VU Virtual University of Pakistan
Federal Government University
Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Saleem Sandhu
Assistant Professor (Section Head)
Department of Management Sciences
Faculty of Management


PhD (Management)


Entrepreneurship, SME Branding, Strategy & Marketing
Dr Muhammad Rizwan Saleem Sandhu has been serving as Assistant Professor at Department of Management Sciences, Virtual University of Pakistan since July 15, 2011. He has served the same University as Lecturer Marketing from December 01, 2009 to July 14, 2011. Before joining Virtual University he served Punjab Group of colleges for about six years as lecturer commerce and marketing. During his stay at Punjab group of colleges he has taught Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Business law at undergraduate, graduate and executive level. At VU he has designed and recorded three video courses;Strategic Management (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxL2WXDyx8M&list=PLFX_EwFvKKWMMwho1_tMmSAY-p-AJjoyV), Principles of Marketing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKKY_wgvZ8I&list=PLFX_EwFvKKWOFNKHSy2aVQ15jGZ5rz1c5) and Entrepreneurship (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp8b3sNT_Gw&list=PLKyB9RYzaFRjhdMv8w01rM0gLN6U9RBbq). He holds PhD in Management with specialization in SME Branding. Before PhD he completed MS degree in Entrepreneurship and SME Management from Government College University, Lahore and MBA from Institute of Business Administration, University of the Punjab, Lahore. He has presented eight research papers in international conferences held in Pakistan and his sixteen research papers have been published in national and international research journals. He has special interest in SME clusters & branding, entrepreneurship and marketing. Before joining academics he ran his own business startup for three years.
Experience
Director, Student Start Up Business Center
Virtual University of Pakistan
From Dec 31, 2021 To Mar 31, 2024
Head of the Department
Management Science, Virtual University of Pakistan
From Feb 27, 2016 To Feb 26, 2018
Deputy Director Student Start Up Business Center
Virtual University of Pakistan
From Jan 01, 2016 To Dec 30, 2021
Convener
Character Building Society, Virtual University of Pakistan
From Jan 01, 2014 To Jun 30, 2019
Deputy Director Quality Assurance
Virtual University of Pakistan
From Apr 01, 2012 To Feb 16, 2018
Assistant Professor
Virtual University of Pakistan
From Jul 15, 2011 To present
Lecturer
Virtual University of Pakistan
From Dec 01, 2009 To Jul 14, 2011
Lecturer
Punjab Group of Colleges, Lahore
From Nov 01, 2006 To Nov 27, 2009
Lecturer
Punjab College of Information Technology, Gujranwala
From Oct 01, 2004 To Oct 30, 2006
Entrepreneur
Business in Education Industry
From Sep 15, 2001 To Jun 30, 2004
Honors And Awards
Certificate of Excellence awarded by the Rector,VU on the basis of annual performance.
Year: 2020
Certificate of Excellence awarded by the Rector,VU on the basis of annual performance.
Year: 2018
Letter of Appreciation awarded by the Rector,VU for services in the Quality Enhancement of the University.
Year: 2014
Letter of Appreciation awarded by the Rector,VU for services in the Quality Enhancement of the University.
Year: 2013
Designed and recorded a three credit under graduate level course on sharing basis on Entrepreneurship (MGT602) in 2021.
Year:
Designed and recorded a three credit under graduate level course on Principles of Marketing (MGT301) in 2019.
Year:
Designed and recorded a three credit graduate level course on Strategic Management (MGT703) in 2017.
Year:
Memberships
Board of Studies
Member BOS of Entrepreneurship and SME Management Program, Department of Economics, GCU, Lahore since 2017.
Review Committee
Member of review committee ICOIE 2020, ICOIE 2019, ICOIE 2018, ICOIE 2017, COFE 2016.
