ACADEMY OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
MIDDLE EAST-NORTH AFRICA CHAPTER
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I – NAME AND OFFICE
The organization shall be designated the Academy of International Business Middle East – North Africa Chapter; or, in abbreviated form, AIB-MENA. The organization is a chapter of the Academy of International Business.
The offices of the AIB-MENA shall be located at the address of the AIB-MENA Chapter Chair or President, or at such other place as may be designated by the AIB-MENA Chapter Chair. The website and finance are based in AIB-MENA supporting universities.
ARTICLE II – MISSION
To promote teaching and research of all areas of international business and policy, within the framework of the worldwide AIB, and to act as a forum for the development and exchange of views on issues relevant to international business and policy, mainly by means of the AIB-MENA Annual Conference and the AIB-MENA Newsletter/Official publishing.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the AIB-MENA chapter is limited to members of the Academy of International Business (AIB). Applications for membership shall be submitted to the AIB Secretariat for processing. AIB members who reside and/or work within the following Middle East or North Africa countries are members of the AIB-MENA chapter: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Arab Republic of Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Members of the AIB who reside and/or work elsewhere will be admitted to membership of the AIB-MENA if their preference is for affiliation to the latter. Members of the AIB-MENA are subject to the Bylaws of the parent AIB organization. All membership dues are collected by AIB. There shall be no separate levy of membership dues by the chapter itself. All elected officers of the AIB-MENA must be AIB members and be affiliated with the AIB-MENA chapter, based on AIB’s membership records, throughout their term.
ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
An annual meeting of the membership of the AIB-MENA, termed AIB-MENA Members’ Meeting, shall be held at such time and place as determined by the Chapter Executive Committee. Special meetings, in addition to the annual meeting, may be called by the Chapter Executive Committee. Notice of the time, place, and agenda of such special meetings shall be provided to the members either electronically or by mail.
Section 1. AIB-MENA Members’ Meeting
The AIB-MENA Members’ Meeting is held annually during the AIB Annual Conference. The formal role of the meeting is to approve the reports of the Chapter Chair, to elect members of the Chapter Executive Committee as appropriate, and to make recommendations for improving
the operations of the AIB-MENA Chapter. Proposals for venues for following years’ chapter meetings are requested at the AIB-MENA Members’ Meeting. Where possible, a decision on at least the following year’s meeting will be taken at the Members’ Meeting. Otherwise, bids will be requested, with a decision being taken by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Chapter Executive Committee Meetings
Meetings of the Chapter Executive Committee are to be held at least twice a year. One of the meetings will take place during the AIB Annual Conference.
ARTICLE V – GOVERNMENT
The governance of the AIB-MENA will be vested in the Chapter Executive Committee, which shall include the following officers: Chapter Chair, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Academic Programs. In addition to these officers, the Founder and Past Chapter Chairs shall serve on the Executive Committee as ex-officio.
The Chapter Executive Committee shall determine policies of the AIB-MENA Chapter consistent with the Bylaws. A majority of the Chapter Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at official meetings.
AIB-MENA Governance Structures & Chart
All officers in AIB-MENA are elected by the chapter membership except for the Chapter Chair, which is a nominated position. The Chapter Chair is nominated by the Executive Committee for a term of five years and is elected for a period of five years, renewable once. The Vice-Presidents of Marketing, Academic and Finance are each elected for three years. The Vice President Operations is a two year term as it is place specific, depending on where the conference is being held. All other office bearers have a two-year term which will allow some transition between officers. Vice Presidents must have some experience in chapter committees or they will hold the title of Manager. A new term of office for the Executive Board shall start 30 days after the annual chapter meeting.
Election of all Chapter Executive Committee members (other than the ex officio positions of Immediate Past Conference Organizer and Past Chapter Chairs) shall take place by an electronic or mail ballot of the AIB-MENA’s voting members. The voting members will be informed of vacancies at the commencement of the Annual Conference and or through the AIB listserv or AIB-MENA membership list, and elections will take place ideally at the AIB-MENA Members’ Meeting. Candidates for election to the Chapter Executive Committee must be current chapter members and have a proposer and a seconder.
Section 1. Duties of Chapter Officers
1. Chapter Chair
• The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the AIB-MENA Chapter.
