Bangladesh Open University (BOU)

Zahed Mannan
Associate Professor
Management, OS

Profile of Zahed Mannan

Dr. Mannan is an Associate Professor of Management at Bangladesh Open University. Throughout his distinguished academic career, he has also served as a faculty member and subject specialist at several leading private universities in Bangladesh.

Dr. Mannan is a recognized expert in Management and Human Resource Management (HRM), with a strong research focus on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Participative Management. He has made extensive contributions to the academic field, authoring several textbooks and publishing scholarly articles and research papers. His research interests include PPP, performance management, knowledge management, the knowledge economy, and participative management. Notably, he has been actively involved in ADB-funded PPP projects in higher education. He has participated in international academic and development initiatives in the UK, Russia, India, Australia, Malaysia, and the USA. He has served on editorial review boards for reputed journals and has reviewed articles for respected international publishers such as Elsevier, Emerald, and Sage. He also serves as an Associate Expert for the Global Circle for Scientific, Technological, and Management Research (GCSTMR) under Science, Technology, and Management Crest Australia. Additionally, he is a program reviewer and content editor for multiple academic programs at Bangladesh Open University.

With many years of university-level teaching experience, Dr. Mannan has also provided managerial consulting services to prominent IT and security companies. As a management consultant and strategic planner, he has supported both business and nonprofit organizations in areas such as strategic planning, job analysis, job description development, and performance management auditing.

His leadership and vision were instrumental in introducing core MBA courses—Strategic Management, Essentials of Management, Organizational Behavior, Public Policy, and Business Communication—at Bangladesh Open University and other private universities. Dr. Mannan has delivered numerous lectures and training sessions, both in person and online, on topics including Total Quality Management (TQM), HRM, and strategic management. His work extends beyond academia into the broader business community. With extensive multicultural exposure, Dr. Mannan brings global perspectives to his academic, consulting, and advisory roles through his international experiences and collaborations.

Academic Innovation & Program Leadership

To promote higher education in one's native language, eliminate language barriers, and encourage participation across all social and professional levels, Dr. Mannan introduced the first MBA (Master of Business Administration) program in Bengali in 2019. Following its success, he launched the BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) program in Bengali in 2020. All textbooks for both programs are written in Bengali to support student learning. To meet modern security needs, address a critical shortage of scientific crime-analysis experts, and support national legal and police reforms, Dr. Mannan established the Master's in Criminology and Criminal Justice program in 2021. To leverage the rapidly growing tourism industry, fill a significant market gap for skilled professionals, and provide flexible, job-oriented training that enables youth to earn sooner than through a traditional four-year degree, he developed the Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management program in Bengali.

Areas of Expertise & Academic Background

Dr. Mannan's primary academic areas include Strategic Management, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, and Marketing Management. His research interests cover Public-Private Partnerships, Total Quality Management, Knowledge Management, and Participative Management, supported by expertise in empirical research methods, qualitative case studies, and data analysis. He holds a Ph.D. Research Fellowship from Dhaka University, where his work focused on Public-Private Partnerships in Bangladesh's higher education sector. Additionally, he earned an MBA with a specialization in Human Resource Management and a BBA in Management from Dhaka University.

Ph.D.	University of Dhaka	Public-Private Partnership in the Higher Education Sector in Bangladesh: A Study on Model Building for Efficient Management System and Implementation Mechanism.
MBA	University of Dhaka	Human Resource Management
BBA	University of Dhaka	Management

Research Papers and Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

• Mannan, Z. (2026). Knowledge Diplomacy: Why the Global Economy Needs International Higher Education. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25973.13286
• Mannan, Z. (2025). Leadership Approaches in Public Owned Industrial Organisations: Evidence from a Developing Country.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26794/2304-022X-2025-15-1-78-87
• Mannan, Z., Ahmed, F., & Uddin, M. M. (2024). Critical success factors of public-private partnership (PPP) implementation: A study in Bangladesh.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26794/2308-944X-2024-12-2-28-41
• Mannan, Z. (2020). Challenges of open and distance learning in Bangladesh: Predicting success. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14573475
• Mannan, Z., & Akter, S. (2020). Corporate sustainability imperative: Creating a climate and transforming culture for total quality management. BUBT Journal, 10(2).
• Mannan, Z. (2020). Small Business Development in Bangladesh: Recent Evidence and New Directions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14572716
• Mannan, Z. (2019). Legal framework of public-private partnership in Bangladesh: A critical review. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14575200.v1
• Mannan, Z., Rahman, M., & Hossain, K. M. (2019). Teacher education programs with blended education at Bangladesh Open University: An assessment of learners' use of social media. Social Science, Education and Human Science, DEStech Publications, Malaysia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12783/dtssehs/ICEdDE2019/33708
• Mannan, Z. (2018). Top Management Commitment and Dynamic Leadership: A Human Resource Imperative for Total Quality Management.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14575290
• Mannan, Z. (2015). Integrating knowledge management and human resource management for sustainable performance. The Dhaka University Journal of Business Studies, 36(3).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14573721
• Mannan, Z. (2014). Public-private partnership in higher education in Bangladesh: A study of stakeholders’ conceptualization and critical success factors. The Dhaka University Journal of Business Studies, 35(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14573028
• Mannan, Z. (2018). Participative Management in Organizational Decision-Making: A Study in a Developing Country. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3845033
• Mannan, Z. & Taher, A. (2010). Knowledge Management as a Tool of Human Resource Strategy in University Administration: Bangladesh Perspective. Journal of Chittagong University of Business Administration, Vol. 25.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14573133

Authored Textbooks

• Mannan, Z. & Mannan, M. A. (2026). Strategic Management. Publisher: Ethos
• Anjum, N. & Mannan, Z. (2024). Organizational Development. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Anjum, N. & Mannan, Z. (2023). Operations Management. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Mannan, Z. (2020). Management Information Systems. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Mannan, Z. (2020). Management: Theory and Practice. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Mannan, Z. (2020). Introduction to Business. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Mannan, Z. (2019). Organizational Behavior. Publisher: Bangladesh Open University.
• Mannan, Z. (2015). Business Communication: Strategies for Success in Business and Professions. Publisher: University Grants Commission, Ministry of Education, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Performance Management, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Economy, and Participative Management.

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