The Academy of Management Africa Conference will be taking place in Johannesburg from the 7th to 10th of January, 2013. Marked by rapid growth, limited growth, or no growth at all, Africa’s business, government and civil sectors all need world-class management.
The purpose of this conference is to bring Africa’s unique capabilities and needs to the attention of the world’s organization and management scholars, and at the same time to provide an opportunity for interested colleagues to collaborate and work on the many intriguing theoretical and practice problems presented in Africa.
The Academy of Management Africa Conference is oriented toward discovering questions worth asking and then building the collaborative relationships to answer them. Much of the conference will be spent exploring and experiencing many of these capabilities and challenges first hand. Delegates will spend one and a half days “in the field” directly experiencing South Africa and the phenomena that interest them. The rest of the conference will be spent in conversation with authors and other delegates about their collective experience, the papers and symposia, and ideas about future work.
Conference Track Themes
Four conference track themes frame the Academy of Management Africa Conference experience:
- Navigating Institutions: Business, Government, and Civil Society
- Emerging Market Firms and MNCs: Characteristics and Global Aspirations
- Base of the Pyramid: Emerging Market Consumers, Workers, and Managers
- Cultural Diversity and Transformational Societies
Unlike the average conference in which collaborators share the answers to their research questions, this conference is about discovering questions worth asking and building the collaborative relationships to answer them.
Conference Networking Opportunities
- Interested doctoral students and junior faculty will have the opportunity to participate in a full day consortium just prior to the conference.
- Delegates will travel through the local community on academic excursions that create awareness and thematic ties to the conference objectives.
- Filmmakers will capture participants’ interviews, experiences, and reflections. These will be shared with colleagues from around the world.
- Daily lunch and refreshment breaks will be provided to stimulate discussion and connections.
- The conference will feature a cultural exposition area featuring local arts, crafts, and entertainment.
- Attendees will find dedicated meeting corners to facilitate networking and intellectual exchange.
- At the opening of the conference, participants will experience a shared group trip to Johannesburg’s central business district, with a welcoming reception to follow.
- Closing Reception/Gala Dinner where participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the conference and imagine next steps for building upon their shared experience.
Conference Venue
The Academy of Management Africa Conference will be held at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) at the University of Pretoria in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Gordon Institute of Business Science boasts a large, beautiful, custom-built campus in the heart of Illovo in Johannesburg. The site is close to Sandton, Gauteng’s business centre, and within walking distance of shopping malls, restaurants, and major sports clubs
During the conference, wifi internet access will be available throughout the campus and in each of the classrooms. A business and information center, with printing facilities and 16 designated desktop computers will also be available for delegates to use during the event. Daily lunch and refreshment breaks will be provided for conference delegates each day. For those attendees wishing to purchase refreshments outside of the given meal/break times, the Moka Express Coffee Shop will also be available during the conference.
Click here for registration information
