Afnan Zafar, PhD

Dr. Afnan Zafar works as a Head of Development and Internationalisation at Gimara. Recently, he also worked as an RDI Specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences. Previously, he worked as a coach and company coordinator at Arffman (Barona). He has Post-Doc in Sustainable production and Innovation from Sweden and a PhD in Product Development and Innovations from Finland. He has a Finnish Pedagogical Teaching Qualification from Finland and holds a Bachelor’s degree (PharmD) in Pharmaceutical Science from the University of Punjab, majoring in production. Afnan can take a holistic approach to innovation throughout any product and service development lifecycle. He can understand the market needs and develop a product that the market wants.

LIST OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATIONS (RDI) ACTIVITIES

Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2022. Finnish Firms and the Employment of Foreign Workers. In book Ahram, T., & Taiar, R. (Eds.). (2022). Accelerating Open Access Science in Human Factors Engineering and Human-Centered Computing: Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE I 2022). AHFE International. DOI: http://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1001858 ensuring that the needs and perspectives of all parties in terms of the customer experience are taken into account in the piloted service. Retrieved: https://openaccess.cms-conferences.org/#/publications/book/978-1-958651-20-9/article/978-1-958651-20-9_9

Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2022. Internationalisation of Finnish Firms and Use of Digital Solutions. In book Ahram, T., & Taiar, R. (Eds.). (2022). Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies (IHIET-AI 2022): Artificial Intelligence & Future Applications (Vol. 23). AHFE International. Retrieved: http://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe100911

Ahola, M., Zafar., A. & Pusa, M.-L. (2022). MALVA mukana matkalla kohti työelämää – Missä asioissa tukea tarvittiin? Teoksessa: Nuutila, L. & Honkanen, E. (toim). Tahdon töihin. Moniäänisiä näkökulmia maahanmuuttajien työllistymiseen. Helsinki: Haaga-Helia. Haaga-Helian julkaisut 1/2022. 160-168. Retrieved: https://www.haaga-helia.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/artikkelit/tahdon-toihin

Ahola, M. & Zafar., A. (2022). Bottien matkassa – kokemuksia MALVAssa. Teoksessa: Nuutila, L. & Honkanen, E. (toim). Tahdon töihin. Moniäänisiä näkökulmia maahanmuuttajien työllistymiseen. Helsinki: Haaga-Helia. Haaga-Helian julkaisut 1/2022. 177-184. Retrieved: https://www.haaga-helia.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/artikkelit/tahdon-toihin

Ahola, M., Zafar., A. & Pusa, M.-L. (2022). Yritysten digitaalisten perehdytyskäytänteiden ja tuen kartoitus. Teoksessa: Nuutila, L. & Honkanen, E. (toim). Tahdon töihin. Moniäänisiä näkökulmia maahanmuuttajien työllistymiseen. Helsinki: Haaga-Helia. Haaga-Helian julkaisut 1/2022. 49-56. Retrieved: https://www.haaga-helia.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/artikkelit/tahdon-toihin

Zafar A. (2022) Survival of Fittest: Open Innovation and Product Development Linkages. In: Ahram T., Taiar R. (eds) Human Interaction, Emerging Technologies and Future Systems V. IHIET 2021. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 319. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85540-6_145

Kouzi, A., Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2021. Perhosefekti – Koulu monikulttuurisena työpaikkana ja yhteiskunnan kulttuurisen moninaisuuden haasteen peilinä. LAB RDI Journal. Retrieved: https://www.labopen.fi/lab-rdi-journal/perhosefekti-koulu-monikulttuurisena-tyopaikkana-ja-yhteiskunnan-kulttuurisen-moninaisuuden-haasteen-peilina/

Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2021. Human-Artificial Systems Collaboration in Service Innovation and Social Inclusion. Will be published in book Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Intelligent Human Systems Integration: Integrating People and Intelligent Systems (IHSI 2021). Springer Nature. Virtual Conference, February 22-24, 2021. Retrieved: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-68017-6_78

