Call for Submissions
Asia Academy of Management
2026 Affiliate Professional Development Program (PDW) Call for Submissions
The Asia Academy of Management invites scholars interested in business and management issues in Asia, and about organizations in Asia to submit innovative and thought-provoking proposals for its Professional Development Workshop (PDW) at the Academy of Management 2026 Annual Meeting.
The mission of Asia Academy of Management is to assume a global leadership position in advancing management theory, research, practice, and education of relevance to Asia. Asia Academy of Management is a global community that welcomes researchers and practitioners interested in management issues related to Asian contexts.
Across Asia and beyond, institutional complexities are intensifying. Geopolitical competition is escalating. Forces of deglobalization increasingly contest those of globalization. Technological advances, especially digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), are permeating all aspects of organizational and everyday life. Engines of economic growth are adjusting to a new normal, while institutional "rules of the game" (from national and international politics to technological standards and competition policies) are in flux and growing more complex. These dynamics compel managers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and educators to search for innovative responses. The Asia Academy of Management PDW program welcomes proposals that help us better understand and respond to these developments, particularly as they affect strategy, organization, institutions, and management practice in and about Asia.
Themes and Illustrative Topics
PDWs are designed to foster professional development by enhancing members' capabilities in knowledge creation and dissemination. They provide interactive, developmental venues where participants can acquire new skills, engage in rich discussions, and build scholarly and practice-oriented communities. We welcome PDW proposals that address the broad domain of strategic and organizational management in Asian contexts, including research, teaching, and practice. The list below is illustrative, not exhaustive:
1. Organizations, Strategy, and Institutions in Asia
· Distinctive features of organizations and organizational practices in Asia (e.g., governance, leadership, networks, ecosystems) and their implications for organizations within and outside the region.
· Historical and contemporary evolution of strategies, capabilities, and organizational configurations in Asian firms under changing political, economic, technological, and social conditions.
· Relationships between public policy, regulatory regimes, multi-level institutions (local, national, regional, global), and organizational choices, strategic positioning, and innovation in Asia.
· Cross-country and within-region differences in organizational practices, capabilities, and institutional arrangements in Asia, and the sources of such differences (e.g., history, culture, political systems, development stages).
· Emerging or unique issues in Asian countries that challenge existing management and strategy models, and how these issues may inspire new theories or frameworks.
2. Grand Challenges, Technology, and Societal Impact
· How organizations in Asia navigate complex and "grand" challenges such as inequality, environmental and climate pressures, demographic shifts, supply-chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions.
· Organizational responses and capabilities that enable Asian firms and other organizations to cope with uncertainty, complexity, and shocks.
· The role of digital, data-driven, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in transforming industries, reshaping work, and reconfiguring competitive and institutional landscapes in Asia.
· Distinctive "Asian approaches" to adopting, regulating, or leveraging digital and AI technologies for survival, adaptation, and long-term competitiveness.
3. Research-Practice Relevance and Methodological Innovation
· Approaches to promoting research that is both academically rigorous and practically relevant in Asian contexts.
· Strategies to balance theory-building and practical impact, and whether such balances differ across Asian countries.
· Theoretical or methodological innovations (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or novel data sources) that advance understanding of management phenomena in Asia.
· Building stronger connections between scholars, managers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and other stakeholders to co-create knowledge about Asia.
4. Teaching, Pedagogy, and Business Education in Asia
· Innovative pedagogical tools, cases, and teaching methods that improve the teaching of strategy and management in and about Asia.
· Development and use of Asia-focused case teaching and experiential learning to cultivate future business leaders who can deal with institutional complexity, technological disruption, and societal pressures.
· Initiatives to enhance outreach, partnerships, and resource development for business education in Asia.
· Proposals that integrate multiple themes (e.g., research + teaching + practice) or that connect different stakeholder groups (e.g., academics, practitioners, and policymakers) are especially welcome.
PDW Formats and Design
PDWs offer flexibility in format and are ideal for sessions that may not fit easily within traditional paper sessions or symposia. Possible formats include, but are not limited to:
· Roundtable discussions and town hall meetings
· Theoretical or research methods workshops
· Research and developmental feedback sessions (especially for doctoral students and early-career scholars)
· Debates, structured dialogues, and panel discussions
· Sessions featuring relevant non-academic speakers from business, government, or non-profit organizations
· Sessions centered primarily on standard paper presentations are better suited for the regular conference program rather than the PDW program.
Because PDWs are intended for professional development, proposals should clearly explain:
· How the session will foster interaction and personal development among participants (e.g., skill-building, feedback, mentoring, networking, community-building), and
· Which audience the session intends to attract (e.g., early-career scholars, established researchers, educators, methodologists, regional experts, practitioners, or mixed groups).
Submission Format and Components
Please attend carefully to the submission guidelines below. Proposals that do not comply with these requirements may not be reviewed.
Proposal Format Guidelines
Document Formatting : Times New Roman, 12-point font; Double-spaced; 1-inch (2.5 cm) margins on all sides
Length: Maximum of 10 pages for the main proposal; You may include an appendix (if needed) for additional details such as references, a detailed agenda, tables, or figures.
File and Submission: The entire submission must be contained in one document.
Proposal Structure: Please structure your proposal as follows:
· Title Page
· The 5-digit submission number assigned by the Academy's submission system
· Full title of the workshop
· Name of the proposed sponsor (e.g., "Asia Academy of Management (AAOM) Affiliate") and a list of other Divisions or Interest Groups that might be appropriate for cross-listing
· An abstract of up to 250 words summarizing the workshop
· Rationale and Relevance: Explain why the workshop should be of interest to AAOM as the primary sponsor and, where appropriate, to other divisions or interest groups
· Format Description: Describe the session format, including planned activities, interaction mechanisms, and roles of organizers, panelists, and participants
· Overview: Provide an overview of the objectives, background, theoretical and/or practical contributions, target audience, and expected developmental outcomes
· Optional Appendix: Use the appendix for references, a detailed agenda or schedule, and any tables or figures that support or clarify the proposal.
Participation, Rules, and Collaboration
All named PDW participants must consent to participate in advance. Each proposal should include a brief statement confirming that all listed participants have agreed to take part in the PDW.
The Academy of Management's "Rule of Three" for the PDW program states that no individual may:
· Submit or be associated with more than three (3) PDW submissions, and
· Appear in more than three (3) PDW sessions during the pre-conference period (Friday–Saturday), regardless of whether sessions are on-site or off-site.
Submission and Deadline
The deadline for proposal submissions is Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 17:00 ET (UTC-5/GMT-5).
Please submit your proposal through the Academy of Management's online submission system.
For inquiries, please contact:
Asda Chintakananda (PDW Chair)
National Institute of Development Administration (Thailand)
Email: asda.chi@nida.ac.th
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