• The Chair shall be responsible for direction of the Chapter, supervising the functions of all other chapter offices.
• The Chair, as the AIB US-MENA representative, shall be invited to attend the annual meeting of the AIB Chapter Chairs. If the Chair is unable to attend, the Chair, in coordination with the AIB Secretariat, shall determine a chapter representative to attend the meeting on behalf of the chapter.
• The Chair is responsible for ensuring that suitable candidates are identified for the AIB-MENA awards.
• The chair must submit an annual chapter budget for the following calendar year to the AIB Secretariat for the AIB Executive Board review and approval, no later than three weeks prior to the AIB Annual Meeting. The Chair must also submit a written annual report of the Chapter’s activities and summary of financial status to the AIB Executive Secretariat, no later than three weeks prior to the AIB Annual Meeting.
• The Chair is responsible for coordinating with the members of the community and ensuring the AIB-MENA projects are continued to meet AIB-MENA objectives. Management of key stakeholders is necessary for the reputation and legitimacy of AIB-MENA.
2. Immediate Past Chapter Chair
• The Immediate Past Chapter Chair shall be a member of the Chapter Executive Committee for five (5) years immediately following his or her term of office as Chapter Chair.
• The Immediate Past Chair shall perform other duties as the Chapter Executive Committee projects may prescribe.
• The Founder remains an ex-officio member of the executive committee. Often the immediate chapter chair, or the founder, may be deputed as the chapter chair when the chapter chair is unable to attend meetings or for coordination of key roles and responsibilities.
3. Vice President- Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns
• This role reports to the AIB-MENA chapter chair.
• The VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns is primarily responsible for
the organization and logistics of the AIB-MENA annual conference and workshops.
• The role requires coordinating with local host universities, supporting in generating sponsorships, local sourcing of conference material and managing local support.
• The VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns will collaborate with the VP Academic Program Coordination & Proceedings, and in conjunction with the Chapter Executive Committee, be responsible for all conference activities. The registration fee for conferences is approved by the Chapter Executive Committee.
• The manager interns will report to this role.
• The VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns is responsible for submitting a detailed report on his/her achievements as outlined by this document to the chair for compilation for the annual report to the AIB Executive Board.
• The VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns will mentor the incoming VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns and guide them in their role. The Manager Interns reports to VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns.
3a. Manager Intern:
• This role reports to the VP Conference Logistics, Operations and Interns.
• The job involves recruitment, training and managing interns for projects AIB-MENA is coordinating and implementing.
• Interns are especially used for conferences but the long-term intension is to use interns for administration, outreach, sponsorship and generating content for newsletters and journals.
• This is a resource function.
4. Vice President- Finance (Sponsorship & Treasurer)
• This role reports to the AIB-MENA chapter chair.
• The VP in this role serves as the Treasurer and shall handle all financial
transactions of the AIB-MENA Chapter, including the preparation of budgets for approval by the Chapter Executive Committee and the AIB-MENA Chapter members at the Annual Meeting and a statement of the Chapter’s financial position for submission, through the Chapter Chair, to the AIB Executive Secretariat.
• The VP Finance will be responsible for fundraising to ensure sufficient funds are available in the AIB-MENA coffers.
• The VP Finance may convene a sub-committee to help with sponsorships.
• The VP in this role is responsible for submitting a detailed report on his/her achievements as outlined by this document to the chair for compilation for the annual report to the AIB Executive Board.
• The VP Finance is responsible for the outreach chairs.
5. Vice President- Academic Program Coordination & Proceedings
• This role reports to the AIB-MENA chapter chair.
• The Vice President Program Coordination & Proceedings shall assist in the development of the pre-conference activities of the Annual Meeting which includes setting up the online submission systems, identifying track chairs, identifying reviewers and completing timely reviews and scheduling of sessions for the conference. They are responsible for coordinating with AIB to bring in the JIBS workshop leaders.
• The VP in this role is responsible to assure the conference proceedings are published.
• The VP in this role shall perform other duties as the Executive Committee may prescribe.
• The VP is responsible for submitting a detailed report on his/her achievements as
outlined by this document to the chair for compilation for the annual report to the AIB Executive Board.
• The VP may convene a sub-committee to help with conference organization.
• The incoming Vice President Academic Program Coordination & Proceedings shall succeed the outgoing Vice President Academic Program Coordination & Proceedings at the termination of the Vice President’s year in office. This role is a two-year role dependent on the locality of the chapter’s conference. Both VPs are responsible for helping identify a theme to the conference for that year and at least the next succeeding year.
6. Vice President- Marketing & Membership (Database Management & Newsletter).
• This role reports to the AIB-MENA chapter chair
• The VP in this role is responsible for all marketing and membership activities of the chapter.
• The roles of the Newsletter Editor falls under this role. There should be at least an annual AIB-MENA Chapter Newsletter issued after the local AIB-MENA conference. The Newsletter should include details of research activities at MENA universities and publications by members.
• In addition, the VP in this role must generate PR and social media awareness and the report should include examples of outreach.
• This role works with the VP Academic Program Coordination & Proceedings to produce a conference proceeding.
• The VP in this role is responsible for putting up notices about upcoming events, updating the website and ensuring that all communication is standardized using AIB-MENA templates.
• The VP in this role will be responsible for designing the new logo for the upcoming
AIB-MENA conference.
• This role will ensure all certificates of participation and other recognition certificates are printed and available for AIB-MENA events.
• The VP in this role is responsible for submitting a detailed report on his/her achievements as outlined by this document to the chair for compilation for the annual report to the AIB Executive Board.
• This role works with the editor of the AIB-MENA journal to help produce and promote the publication online. Initially this task will be under the chapter chair and founder and if it evolves will become a full independent role. The focus of this Journal will be to begin an industry academic focused Journal.
7. Outreach Chairs (GCC/Levant/Egypt/Pakistan/North Africa & Others)
Part of the responsibility of the Outreach Chairs is to be responsible for regular liaising with existing members and for the recruitment of new members. They will work with the VP Finance. They will submit an annual report to VP Finance. Some of the outreach chairs may be chosen to shadow an Chapter Executive Committee member to prepare them for a future role on the AIB-MENA Chapter Executive Committee.
8. Immediate Past Conference Organizer
The Immediate Past Conference Organizer shall assist and support the Conference Organizer with all program responsibilities.
9. Secretary and Membership Liaison
The Secretary and Membership Liaison will be incorporated in the VP position of Marketing and will be responsible for preparing agendas and taking minutes at all meetings of the AIB-MENA Chapter, and undertake other secretarial activities as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee. In addition, the person will be responsible to manage the membership database. They will register online publications and coordinate for production of all publications material. They shall be responsible for regular liaison with existing members and for the recruitment of new members. They shall draw up guidelines for the AIB-MENA conference organization and to ensure continuity in organization from year to year. This position reports to the AIB-MENA Chapter Chair. At this time, this role is merged with VP Marketing & Membership.
ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES
The Chapter Executive Committee shall form Standing Committees whenever needed. The Founder and Chapter Chair shall be an ex officio member of all such committees and may delegate responsibilities to others. The Chapter Executive Committee may appoint any member of the AIB-MENA Chapter to serve on any specific Standing Committee. The term of office for members of the Standing Committees shall be determined by the Chapter Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VII – FISCAL YEAR AND FUNDING OBJECTIVE
The AIB-MENA fiscal year shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31.
Section 1. Funding Objective for AIB-MENA Activities
A fiscal budget will be put together by the VP Finance and agreed upon by the Chapter Executive Committee. The AIB-MENA Chapter will operate accordingly to stay within the budget under normal circumstances. A minimal fee will be charged for the yearly conferences. Universities and international companies in the region will be offered to market themselves in the AIB-MENA newsletter and on the AIB-MENA website for a minimal fee, to finance the costs of AIB-MENA sponsored activities.
ARTICLE VIII – ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER
The meetings of the AIB-MENA Chapter Executive Committee and the annual chapter meeting shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
ARTICLE IX -AMENDMENT TO THE BYLAWS
The Chapter Executive Committee shall be responsible for proposing amendments to the Bylaws. Amendment to the Bylaws shall be adopted upon a majority of the votes cast by the chapter members in response to a ballot, communicated either electronically or by mail. Chapter membership shall be judged to include the members in good standing 60 days prior to the date of the communication of the ballot.