Lozano, R., Barreiro‐Gen, M., & Zafar, A. (2021). Collaboration for organizational sustainability limits to growth: Developing a factors, benefits, and challenges framework. Sustainable Development. Retrieved: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2170

Sköld, A. M. et al. 2021. Innovative suppliers knowledge integration and digitization. MGMT of Innovation and Technology 1 (March 2021), 3. Innovation & idégenerering. Retrieved: http://mgmt.imit.se/artiklar/leverantor-4-0/

Zafar, A. (2021, February). The Openness of Open Innovation in the Product Development Process. In International Conference on Intelligent Human Systems Integration (pp. 685-690). Springer, Cham. Retrieved: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-68017-6_101

Zafar, A. (2020). Reasons for outsourcing innovations and its effect on firm performance: Evidence from highly innovative firms from twenty countries. Technium Soc. Sci. J., 13, 305. Retrieved: https://doi.org/10.47577/tssj.v13i1.1705

Barreiro-Gen, M., Lozano, R. & Zafar, A. (2020). Changes in Sustainability Priorities in Organisations due to the COVID-19 Outbreak: Averting Environmental Rebound Effects on Society. Sustainability, 12 (12). Retrieved: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125031

Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2019. The odyssey of obtaining a student visa for Finland. Acrticle in Foreigner.fi. Retrieved: https://www.foreigner.fi/articulo/work-and-study/the-odyssey-of-obtaining-student-visa-for-finland/20190915124027002914.html

Zafar, A. 2019 Revamping the employability of highly skilled immigrants in Finland. Publications of the Migration Institute 4/2029. Retrieved: https://siirtolaisuus-migration.journal.fi/article/view/89329

Zafar, A. 2019. Is the shortage of talent in Finland real or just a myth? Acrticle in Foreigner.fi. Retrieved: https://www.foreigner.fi/opinion/afnan-zafar/is-the-shortage-of-talent-in-finland-real-threat-or-just-myth/20190927172606003034.html

Zafar, A. & Ahola, M. 2019. LAB: Boosting Startup and SME Ecosystems in the South Karelia and Päijät-Häme Regions. Lamk PUB. Retrieved: https://www.lamkpub.fi/2019/09/26/lab-boosting-startup-and-sme-ecosystems-in-the-south-karelia-and-paijat-hame-regions/

Ahola, M. & Zafar, A. 2019. Merging and Collaboration of Educational Institutes: New dimension of Open Innovation. LAMK Pro. Retrieved: http://www.lamkpub.fi/2019/09/09/merging-and-collaboration-of-educational-institutes:-new-dimension-of-open-innovation

Ahola, M., & Zafar, A. 2020. Relationship Between Frugal and Inclusive Innovation and Digital Employment Solutions (DES): A Review. In International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (pp. 398-403). Springer, Cham. Retrieved: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-55307-4_60

Ahola, M., Haikala, R. & Zafar, A. 2019. Access to study and employment is a challenge for high educated students. In Finnish. Lamk PUB. Retrieved: http://www.lamkpub.fi/2019/11/15/opiskelemaan-paasy-ja-tyollistyminen-haastavat-ulkomaiset-korkeakouluopiskelijat-muut-maat-keraavat-osaajat/

Ahola, M., Haikala, R. & Zafar, A. 2019. Accessible Language learning Online. Conference: 12th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation Seville (Spain). 11th – 13th of November, 2019.At: Seville, Spain. IATED Digital Library. ISSN: 2340-1095.

Zafar Afnan (2023) Me vastaan he – kotoutumisen pulma Suomessa . Turun Sanomat 27.7.2023. https://www.ts.fi/lukijoilta/6059387

Zafar Afnan (2023). We vs They -The dilemma of integration in Finland. Helsinki Times 29.7.2023. https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/columns/columns/viewpoint/23947-we-vs-they-the-dilemma-of-integration-in-finland.html