Doctoral students and junior faculty in developing countries can apply to the OSCM Division DEI Assistant Fund. This year, we proudly continue the tradition of recognizing excellence and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through the OSCM Division’s DEI Assistance Fund Award. The 2024 recipient is Isis Oliveira Domingues, a Ph.D. student in Business Management at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV EAESP). Isis participated in the Junior Faculty and Doctoral Consortium at this year’s conference, demonstrating her engagement and dedication to professional development in our field. We are delighted to support her academic journey and celebrate her contributions to the OSCM community.
2024 DEI Assistance Fund Recipient Feature
Our warmest congratulations, Isis, on getting our division’s DEI Assistance Fund Award! Tell us about yourself and your dissertation.
I am currently in my third year of a PhD program, and I decided to structure my disserta-tion into three essays, which is not very common in Brazil. This approach allows me to aim for more publications by the time I complete my PhD. My first paper, a systematic literature review, has already been submitted to the journal. This paper focuses on the interaction between digital transformation and institutions/regulations. For my second essay, I’m using the Delphi meth-od and interview data to examine whether digital transformation fills institutional voids or exacerbates them, as well as the role of regulations in facilitating or hindering digital transformation. My third paper will depend on the findings of the second. My ultimate goal is to publish the second paper in IJOPM.
How did you learn about the AOM OSCM DEI Fund?
I learned about it from my supervisor, who shared the link with me and encouraged me to apply. Initially, I wasn’t plan-ning to attend the Academy of Management (AOM) conference this year because I didn’t have a paper accepted for the main conference. However, my supervisor emphasized that AOM is one of the most important conferences in our field and that I should still attend the consortium. I really valued the consortium’s format, which allowed for detailed feedback and meaningful conversations, unlike a typical presentation format. While preparing for this interview, I realized how many people are unaware of the opportunities offered by the fund, and I think more communication could help improve access for students.
What were some key takeaways from the conference?
My first time attending AOM was overwhelming because of the size of the event—there were so many sessions, people, and divisions. Thankfully, my supervisor and another professor from my university guided me through it, making the experience much more manageable. The consortium was an incredible experience. I received detailed feedback on my work from two professors and enjoyed engaging discussions with my peers. I also got the opportunity to provide feed-back to other PhD students, which was a great learning experience. After the conference, I noticed a shift in my academ-ic journey—it felt like a turning point where I truly became part of the academic community. This new sense of belong-ing opened doors for networking, even with senior academics in Brazil. AOM gave me confidence, and I’ve since be-come a resource for other PhD students in my program, helping them navigate scholarship opportunities and confer-ences. Attending AOM was transformative for me, both professionally and personally.