Conference Theme: Initiative

The Western Academy of Management (WAM) has a proud and distinguished history of being different, of trying new things, of supporting innovation. Being different means doing things that haven't been done before or doing familiar things in new ways. It requires initiative, and that will be our guiding theme in 2017. In a world where it has become a cliché to observe that we need new ways of thinking, initiative seems especially important for business and for organizations of all kinds.

To support the conference's theme, we'll be meeting in Palm Springs, CA, a city based on initiative. The area was founded by the Cahuilla tribe as they made a home for themselves in the desert. It was re-discovered by Mexican explorers as they struck out to seek travel routes. And the foundation for Palm Springs as we know it was supported by Vyola Ortner whose initiative made her the leader of the first-ever all-female tribal council and contributed to the city's remarkable tourist success.

The 2017 program will include a Fireside Chat with our JMI Scholars Jean Bartunek and Roy Suddaby. We will have the Doctoral Consortium, the Junior Faculty Consortium, the Ascendant Scholars session, the Mid-Career Retrofit and other signature WAM sessions. We will also have several new initiatives that will be revealed going forward.

Initiative has several components. Initiative requires taking the first step in doing something new. It also requires having the passion to pursue a new beginning through to its conclusion. Initiative can be thought of as a personal characteristic or as the ability to act before others. We welcome submissions that relate to any aspect of initiative. What new topics, approaches or methods should we be directing our energy toward? What first steps can we take at the conference to launch an important new direction? In what ways can we re - think or change our familiar perspectives and theories? Are there areas where effort has fallen off but deserves to be renewed ? Who initiates? When and why do they do so? We would like to receive full and developmental papers, as well as proposals for workshops, symposia, and panels that promise to take our research, teaching and practice in important new directions.

Let's follow this advice from Old West philosopher Louis L’Amour: “I would not sit waiting for some vague tomorrow, nor for something to happen. One could wait a lifetime, and find nothing at the end of the waiting. I would begin here, I would make something happen.” Let's take the initiative to make something happen in Palm Springs.

The conference will take place March 22 to 25, 2017 at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. We hope you to see you there. More information will be posted on the WAM website this summer.

Conference Location: The Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel