Unveiling the Metaverse: Symbiosis and Swansea University Collaborate for the Future of Business & Society

New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI/SRV): Symbiosis International (Deemed University) - Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune, and Swansea University, United Kingdom (UK), held their 'Sixth Seminar' in the third edition of the seminar series on 'The Digital Future for Business & Society'. This seminar marked the third edition of the series and focused on exploring 'Emerging perspectives on the Metaverse'.
The organization of this seminar is a collaborative effort led by esteemed individuals. Professor Yogesh K Dwivedi, a Professor of Digital Marketing and Innovation at the School of Management, Swansea University, Wales, UK, joins forces with Dr. Laurie Hughes, a Senior Lecturer within the Strategic Operations Group at the same institution. Additionally, Professor Dr. Ramakrishnan Raman, the Director of SIBM-Pune, Dean of the Faculty of Management at Symbiosis International (Deemed University), and Director of Strategy and Development at Symbiosis, plays a key role in this joint initiative.
The seminar series is jointly Supported by Digital Marketing and Analytics SIG Academy of Marketing, Grenoble IAE-Graduate School of Management - a Grenoble INP school of the University of Grenoble Alpes, The e-Business and e-Government SIG British Academy of Management and The UK Academy for Information Systems (UKAIS). The seminar is moderated by Dr Vinod Kumar, Associate Professor, SIBM Pune and Dr Anabel Gutierrez, Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Royal Holloway, University of London.
The sixth seminar in the series was held on 17th May 2023, featuring an eminent thought leader, Prof. Nir Kshetri from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, USA, who shared his insights on the topic: 'Pollution-reducing and pollution-generating effects of the metaverse'.
Prof. Nir Kshetri is a professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a research fellow at Kobe University, Japan. He has authored thirteen books and more than 200 academic articles. Hundreds of media outlets, such as BBC, Economist, Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, Public Radio International, Newsweek, Scientific American, and Bloomberg TV, have featured Prof. Nir's work. In addition, he has provided consulting services to Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and various UN agencies. Prof. Nir is a two-time TEDx speaker who spoke on the roles of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, in fighting poverty, and both Ted talks are available on YouTube.
During this thought-provoking seminar, Professor Nir shed light on the different types of the metaverse, including the consumer metaverse, enterprise metaverse, and industrial metaverse. He shared that one school of thought suggests the metaverse has the potential to make the world cleaner and greener. In contrast, another school of thought warns of its potential as an environmental sustainability disaster. Furthermore, he discussed the mechanisms through which the metaverse can contribute to pollution reduction and elimination. Finally, Professor Nir emphasized the importance of understanding the environmental impact of key technologies employed in the metaverse, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual realities. While these technologies enable immersive experiences and enhanced functionalities, they can also contribute to issues such as e-waste generation and shorter product life cycles. Additionally, he addressed one of the prominent challenges faced, which is the efficient storage, processing, and transmission of data within the metaverse.
In conclusion, Professor Nir highlighted the imperative need to address the metaverse's environmental implications as it continues to evolve and shape our digital experiences. By fostering dialogue, conducting research, and implementing responsible practices, we can harness the full potential of the metaverse while minimizing its negative impact on the environment.
This seminar can be watched on this YouTube link:

Speaking more about the seminar series and the session, Dr Ramakrishnan Raman, Director SIBM Pune, shared, "The objective of this seminar series is to offer a timely and thought-provoking insight to the Metaverse, its impact on the future of business, management, and societal factors impacted by the growth, direction, and widespread adoption of this new immersive technology. This seminar series is intended to present various perspectives from a number of leading global expert speakers to highlight the opportunities and challenges posed by the rapid emergence of the Metaverse." He also added that the next seminar of the series is scheduled on 21st June 2023, where Professor Savvas Papagiannidis, from Newcastle University, UK, will share his thoughts on the topic, "Metaverse retail: opportunities and challenges".
Those who are interested can register for the seminar by utilizing this link.:

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