Call for Submissions

2026 Call for Professional Development Workshop (PDW) Proposals

Division PDW Chair: Sharda Nandram, Nyenrode Business University and Society at the Vrije University (VU) Amsterdam

The Management, Spirituality and Religion Division (MSR) warmly invites proposals for Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) to be held as part of the 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026) in Philadelphia, USA, from 31 July to 4 August 2026. PDWs offer a unique opportunity to engage AOM members in interactive, developmental, and often experimental sessions designed to share insights, build scholarly networks, and foster innovative practices. 

As a global community committed to exploring the intersection of management, spirituality, and religion, MSR affirms its dedication to developmental, creative, transformative, and cutting-edge PDWs that critically and constructively extend our interdisciplinary agenda and impact organizations and society at large.  

What are we looking for? 

We invite PDW proposals that are developmental, inclusive, and thought-provoking, especially those that: 

• Advance discourse on knowing ‘beyond’ rational knowing, including phenomena such as the sacred, the transcendent, the immanent, the unknown, and ultimate reality in relation to management theory and practice. 
• Share indigenous, cultural, or contemplative traditions and practices for dealing with the unknown, the transcendent, the immanent, the ultimate reality, and the sacred as sources of wisdom and inspiration for leadership, decision-making, and management practices. 
• Challenge or reframe current ontological and epistemological assumptions of spirituality and religiosity impacting research in the discipline of management. 
• Encourage transformative pedagogies, inner development goals, and contemplative practices that shape how we teach, research, and engage with spirituality and religiosity to impact management practices. 
• Explore MSR’s role in societal and organizational transformation, including implications for ethics, sustainability, and inclusion, and the link between spirituality and inner development goals for enriching management practices. 

Important dates 

• Submission system opens: Early December 2025
• Proposal deadline: Tuesday, 13 January 2026, 17:00 ET (UTC-5)
• PDWs scheduled for: Friday, 31 July to Sunday, 2 August 2026 

All proposals must be submitted via the AOM Submission Center when the system opens. More information can be found on the Submitting page.

Best MSR PDW Prize  

Every year, the MSR PDW Chair honors the most exceptional Professional Development Workshop for its creativity, impact, and contribution to the MSR community. 

Additional Notes 

• The AOM “Rule of Three” applies: individuals may appear on a maximum of three PDWs (as submitter, presenter, or organizer).
• You do not need to be an AOM member to submit, but if accepted, all participants must register for the Annual Meeting.
• We encourage all submitters to sign up as reviewers.
• MSR strongly encourages diverse and global participation across identities, methods, geographies, and disciplines.
• Virtual participation with On-Demand Sessions (pre-recorded presentation): For those unable to travel, AOM may allow for pre-recorded, On-Demand content delivery through its secure online platform. 

MSR Domain Statement 

Management, Spirituality, and Religion is a community engaged in interdisciplinary theoretical and applied research and pedagogy related to the relevance and relationship of spirituality and religion in management. MSR explores how spirituality and religion influence organizational dynamics and affect management outcomes. MSR research has made important contributions to better understand the meaning of work, the impact of spirituality and spiritual leadership in the workplace, the purpose of business, the effects of religious pluralism in the workplace, and the distinctive elements of individual religious and spiritual beliefs that cultivate inner awareness and promote wellness and wisdom for the common good. 

Submit and Connect 

For inquiries contact Sharda Nandram, MSR PDW Chair, AOM 2026:

 [email protected]  | [email protected]   

We look forward to receiving your proposals and co-creating a transformative, inclusive, and engaging PDW program for AOM 2026 in Philadelphia! 

For further details see the AOM submission guidelines.