By Ranran Li · September 2020
I had the great fortune of attending the 2020 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting this past summer. The experience was incredibly enriching, and I wanted to document my reflections while also sharing them with fellow graduate students and early-career researchers in management and organizational psychology.
Looking back, I still remember the excitement of getting my paper accepted, the nervousness while preparing my talk, and the dilemma of wanting to attend multiple overlapping sessions (with over 1,500 sessions in total and nearly 20 concurrent live sessions per time slot!). Despite being physically in China, I adopted a U.S. time schedule during the conference and tried to absorb as much as I could. AOM expanded my research horizons and gave me inspiration for my academic path. I sincerely hope to attend in-person one day.
Due to the pandemic, AOM 2020 was held virtually for the first time. There were gains and losses. While I missed the chance to travel to Vancouver, meet top scholars, and connect face-to-face with peers, the virtual format allowed easy note-taking, instant switching between sessions, and access to recorded materials. It was an intense but fruitful experience.
AOM is globally renowned as the largest and most prestigious conference in management. It includes 26 divisions and interest groups spanning micro to macro topics. This year over 7,200 scholars participated. I mostly attended OB (Organizational Behavior) and RM (Research Methods) sessions. Below I share my key takeaways across three themes: (1) research trends and methodological insights, (2) popular OB research topics, and (3) academic career advice from senior scholars.
1. The Rise of AI and Digitalization
Big data and AI are transforming both management practice and scholarship. Research is emerging on algorithmic management, human-machine interaction, gig work, and people analytics (e.g., using AI to screen candidates, analyze emails, detect low performers, and design VR-based training). Naturally, these innovations raise ethical concerns related to privacy, fairness, and data representativeness.
2. New Methods and Quantitative Rigor
AOM’s Research Methods division alone includes over 2,500 members and offered dozens of method workshops. Advanced methods like machine learning, text analysis, computational modeling, social network analysis, and Bayesian inference were well represented.
Some memorable examples:
Every method has trade-offs. ML/text analysis raises ethical concerns and interpretability issues. Bayesian methods still face adoption barriers in certain journals. Yet the field is evolving.
3. Embracing Open Science
I was surprised and encouraged by AOM’s openness to null results and reproducibility. My own study, with mostly non-significant findings, was accepted and presented. Sessions covered Bayesian thinking, statistical alternatives to p-values, registered reports, and replication studies. I was especially moved by a talk from an 87-year-old scholar who continues to advocate for transparent social science.
4. Theory-Driven vs. Phenomenon-Driven Research
There’s a healthy debate around the overemphasis on theory in elite journals, leading to a “publication game” that prioritizes theoretical contribution over practical relevance. Encouragingly, AOM launched Academy of Management Discoveries (AMD) to publish exploratory work that highlights novel phenomena even if theory is underdeveloped. AMD also accepts registered reports. This signals meaningful progress.
Digital transformation, AI, and pandemic-related issues (e.g., remote work, self-regulation) were clearly emerging topics. Though COVID-19 was in early stages during the 2020 submissions, many sessions explored its implications. I expect next year to be even more COVID-heavy.
“Dark side” research gained visibility, including unethical behavior, workplace deviance, and the dark triad. The OB Division’s Best Paper Award went to Chao Chen's team for their work on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior (UPB) – a noteworthy achievement.
Traditional OB themes like leadership, creativity, voice, and job crafting remain strong. A growing trend is studying leadership from the followership perspective, which I found quite engaging.
AOM excels in providing resources for early-career scholars, from doctoral consortia to job search panels. I attended sessions on publishing, working abroad, and transitioning from psychology to business school careers.
“You are not competing against others; you are competing against the best version of yourself, working on what you love.”
Other memorable advice:
AOM 2020 was a deeply motivating and eye-opening experience. I walked away with new ideas, a better grasp of the field, and inspiration to continue growing as a scholar.
Wishing every reader continued success on your academic journey.
— Written by Ranran Li
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