Publications
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S, Azhar, T. M. & Zaheer, M. (2023). Developing a Multidimensional Scale to Measure Barriers to Product Branding in International Firms. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 12(3), 140-157
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Jamal, Y. M., Munir, S., Zaheer, M., & Saleem, M. R. (2023).Don’t make me feel alone: Ostracism and its effects on Performance .Page 65-78 GMR Vol. 19, No. 2, 2023 Journal of Business Studies Volume 19, No. 1, July-Dec 2023
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Zaheer, M., & Sandhu, M. R. S. . (2022). Exploring Knowledge Acquisition and Sharing Strategies: A Qualitative Study from Pakistan Football Industry. International Journal of Management Research and Emerging Sciences, 12(2). Retrieved from
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Chohan, A., Sandhu, M. R. S., & Zaheer, M.(2022).Does Effectuation Theory Explain the Startup Behaviors of Entrepreneurs in Pakistan?.Abasyn Journal of Social Sciences,15(1),29- 45.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Zafar, S., Sandhu, M. R. S., & Zaheer, M.(2022).WHY DO ENTREPRENEURS LEAVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP? EXPLORATORY STUDY FROM LAHORE, PAKISTAN.International Journal of Business Reflections,3(1),33- 55.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Hussain,S., Sandhu, M. R. S., Zaheer, M.,(2021). Entrepreneurial Orientation of Internationalized Firms and Their Export Performance: Evidence from Surgical Instruments Industry of Sialkot,Journal of Asian Development Studies,10(2), 58-65.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Hussain,S., Sandhu, M. R. S., Zaheer, M.,(2021). Entrepreneurial Orientation in Born Internationalized Firms: A Study from Developing Country,Journal of Asian Development Studies,10(1), 76-82.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. S., & Azhar, T. M. (2019). Barriers to branding in SMEs: An exploration at surgical industry of Sialkot, Pakistan. Paradigms, 13(1), 134-142.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S., Qamar, N., & Nazir, S. (2020). Course reduction can reduce failure rates of students: Lessons from the study of an e-learning university of Pakistan, Pakistan Journal of Distance and Online Learning, 5(2), 41-66
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Chishti, U., Sandhu, M. R. S., Zaheer, M., & Muneer, S., (2020). How Brands Are Placed In Movies? A Study of Sub-Continent Movies. Paradigms, 14(2), 122-129.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Khalid, H., Zaheer, M., Munir, S., & Saleem, M. R. (2020).MEASURING THE PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE RECRUITMENT SYSTEM.Page 1. 67 GMR Vol. 5, No. 2, 2020 Governance and Management Review (GMR) Volume 5, No. 2, July-Dec 2020
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S. (2020),Is Theory Really Different from Practice? (A Reflection Further Explored Based on Expert Opinion).Journal of Contemporary Teacher Education.Volume: IV, 2020, 43-60
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S., Hussain, S (2016)Role of Faculty Development Forums in Virtual Teaching. Open Praxis, vol. 8 issue 4, October–December 2016, pp. 325–335 (ISSN 2304-070X)
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S, & Azhar, T. M. (2020). Four-Factor Explanation on Working of SMEs without Product Brands: A study of Surgical Industry of Pakistan Using Higher Order Model in Smart PLS. Paradigms, 14(1), 194-213
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Saba,M., & Sandhu.M.R.S (2016). Personality; A Stimulus for Entrepreneurial Motivations. CURJ,06 (1), 23-36.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Sandhu, M. R. S, Zaheer, M., Sadiq,M.F., Feroze, A (2011). Transforming traditional industrial cluster into innovative cluster: A case of Surgical Instruments Forging Industry of Daska, Punjab, Pakistan. IJRCB, 3(3), 1355-1382.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
Hassan, M., & Sandhu, M. R. S (2011). Organizational Determinants of Firm Performance: A Case of Garments Manufacturing Firms of Lahore, Pakistan. IJRCM,2 (11), 38-42.
Year:
Category: HEC Y Category
. Sandhu, M. R. S., & Zaheer, M (2014). Interdependence of Value Chain Links : A Tale of Three Cities. Business Review 09 (1), 64-78.
Year:
Research Grants
DateTitleAgency / OrganizationHeadingAmount (Rs.)
2017Establishment of Student Start Up Business CenterHEC,PEP Foundation and VUFunded and in progress6000000.0000
2013Review of the Implementation of ORIC at Universities in PakistanHigher Education CommissionCompleted2600000.0000
Presentation
1 "Red Hot Brands" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan delivered in 2010
2 "Brand Customer Touch Points" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan & Graduate students of Government College University Lahore delivered in 2010
3 "Why Some Employees Forge Ahead & Other Lag Behind" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan delivered in 2010
4 "Why Some Organizations Fail & Others Succeed" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan delivered in 2010
5 "Cost Innovation: Secret of Chinese Success" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan delivered in 2011
6 "Strategies for Life" presentation to the faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan delivered in 2013
7 "Managing Time for Success" presentation to the staff members of Paigham TV Lahore delivered in 2013
8 “Managing Service Quality in Higher Education Institutions" presentation to the representatives of various universities delivered at HEC, Peshawar & Lahore in 2013
9 “Surgical Forging Industry of Daska: Some Findings Some Recommendations " paper presented during INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on INSTITUTION, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN ORGANIZED BY GCU, LAHORE IN 2013
10 "Work ethics for QA Staff in HEIs" Training conducted at HEC in 2015.
11 "Success Story of VU" A talk delivered in First All Pakistan Online Education Summit 2020.
12 "Case Study Research" A Talk delivered during 3rd 12-week Public Policy and Management Course Organized by PIMPD in August 2020.
13 "Implementation of QA in HEIs: A Case of Change Management" Training conducted for QECs at HEC in 2015.
14 “Shining in the Gloomy Neighborhood" paper presented during SAICON 2013 organized by COMSATS, Abbotabad in PC Bhurban in 2013.
15 Delivered Talks on Online Teaching Management/Digital Literacy to the teachers of Danish School at Quaed-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development on 28-07-2021 and 31-07-2021.