All living organizations periodically experience a paradigm shift. The current paradigm shift for many organizations is sharper and more basic than perhaps ever before. Causative factors are several, including a shrinking world, expanding me: both on account of various factors, including technology. Emerging concerns of health and sustainability have added to the complexity. A new era is on the horizon where even employment scenario has taken, overtones of a market place with characteristics of virtual integration. The 49^th IFTDO World Conference will focus on “Strategies for an Agile Work Culture –Pathways to the New-Age. The theme seeks to tackle the current scenario so that it brings greater dynamism to the market-place and is relevant, to the context, especially the Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 era. Sessions of the Conference, aligned theme shall be grouped under five tracks namely Skills, Technology, Markets, Sustainability and Agile Work Culture. A wide galaxy of Indian and International speakers is expected to bring to life diverse perspectives and ideas during the three day conference.

The Academic Committee of the 49^th IFTDO World Conferences invites academics and practitioners in the field of management to contribute papers for presentation and discussion at the conference. The papers will broadly be classified into the aforementioned tracks, and below are indicative sub-themes under each track that the papers may address. Extended abstracts of not more than 1500 words and not less than 1000 words are invited. Upon selection of abstracts full papers will be expected to be submitted.

Track 1: Skills

a. Education policies and skill development
b. Skill development in the post-Covid era
c. Skill development and the knowledge economy
d. Effectiveness of remote learning and development initiatives
e. Talent Management in the post-Covid era
f. Re-skilling

Track 2: Technology

a. Technology and the Workplace of the future
b. The digital workplace in the post-Covid era
c. Work culture in the digital workplace
d. Digital wellbeing
e. Role of technology in the employee engagement, training and development initiatives

Track 3: Markets

a. Managing workforce in the gig economy
b. Global changes in the post-Covid era for the labour markets
c. Employee perceptions of job security and the job market in the remote working era
d. Issues of remote management

Track 4: Sustainability

a. Role of HR and T&D in the recovery of organizations in the post-Covid era?
b. Employee wellbeing and the pandemic
c. Diversity and Inclusion in the remote working era
d. Sustainable development goals of organizations in the post-Covid era
e. Strategic agility of organizations in the face of covid-19
f. Organizational resilience

The sub-themes are only indicative and participants may submit abstracts that are relevant to the five track