My experience of educational cultural diversity started at an early age because of my father being in the Pakistan Air Force we had to move from one air base to another including Abu Dhabi, UAE. These early experiences taught me to adapt to new environments, people and cultures thus building resilience in me. Living in the USA I was introduced not only to a new culture but also a new educational system both of which enhanced my diversity positively. Also being part of a business (Subway Restaurant) introduced me to the franchise system, supply chains and dealing with suppliers and customers. South Africa was another experience that enhanced my cultural, educational and work diversity while affirming my view that different people can live and work together, and that supply chains are a necessity in all fields. My work experiences in Pakistan reinforced my belief that understanding the supply chain in any field is necessary for growth and development. The understanding of how supply chains form and operate was imparted by a diverse faculty, culturally and field wise, at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. As an academic I use my diverse cultural, educational and work experiences to make students understand how supply chains are basically the same but different also.
The MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Sheffield Hallam University is accredited by Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, and Chartered Institute Logistics and Transport, therefore the course work covered all the aspects of a logistics and supply chains, and the management of them. The knowledge gained from studying the course work clarified the Logistics and Supply Chain Management concept and how these concepts can be used to design, plan and implement a robust and competitive supply chain. Another aspect was the introduction to the range of research being conducted in the supply chain area. A very interesting area to me was how supply chains can be made environmentally friendly which lead me to the research for my dissertation titled “Development of a Strategic Direction for Green Supply Chain Initiative” My research supervisor was Professor Sameh Saad, Chair in Enterprise Modelling and Management, and Course Leader MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management and MBA Industrial Management, who has a vast and keen academic and research interest in engineering and management fields including Logistics and Supply Chain Management.