Conference Tracks and Topics

Submitters have focused their proposals on one of the following topics for the Advancing Management Research conference:

TRACK 1: The Embeddedness of Latin American Firms and Entrepreneurs

Track Chair: Patricio Duran, Saint Louis University

Track Chair: Maribel Guerrero, Newcastle Business School

This track focuses on exploring the socio-economic and political embeddedness of Latin American firms and entrepreneurship. Latin American countries are characterized by different levels of economic development and institutional quality. Also, countries in the region differ with respect to typical firms’ size, global integration, and complexity (from small and medium to global corporations and large business groups), ownership structure (e.g., family firms or state-owned firms), and legal status (formal or informal businesses). Thus, the Latin American landscape provides rich opportunities for theoretical innovations and novel questions. We encourage submissions that further the understanding of how Latin American firms and entrepreneurs interact and respond to specific conditions to pursue their business initiatives. The following questions are examples of topics of great interest: What are the conditions that make an entrepreneur decide between the formal or informal economy? How do entrepreneurs and firms deal with significant political and economic uncertainty? How does policy, governmental programs and financial instruments affect entrepreneurial endeavors? This track welcomes work on topics like interactions among different key actors and institutions that shape the business activities and the creation of entrepreneurships ecosystems, among others.

TRACK 2: Tackling Sustainability Challenges in Latin America

Track Chair: Mary Conway Dato-on, Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College

Track Chair: Maria Jose Murcia, IAE Business School

Track Chair: Andrea Prado, INCAE Business School

This track explores how Latin-American organizations, while aiming to achieve long-term success and prosperity, confront grand societal challenges such as macroeconomic volatility, environmental degradation, increasing poverty and social inequality, deficient education, migration of talent, and shortage of qualified talent. Examples of relevant research questions are: How can Latin American managers make their organizations recession-proof, and even thrive in the midst of turbulent economies? How do global firms (MNCs) managers deal with / organize for macroeconomic volatility, poverty, social inequality, and other sustainability-related challenges in the Latin American operating environment? How do firms integrate societal and environmental concerns in the development of their long-term strategies? How do local and global companies in the natural resource sector organize for sustainability? How does social inequality shape the business environment? How can companies help reduce inequality or foster community development? This track encompasses research on topics such as public-private collaborations, social innovation, social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, social impact, natural resources management, UN Sustainable Development Goals, business-community development, nonprofit organizations, inclusive growth, among others.

TRACK 3: Latin American Management

Track Chair: Olivia Hernandez-Pozas, ITESM

Track Chair: Miguel R. Olivas-Lujan, Clarion U. of Pennsylvania & Pennsylvania State U. 

Latin America has characteristics that distinguish it in a global context, but, within the region, there are important differences among countries. Geographic location, history, culture, politics, and society are shaping the way in which organizations and managerial practice evolve in the area. This track focuses on exploring how Latin American firms manage talent in their countries of origin and also as they expand to other geographies. Understanding how international firms deal with their experiences in Latin America at all levels of analysis is also essential. We welcome research questions that include (but are not limited to): What are the Cross-Cultural or the Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the region? How do firms deal with Human Resources, Labor Relations and related challenges? How do employees perceive Self-Initiated Expatriates? How do Latin American practices differ from those in other geographies? What are the similarities and differences among Latin Americans on their land or abroad (e.g., Migrant Employees)? What is expatriate experience from and in the region like? What differentiates Multi-Latinas from other trans-national organizations? How are the evolving types of political economy affecting organizations and employees in Latin America? Management research that includes Latin America from micro to meso to macro levels of analysis is of high relevance to this track.

TRACK 4: From Research to Action

Track Chair: Jose Amoros, Egade Business School

Track Chair: Valmir Emil Hoffmann, University of Brasilia

This track explores the impact that management research has on its practice. We welcome phenomenon-driven research that has promising short term connections to management. Among many potential research questions, we seek submissions that consider: How do firms get access to research output? How connected is our research with actionable priorities of the firms? What are the mechanisms to transfer this knowledge from academia to organizations? What is the impact of scholarly activities on local economic development? How do firms develop their own research capabilities for implementing an evidence-based management philosophy? How can research be responsive to the different needs of both firms and scholars? We invite scholars whose work is practitioner-oriented to share their findings.

Symposium Proposals and Professional Development Workshop (PDW) Proposals

Symposium and PDW submitters have been asked to focus their proposal on one of the four tracks OR on a topic relevant to LATAM management.

TRACK 1: The Embeddedness of Latin American Firms and Entrepreneurs

TRACK 2: Tackling Sustainability Challenges in Latin America

TRACK 3: Latin American Management

TRACK 4: From Research to Action

We welcome submissions that are relevant to the LATAM context but that are not aligned with one of the four tracks (e.g. development of research skills or publication strategies).