AOM FAQ

  1. Why is joining AOM good for my career?
    • The Academy of Management is the largest organization of its kind for academics in the world and is recognized as being preeminent in promoting excellence in management research and teaching. The organization is so prestigious that academics vie for the limited opportunities to present papers at its annual conference and publish in its journals.
    • The yearly AOM conference is a great place to meet scholars and practitioners in specific fields of management relevant to you. Through either presenting research or participating in a workshop you will be able to meet and network with scholars and/or practitioners in your field of interest. Therefore, AOM can help you get to expand your professional network, which will help your career.
    • Its journals, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Learning & Education, and Academy of Management Perspectives are all included in the cost of membership and are of great help in keeping you updated about what is happening academically and in practice in this field.
    • Also, when joining AOM you can choose 2 or more divisions or scholarly interest areas to further help you develop your professional network and learn more about the topics and problems in your areas of interest.
  2. What can I expect at the AOM annual conference meeting?
    • The annual AOM conference is the place where thousands of academics and practitioners from around the world come together to discuss their research, network, look for jobs, and generally find out what is going on in our field.
    • Given the journal cycle time anywhere from 1 year to 3 to have a paper appear in print the AOM annual meeting will give you the unique experience to see an array of work in progress and find out what people are currently working on in your area of interest.
    • The conference provides numerous opportunities to get to know new people, re-visit acquaintances, strengthen friendships, and to be challenged to become a more committed researcher and teacher of management.
    • The AOM annual conference is the one time of the year when almost all management faculty and students are in one place so if there are people you want to meet and talk to this is the time to do it in both professional and informal (social) sessions.
  3. What are the different types of sessions at AOM?
    • Professional Development Workshop PDW
      • PDW stands for Professional Development Workshop. PDWs are a platform for colleagues to share knowledge and expertise and foster the development of workshop participants. It is also an opportunity to develop innovative and creative workshops that will benefit Academy members. PDWs are scheduled on Friday and Saturday. These workshops consist of various types of sessions including Doctoral Consortia and Junior Faculty Workshops (Sharon Hill Denise Loyd) that are organized by the Academy's Divisions, Interest Groups and Theme Committees.
      • In PDWs, different formats can be used; for example, one or more than one speakers present and a couple of panelists lead audience's discussion, or one or more speakers with expertise on that topic present and then open to questions from the audience.
    • Refereed Scholarly SessionsThese sessions are on Monday and Tuesday. They include two major types of sessions: Paper and Symposium.
      • 1) Paper sessions, based upon papers submitted to individual divisions:
        • Divisional Paper Sessions consist of 3-4 papers on a related topic or issue. Each presentation is approximately 15 minutes, with time for questions and discussion at the end.
        • Divisional Roundtable Paper Sessions also consists of 3-4 papers on a related theme, but presented in a more informal manner. Authors give a brief overview of their work and then the discussion facilitator leads a discussion. All participants sit around a large table to foster an open discussion.
        • Cross-Divisional Paper Sessions there are two different forms, traditional presentation format, and roundtable format. Each session consists of 3-4 papers from different divisions yet with a common theme. For both session formats, presenters give a 15-minute presentation which is followed by discussion led by the session chair/facilitator.
        • Discussion paper Sessions consist of 3-4 promising papers that address a common topic in a roundtable setting. Participants read all the papers assigned to the session, and then each present and comment on one paper of a fellow participant (rather than their own). The session coach provides further constructive feedback on each of the papers.
      • 2) Symposium submissions, submitted to one, two or three divisions, take two forms as well:
        • Panel Symposium a group of panelists engaged in an interactive discussion, but without titles associated with any panelists' participation.
        • Presenter Symposium involves a series of authored papers on a pre-set theme. Symposia are NOT blind review, but are judged on overall quality, interest to Academy members, relevance to the division or interest group to which they are submitted, innovation and contribution, and relevance to the meeting theme. Symposia can be singly or jointly sponsored by up to three divisions or interest groups.
    • Caucuses
      • Caucuses are round-table discussions which offer a convenient, informal way for Academy members who share a topical interest or a professional concern to find one another and to develop a sense of community.
  4. What are the best receptions at AOM to meet new people a) for social reasons, b) for research reasons?
    • All receptions afford opportunities to socialize and to develop relationships for research collaboration - the OB Division receptions tend to be the best attended which means the most people, but can also be the most daunting - hence the Making Connections Committee and our pre-conference forum to help new members meet people.
    • The OB Division New Member Networking and Research Forum, OB/HR Reception on Saturday night, and the general reception All Academy Reception hosted by AOM are also good opportunities to meet people for social reasons as are those receptions sponsored by universities or companies.
