The 9th International Knowledge-Based Management Conference Was Held

According to the Public Relations and Website Office of Khatam University, the 9th KM4D International Conference and Knowledge-Based Management Award (focusing on the antifragility approach), organized by the Iran Management Association in partnership with Khatam University, with the participation of experts and specialists and the presentation of the latest scientific findings in the field of knowledge management, was held on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at the university's campus in Tehran.

Dr. Majid Ghasemi, Chairman of the Policy Council of the 8th International Knowledge-Based Management Conference and President of Khatam University, in his speech titled "Organizational Antifragility," first defined this concept, stating: "Antifragility refers to a class of phenomena that not only benefit from chaos and disorder, but may actually require them to survive and flourish. Antifragility can be likened to a life jacket; it is used as leveraging and exploiting disruption and fragmentation as active agents for growth and innovation."

Noting that antifragility can foster a mindset that thrives under chaotic conditions and leads to greater agility and innovation, he cited embracing opportunities instead of certainties, and valuing diversity over optimization, as key values of antifragility. He added: "In the antifragility approach, an organization must rapidly adapt to the environment in which it is evolving."

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Iran Management Association also outlined fundamental steps for institutionalizing antifragility in businesses, including: reducing dependence on a single source of stability, decentralizing decision-making processes, promoting a culture where stressors are recognized as a source of influential factors in decision-making, and the antifragility of leaders in their mindset and performance.

Subsequently, Dr. Ali-Asghar Pourmand, a founding member of Khatam University and MIDHCO, pointed to examples of antifragility in industries such as metal extraction. Enumerating some of his personal experiences in Knowledge-Based Management within the industrial and mining sectors, he attributed the post-revolution development of this industrial sector in our country to the practical belief of active figures in this field in achieving success.

Describing Dr. Ghasemi as someone who has deeply believed in achieving success in this area, and noting a multi-year acquaintance with this senior executive, he said: "I believe that he has a comprehensive command of exploration and mining matters and the importance of extracting metals such as copper for the country. He has rightly said that the true character of men is revealed during transformations. Indeed, Dr. Ghasemi possesses a rare gem within himself, and I must also add that the jewel of his character is not yet fully recognized. He masters both the whole and the parts in all subjects, comprehends them together, and at the same time, is in a state of continuous learning. As a reality, he flows continuously with the natural world."

The former CEO of MIDHCO emphasized: "We all know that gold is the most valuable and finest metal. All metals wanted to become gold from the very beginning, but they didn't, and instead went down other paths and became other metals. Dr. Ghasemi himself is such pure gold."

Dr. Azar Saimian, Secretary of the Iran Management Association, also spoke, noting the upcoming 70th anniversary of the association's founding. She highlighted its intensive activities in recent years—particularly after Dr. Ghasemi assumed the presidency in the early 2010s—and read a message from Mr. Parviz Bayat, co-founder and Secretary-General of the Iran Management Association, dedicated to appreciating Dr. Ghasemi's relentless efforts in elevating the association's reputation.

In his message, Mr. Bayat emphasized that over the past 15 years or so, Dr. Ghasemi has taken actions that brought brilliance to the history of the Iran Management Association, and his commitment to striving to open the frontiers of knowledge based on wisdom and rationality has been truly exceptional.

In the next segment of the Knowledge-Based Management Conference program, in the presence of the members of the Board of Directors of the Iran Management Association, a plaque of appreciation was presented to Dr. Majid Ghasemi, honoring his efforts during his presidency of the association.

The programs of the 9th International Knowledge-Based Management Conference and Award continued with the screening of a video message from Professor Andreas Brandner, President of the Knowledge Management Austria. This was followed by a specialized panel titled "A Journey into REV Vehicles," featuring Dr. Manouchehr Manteqi, Vice Chairman of Hooshran Khodro Arian Company as the panel chair; Mr. Hasan Kamaloo, CEO of Hooshran Khodro Arian Company; Professor Yangji Hu, Automotive Industry Executive from China; Dr. Mehdi Ghasemi Zaviyeh, CEO of Kourosh Khodro CVC; and Mr. Mojtaba Nikravesh, Vice President of Technology, Innovation, Projects, and Planning at Khatam University.

Speaking on the topic "Fundamental Reinvention of the Smart Vehicle Paradigm with the KM4D Approach," Dr. Manteqi discussed the paradigm shift in the automotive industry brought about by the advent of electric vehicles, noting: "In this paradigm shift, the vehicle itself does not actually play the primary role; rather, it plays a secondary role. In leading countries, managing this complex and high-risk transition has been made possible by employing a mission-oriented innovation ecosystem (Sixth-Generation of Innovation)."

Stating that in the traditional, linear model of innovation, the stages of knowledge creation, technology acquisition, and product development are carried out sequentially and separately, he emphasized: "In the mission-oriented innovation approach, integration and synchronization of the entire value chain are anchored in digital value networks. In this approach, Knowledge-Based Management in electric vehicle development extends far beyond traditional Knowledge-Based Management and constitutes a knowledge ecosystem."

