is delivered by the Center for Policy Research on Business and Development (CPRBD), University of Dhaka with funding from GIZ Bangladesh. The training was joined by Ms Sharifa Khan, Secretary of ERD, Professor Abu Hena Reza Hasan, Director of CPRBD, Mr AKM Sohel, UN Wing Chief of ERD, and Dr Firdaus Ara Hussain from GIZ, Adviser for the ICICF Project as honorable guests.

For CPRBD, the organisation of the training included faculties of the Department of International Bussiness, University of Dhaka, with active and relentless contributions from Associate Professor Dr Mansura Akter, Professor Dr Shobod Deba Nath, Assistant Professor Dr Fahmida Mostafiz.

Debt for Climate Swap is a new tool that can comfort developing countries with debt relief while acting on climate change with more resources.

Read the latest op-ed by Dr. Suborna Barua about how Bangladesh can leverage it and should take it to the upcoming COP28.

Could debt cancellation finance Bangladesh’s climate actions? Reducing dependency on international climate financing requires innovation in financial instruments and mechanisms.