HELP DESK Those IMDA Congress delegates who experience difficulties before the start of the congress may communicate with Dr. Erdener Kaynak for help at ek9@comcast.net  or telephone to +90-536-2670264 (calls from outside of Turkey) and 0536-2670264 (calls placed inside Turkey) 

FLIGHT SCHEDULES BETWEEN ISTANBUL AND KONYA

DEDEMAN KONYA HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER

The Congress venue is Dedeman Konya Hotel & Convention Center. With its excellent location, it is just a short walk from the city center and close to most of the city amenities. Combining high technology and modern architecture with comfort and impressive aesthetics, Dedeman Konya Hotel & Convention Center is the only five-star hotel in Konya’s city center. The hotel offers 207 rooms with free wireless Internet service, satellite TV, Life Style Health & SPA Center, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, and Turkish bath. For IMDA delegates, Dedeman Konya Hotel & Convention Center single room rate is Euro 55.00, double room rate is Euro 80.00, and triple room rate is Euro 100.00. There is an additional  hotel tax of 8%.

OBJECTIVES

The 19^th World Business Congress of the International Management Development Association (IMDA) will be held in Konya, Turkey, from July 21-25, 2010, and is jointly organized and hosted by KTO Karatay University in partnership with Konya Chamber of Commerce. We invite scholarly papers, panel/special session proposals, and case study exercises for presentation and subsequent publication in the refereed Congress proceedings. In addition to sharing scholarship regarding global business issues, the Congress offers participants an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world and to exchange information and ideas on a variety of global business topics.

HOSTS: KONYA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND KTO KARATAY UNIVERSITY

The organization and institutionalization of commerce in Konya began with the Ahi (Brotherhood) Organization. The Brotherhood was a religious organization that followed the Sufi tradition of Islam during the 13th and 14th centuries. Most of the members were merchants and craftsmen, and viewed taking pride in their work as a testament to their adherence to Islam. The Ahi Organization was not just a commercial activity, but also a highly ethical institution and a historical part of Turkish civilization. For centuries, Ahi principles and practices had a voice in the commercial, political and sometimes military endeavors of tradesmen. Eventually the Ahi Organization emerged into profession guilds, and lost its effectiveness. Over the years foreign and internal trade increased multi-dimensionally, and the need for a commercial institution emerged. On June 13, 1876, a decree gave rise to the foundation of chambers. By this decree, a private assembly-the Commerce and Agriculture Assembly-was established. After the declaration of the Turkish Republic in 1925, Konya Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established, and in 1926 member registration started. In response to the number of tradesmen and industrialists increasing and the production sector improving, Konya Chamber of Industry was re-organized on May 1, 1974—the Chamber has continued its activities under the name of Konya Chamber of Commerce. Today, there are some 18.000 tradesmen and industrialists who are members of Konya Chamber of Commerce, and there are 43 professional committees in its structure. For more information, visit www.kto.org.tr/english/historykcc.htm.

KTO Karatay University is a newly chartered foundation university devoted to excellence in higher education. From its state-of-the-art facilities and vigorous curriculums to its hands-on instruction, KTO Karatay University is focused on educating the future leaders and professionals of Turkey. It boasts a teaching and learning environment characterized by the dynamics of an advanced, developing country, such as Turkey, and aims for individual attention to students with strict adherence to high EU academic standards. With a long historical background dating back to 7000 BC, During the Seljuk times (12^th and 13^th centuries) Konya had been home to almost 500 madrasahs, or places of learning including The Madrasah of Karatay acting as one of the major universities, teaching theological sciences, astronomy, mathematics and medicine. Mavlana Jelaleddin Rumi lectured at the Madrasah of Karatay. With this kind of heritage, KTO Karatay University will become a beacon for Konya, Central Anatolia, and ultimately Turkey. The University offers degree programs in law, engineering, economics, administrative sciences, and fine arts.  It is sponsored by Konya Chamber of Commerce and offers need-oriented, applied education. As such, it contributes to the regional economy. For more information, visit www.karatay.edu.tr.