Mr. Hasan Kamaloo, CEO of Hooshran Khodro Arian Company, also spoke at the session, pointing to the influx of electric vehicles into the market and identifying the public charging network as the current primary challenge regarding their use. Discussing the characteristics of REV (Range-Extended Electric Vehicles), he said: "These vehicles are electric vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine, meaning they no longer face charging issues. It is for this reason that the adoption of these vehicles has been met with public enthusiasm."

He listed domestic electricity generation, the prevention of extra urban loads during peak consumption hours, reasonable pricing, and easy accessibility as advantages of these types of electric vehicles. Explaining the reasons behind Hooshran Khodro Arian Holding's shift toward manufacturing such vehicles, he cited their operational flexibility, smart localization, and capital optimization, emphasizing: "Our work is essentially creating a platform that guarantees the final quality and integration of the product."

In this panel, Dr. Mehdi Ghasemi Zaviyeh, CEO of Kourosh Khodro CVC, spoke on the topic "Roadmap for Transferring the Electric and REV Vehicle Supply Chain from Knowledge Transfer from China to Design, Integration, and Production Capabilities in Iran." He sought to answer the question: How did China acquire platform ownership through international participation in other automakers' assets? As part of his answer, he emphasized the necessity of transferring knowledge and technology to the country, stating: "Selecting and importing a product is the easiest task; what matters is developing the technology to manufacture the product, and we need to act more seriously in this regard."

Professor Yangji Hu, an automotive industry executive from China, also shared some of his experiences and observations regarding the development of the electric vehicle manufacturing industry in his country.

In this panel, Mr. Mojtaba Nikravesh, Vice President of Technology, Innovation, Projects, and Planning at Khatam University, delivered a speech titled "The Role of the Fifth-Generation University in Smart Vehicle Technology Development." Describing this path as a novel approach to the interaction and synergy between academia and industry, he compared universities from the first to the fifth generation, stating: "The university's mission is to produce a developmental, ecosystem-building institution and build the capacity for problem-solving."

Stating that universities can shape an integrated sustainable development system in the field of smart vehicles, he highlighted the importance of technical standards for smart vehicle development, listing connectivity, functional safety, cybersecurity, software and updates, testing and validation, and data and artificial intelligence as core dimensions in this domain.

The programs of the 9th International Knowledge-Based Management Conference continued with another specialized panel centered on introducing top knowledge practices. This panel was chaired by Dr. Mohammadreza Hamidizadeh, Vice President for Research at Shahid Beheshti University, and featured Mr. Hamed Zeinoddini-Meymand, Head of the Technical and Planning Office of the Cathode Plant at Babakmes Company; Dr. Sara Ahmadi, Head of Follow-up and Supervision at the Ministerial Office of the Ministry of Energy; Dr. Maryam Vahidnia, Director of Training and Knowledge Development at Parsian Bank; and Ali Qaraei from Arand Company.

Dr. Mohammadreza Hamidizadeh, chair of the panel, began by providing an introductory, easy-to-understand definition of knowledge management: "Knowledge is the result of learning, and learning is the result of studying/acquiring knowledge. If learning is continuous, knowledge is created, and if acquiring knowledge is made the goal, one can always remain hopeful of achieving their aspirations."

Next, Ali Qaraei, representative of Arand Company, cited organizations' lack of reliance on Knowledge-Based Management systems as a reason why useful work remains unrecognized and—so to speak—lost within organizations. He stated: "Knowledge is a byproduct of contribution/participation, not a separate project. It is essential to make contribution and participation visible within the organization to encourage others to follow this path."

Dr. Seyed Hamed Zeinoddini-Meymand, Head of the Technical and Planning Office of the Cathode Plant at Babakmes Company, shared the company's knowledge experience regarding the modification of the hydraulic system of their overhead crane. He outlined its achievements as route stability, reduction of daily repairs, and equipment stability during the operation of these devices.

Dr. Sara Ahmadi, Head of Follow-up and Supervision at the Ministerial Office of the Ministry of Energy, presented the experience of implementing the "Accountable City to Water" project in Mashhad by a team under the supervision of Dr. Mohammad Fazeli. She noted: "In implementing this project, we did not view the water issue merely as a technical, engineering, infrastructural, and facility-related matter; rather, we examined it as an issue that can be influenced by the social and cultural components of each region."

Dr. Maryam Vahidnia, Director of Training and Knowledge Development at Parsian Bank, referred to the formation of the Knowledge-Based Management department at the bank starting in 2019. Explaining its various implementation processes and stages, she cited halting the increase and accumulation of the bank's commitments ceiling with the Central Bank as one of the most important achievements of the project.

Following the programs of the 9th International Knowledge-Based Management Conference, the final declaration of the event was read, and the awards for the 9th Knowledge-Based Management Award were presented to this year's winners.