    • As for meeting people for research reasons, you can attend receptions hosted by certain AOM divisions such as the HR Division reception or RM Division reception, or receptions on certain research topics such as a leadership reception. Also, the Making Connections coffee break that follows the Lifetime Achievement Award Address is a good opportunity to meet people. This coffee break is designed especially to give folks an opportunity to discuss the Address.
  5. How can I get to know big names in the field at AOM, particularly through Making Connection Committee?
    • Anyone within the Academy is at liberty to talk to and contact anyone else. Names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses are listed in its directory (use the Search Member Directory option from the AOM home page: www.aomonline.org).
    • At the annual meeting, you could attend consortia, workshops, symposia or paper sections in which big names in our field are involved and ask them questions that relate to their research; or you could go to receptions on certain topics (e.g., the leadership reception) to meet these experts. Pre-conference events are usually designed to maximize interaction more than the formal main conference events.
    • In addition, the Making Connections Committee organizes a pre-conference Networking Forum and members will be at several social activities to foster connections between new and old members. Attending these or stopping by the table at the coffee break on Tuesday is a good idea.
  6. How do I get my name and face exposed at AOM?
    • The easiest way is to volunteer to work at the annual conference.
    • There are other volunteer opportunities available, including as reviewers of papers and symposia, serving as a chair or discussant of paper sessions and Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) .
    • Attending various consortia, PDWs, symposia, paper sessions, receptions and Making Connections Committee events and talking with people will increase your exposure at AOM.
    • The best way, however, is to present your research.
  7. How do I meet other student members of AOM?
    • You can realize this goal by attending the various PDWs, symposia, paper sections, receptions, or Making Connections Committee (MCC) events (we have quite a few students in MCC).
    • You increase your chance of meeting other student members by attending sessions designed for students. There are doctoral workshops available in the weekend before the paper sessions begin (e.g., New Doctoral Student Consortium).
    • Within the OB Division, students can be found on the AOM website. Go to www.aomonline.org and click the button People & Communities. Scroll down and click on Divisions & Interest Groups. Scroll down to Organizational Behavior. Then click on Current Statistics. Sign in, and then click on Search. Under Activities, find the Affiliation menu, and select Student Member. You will also have to select some other filter because there are too many names to list all of them.
    • Also, the AOM has an outlet especially for students: AOM Student Web. Here you can connect with other PhD students: http://group.aomonline.org/students/
  8. How do I meet other practitioner members?
    • You could find them on the AOM website. Go to www.aomonline.org and click the button People & Communities. Scroll down and click on Divisions & Interest Groups. Scroll down to Organizational Behavior. Then click on Current Statistics. Sign in, and then click on Search. Under Activities, find the Affiliation menu, and select Executive Member. You will also have to select some other filter, such as State or Country, because there are too many names to list all of them.
  9. Where can I find additional information about AOM?
    • By visiting the AOM website at www.aomonline.org.
  10. What are the affiliates of AOM?
    • Affiliates of AOM can be found on the AOM homepage by clicking on Affiliates and Associated Societies. Currently the Academy has five U.S. domestic affiliates: the Eastern, Midwest, Southwest, and Western Academies of Management, and the Southern Management Association, as well as two internationally based affiliates: the Asia and Iberoamerican Academies of Management.
    • Associated societies broadly agree to cooperate with the Academy in some manner on an area of common interest. Currently, associated organizations include the: Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, Brazilian Academy of Management, British Academy of Management, European Academy of Management, European Group for Organizational Studies, International Association for Chinese Management Research, and Academia de Ciencias Administrativas (ACACIA), our counterparts in Mexico.
  11. How could I find a job via AOM resources?
    • There are a few things you could do.
    • You may purchase the job placement service on the AOM website, under Career Center. Here you can build your profile and upload your resume/curriculum vita in the placement center and contact potential employers listed in the placement center.
    • You can schedule job interviews during the annual conference.
    • Also, you could try to meet faculty informally at business schools, or practitioners from companies that interest you, for example after their presentations in a symposium, or at a reception.
  12. How could I get information on publishing in AOM journals?
    • Almost all student consortiums have a Meet the Editors panel, and there are several Professional Development Workshops every year that deal specifically with publishing and reviewing.
    • For journals you are interested in, examine the table of contents and papers already published in that journal. Also visit the journal websites to learn about the types of articles they seek and their style guidelines.
  13. I've been assigned a new OB course to teach. Where can I find information to help me create a new syllabus?
    • Start by posting a question to the OB Division discussion board; this is one of the best resource tools that our Division has to offer. Most faculty are more than willing to share but you have to ask!
    • AOM has a specific interest group, the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society, which deals with teaching related issues in OB (see their website here).
    • The Management Education and Development Division may also be a good resource - see their community on the Connect@AOM platform for more information.