The delivery of prosperity to people will depend on how nations could introduce innovations, the commercial production by entrepreneurs of inventions made by scientists and engineers or management Gurus in introducing new products or new systems of management. Therefore, a nation which lacks both inventions and innovations cannot think of attaining economic prosperity. Both require challenging the existing order and thinking outside the box. It itself is an art as well as a science which should be inculcated in the minds of people of all walks of life. This should be done both at the individual and national levels. To gain effectivity, there should be a ‘critical mass of inventors and innovators’ present to effect a permanent change in society.

BMS Campus through its School of Science promotes inventions, and through its School of Business creates innovators. Its students have won international acclaim for such introductions. Hence, its Research Symposium 2024 has chosen an apt theme ‘Fueling Innovation and Sustainability: Synergising Management Strategies with Scientific Advancement’ relevant for the current state of economic development of the country. Students, Faculty, and invited researchers will present their research findings in this Symposium. As before, these research findings will find their way for eventual commercial development.

I offer my thanks to the organising committee for venturing into this enterprise and congratulations to the researchers who present their research findings at the Symposium.

Dr W A Wijewadena
DBA, DBA (B&F), DCL (h.c), FIB (SL), MSc (Econ)