Call for 2026 TIM Best Dissertation Award Submissions

Abstract Submission Deadline: February 20, 2026

The Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) Division of the Academy of Management is pleased to invite submissions for the 2026 TIM Best Dissertation Award.

We take a broad perspective on technology and innovation including aspects of the emergence, diffusion, adoption, commercialization, evolution, and consequences of technologies and innovations. The TIM Division's domain statement can be found at connect.aom.org/tim/home. As per the domain statement, we welcome dissertations from different disciplinary perspectives including management (strategy, organization theory, organizational behavior etc.) as well as economics, technology studies, sociology, etc. We are also happy to consider a broad range of methodologies. We encourage the applications of underrepresented groups.

The award process involves two stages. In the first stage, each applicant submits a 5-page dissertation abstract (see details below) along with supporting references and figures. A committee of experienced scholars then selects the finalists. In the second stage, finalists are invited to submit a 30-page manuscript based on their dissertation. The committee reviews these manuscripts, provides feedback, and selects the best dissertation, which will be announced at the 2026 Annual Academy of Management Meeting in Philadelphia. 

Finalists will be invited to present their work at a dedicated session during the conference. The session will afford high visibility to the finalists' dissertations. The winner will be announced during the TIM Meeting.

Eligibility:

1.    We accept submissions based on Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral dissertations completed during calendar years 2024 and 2025.

2.    Dissertations can be submitted only once (i.e. please note that if you have submitted in the past, you are not allowed to submit again).

Submission Requirements during the first stage:

The submission should include two WORD files:

(1) a cover page and

(2) the dissertation abstract

The cover page should include the following information:

1.    Dissertation title

2.    Author's name

3.    Dissertation completion date

4.    Author's degree-granting school

5.    Author's current affiliation information (affiliation(s), job title(s), corresponding address, telephone and email)

6.    Author's contribution to each paper or part of the dissertation

7.    Author's dissertation committee and/or dissertation papers/chapters co-authors. For each person in the dissertation committee or co-authors on the dissertation papers/chapters state:

a.    their role: principal advisor or other role

b.    affiliation 

c.    key contributions to each paper or part of the dissertation

8.    Up to five keywords that describe the main theme(s) of the dissertation

The cover page should be the only page to include identifying author, school, and committee information. 

Please only submit a dissertation abstract at this stage and not a complete dissertation (selected finalists will be subsequently asked to submit a manuscript of up to 30 pages in the second round).

The dissertation abstract must follow these requirements:

1.    Five page limit for the text summarizing the dissertation's contents

2.    One inch margins

3.    Times New Roman or equivalent font – no smaller than 12 point

4.    Double-spaced text

5.    The text should have page numbers starting with "1"

6.    The dissertation title should be on page "1" and may be single-spaced

7.    You may include up to five pages of references that may be single-spaced. These do not count towards the page limit for the text of the dissertation abstract.

8.    You may include up to five pages of supporting materials (tables, figures, appendices, etc.) beyond the text summary and the references.

9.    IMPORTANT: Be sure to remove any material in the abstract or references that may identify you as the author, for example, a series of working papers you have authored or reference to the dissertation itself.

10.Submissions should be made in .docx format. Please use your last name in naming the files as Lastname-cover.doc and Lastname-abstract.doc. File names will be changed after receipt to provide anonymity.

Please note that late submissions or submissions that do not follow these requirements will not be considered, as the integrity of the reviewing process depends on consistency across submissions.

Submit one copy electronically to Alicia DeSantola (aliciads@uw.edu) with the subject "TIM Dissertation Award Submission" by Friday February 20, 2026.

If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact the Dissertation Award Co-Chair well in advance of the deadline for abstract submission:

Alicia DeSantola (Assistant Professor, University of Washington | Foster School of Business)

Contact: aliciads@uw.edu