Call for Submissions

2026 Affiliate Professional Development Program (PDW) Call for Submissions

PDW Chair: Surender Munjal, Aston Business School, Aston University

About INDAM

The Indian Academy of Management (INDAM) is the official affiliate of the Academy of Management (AOM) representing scholars with an interest in India-related management research. Established to advance high-quality research, teaching, and scholarship in management and organization studies, INDAM provides a vibrant platform for academics, doctoral students, and practitioners to engage in scholarly exchange, collaboration, and capacity building. INDAM regularly organizes international conferences, professional development initiatives, doctoral and junior faculty consortia, and research-focused events that bring together scholars from India and around the world. Through partnerships with global academic bodies, editorial contributions, and mentoring initiatives, INDAM plays a significant role in strengthening the global visibility and impact of India-focused management research. 

Invitation to Submit PDW Proposals

The INDAM invites scholars interested in research on Indian management to submit Professional Development Workshop (PDW) proposals. The invitation is open to all members of the academic fraternity; disciplinary or geographic boundaries are no bar! PDW proposals should address management challenges and issues faced by Indian organizations, institutions, or the larger social and cultural context. 

What is a PDW? 

Professional Development Workshops include a wide variety of session formats and learning experiences led by experts in the topic with intended takeaways for the participants. They include doctoral consortia and junior faculty consortia that are organized by AOM’s Division and Interest Groups (DIGs) and Affiliates who have designated PDW Chairs to manage the session selection procedure. Workshops can take various forms, such as tutorials, town hall meetings, breakout sessions, debates, roundtables, tours or research incubators. All PDWs contain a clear interactive component. Proposals will be evaluated on their ability to draw an audience from the specific discipline or across AOM, as well as its innovativeness and potential impact on the professional success of participants. PDW’s including consortia will be held in-person from Friday through Sunday. 

Before submitting a PDW proposal, consider the following questions: 

• Does the workshop offer a high quality and high-level learning experience that has a significant positive impact on the professional development of the participants?
• Does the workshop provide participants with a clear takeaway? (E.g. learn a new skill; develop a new research plan)
• Does the workshop have a theme and a group of participants that will draw a strong audience regardless of competing sessions or scheduling restrictions?
• Does the workshop encourage multi-way conversation and interaction among participants from multiple divisions, disciplines, regions, career stages, or demographic backgrounds?
• Is the workshop creative and innovative in all of its elements?

Proposal Expectations

INDAM encourages PDW proposals that focus on India-related management research and offer clear developmental value. Proposals should aim to: 

• Generate new insights into India-focused management scholarship and contribute to global understanding.
• Provide developmental value for doctoral students, early-career scholars, international members, and practitioners.
• Demonstrate clear learning outcomes and practical takeaways for participants.
• Foster dialogue and collaboration, encouraging active discussion, knowledge sharing, and long-term engagement among scholars.
• Be innovative, experimenting with new processes, models, formats, or ideas that push conventional boundaries.
• Be interactive, engaging participants through debates, exercises, and evaluation of multiple perspectives.
• Be integrative, bridging disciplines, international contexts, and levels of analysis.
• Be interesting, offering participants novel experiences, tools, methods, projects, perspectives, relationships, or data that enrich their knowledge and practice. 

Context and Rationale

The Indian business and organizational environment is uniquely shaped by its economic dynamism, cultural diversity, social structures, and institutional complexity. With a population of over 1.4 billion, more than half under the age of 30, India presents both immense opportunities and unique challenges for management research and practice. Organizations operating in India navigate regulatory complexity, social diversity, resource constraints, and global competition, while simultaneously addressing societal expectations and contributing to inclusive growth.

Indian firms blend global management practices with indigenous approaches rooted in cultural values, local norms, and traditional business practices. Concepts such as “Jugaad” (frugal innovation), trust-based networks, family business governance, collective decision-making, and socially responsible entrepreneurship provide distinctive insights into how organizations innovate, adapt, and create value under conditions of uncertainty and resource scarcity. These indigenous practices, combined with modern management tools and digital technologies, offer fertile ground for research that bridges theory and practice. 

Technological adoption and digitalization are transforming Indian organizations across sectors. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things are leveraged to optimize processes, enhance productivity, and develop innovative business models. Digital platforms and e-commerce are disrupting traditional value chains, enabling firms to expand markets and deliver services efficiently, while balancing global competitiveness with local relevance. 

Government policies, including “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”, sector-specific reforms, and education initiatives, encourage self-reliance, innovation, and skill development, particularly in STEM and entrepreneurship. Indian organizations increasingly operate internationally, learning from global best practices while exporting indigenous innovations, creating a dual focus on domestic adaptation and global expansion. 

INDAM encourages PDW proposals that explore these dynamics, highlighting India-specific challenges, strategies, and innovations in organizational management, social engagement, and culturally informed practices. Workshops may focus on areas such as indigenous management practices, organizational strategy, sustainable business, digital transformation, human capital development, governance, and emerging trends in innovation management. The aim is to create interactive, integrative, and developmental learning experiences that enrich participants’ understanding of India’s complex management landscape and contribute to global management scholarship. 

Why Submit?

Submitting a proposal is an excellent way to actively engage in the Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting. Whether through Professional Development Workshops (PDWs), papers, symposia, posters, or caucuses, you gain the opportunity to: 

• Present your ideas and showcase your research
• Contribute to scholarly conversations with management and organization researchers from around the world
• Develop new skills, gain feedback, and network with experts in your field
• Participate in shaping the global discourse on India-focused management scholarship 

Submission  

• PDW proposals should be submitted through the AOM PDW submission portal following AOM guidelines.
• Include a clear title, objectives, session format, expected outcomes, and target audience.
• Please review the following information about the submission process,  submission guidelines, and policies and ethics.
• Proposals should align with the expectations listed above and demonstrate value for participants.
• Submission deadline: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 17:00 ET (UTC-5/GMT-5)
• PDWs will take place Friday, 31 July through Sunday, 2 August 2026

For queries or further information, please contact:
Surender Munjal
Aston Business School, Aston University
Birmingham, United Kingdom