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The Division Chair invites you to the AOM Conference Copenhagen 2025

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our 2025 Program Chair, Anil Maheshwari, and our PDW Chair, Payal Kumar, for their tireless work in crafting a rich and engaging program for us. We are also grateful to our other leadership team members, Tom Elwood Culham (Chair Elect), and Julia Storberg Walker (Past Chair), our administrative support team, Raysa Geaquinto Rocha (Associate Chair) and Anita Mendiratta (Treasurer and Associate Program Chair), as well as all our volunteers. As you will see in our newsletter, there is so much to look forward to. Throughout the year, we have been intentional about expanding inclusion for members who face financial barriers to attending the annual meeting, particularly those from regions underrepresented in our community. This year, we awarded scholarships to 13 members to cover their travel, stay, and visa-related costs for which we received nearly 20 applications. We wish we could support even more of you, and we are committed to continuing our work in this area.

Beyond the annual meeting, our commitment to year-round engagement remains strong. This year, we have offered a greatly attended virtual information and recruitment session in collaboration with Koach Scholar, virtual quarterly workshops for meditation and contemplative practices across the globe, a series of Flamekeepers webinars, the MSR monthly sessions, two research symposia, one 24-hour research colloquium, and an interactive global retreat to keep our community connected and learning together.

If you have ideas for how we can continue to support and inspire our MSR community, please feel free to reach out to us directly. We deeply value each of you, across all regions, disciplines, and career stages. Thank you for being part of the MSR Division, and we encourage you to invite others to join us, especially students and members from other divisions. We invite the next generation researchers, practitioners, and scholars who examine the intersections between several themes of management, spirituality and religion to carry this work forward toward fair and flourishing futures.

We look forward to seeing you in Copenhagen. Whether you are a scholar, practitioner, student, or seeker, the MSR program offers a welcoming and fruitful space to engage in deep dialogue, community building, and personal growth. The AOM Agenda and all related information can be found here and MSR's detailed agenda can be found here, which you can filter, sort, tailor and plan your visit. Stay connected by following MSR on LinkedIn, and help us reach more brilliant minds by sharing your reflections and insights using the tag #AOMMSR2025.

News from the Scholarly Program Chair

Thanks to the innovative outreach, MSR received a record 113 paper submissions - an 80% increase from last year - along with 13 symposiums and 10 poster submissions. We deeply appreciate the service of 153 dedicated reviewers who provided 419 reviews, averaging 3.05 reviews per submission. Six exceptional papers earned Best Paper Awards. Four reviewers received perfect feedback and will be honored with Best Reviewer Awards.

Congratulations to the authors, for the following Best Paper Awards

• Academic Freedom as Collective Capability: DEI and Spiritual Practices in Higher Education by Sharda Nandram, Nyenrode Business University & Vrije University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Gunjan Joshi, Nyenrode Business University, The Netherlands; Raysa Rocha, Raysa, University of Essex, UK.

• The Role of Spirituality in Remote Workers' Well-being and Quiet Quitting Behaviors by Vineet Arora, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India; Amit Shukla, India.

• Understanding the Relationship Between Managers' Belief in Big Gods and Firm Reputation by Nicholas Burton, Northumbria University, UK; Andrew Smith, University of Birmingham, UK. Nicholas Wong, Northumbria University, UK; Allan Discua Cruz, UK.

• Bible Backers: How Taken-For-Granted Assumptions Changed in The Church of England by Ruben Van Werven, UK; Amit Nigam, University of London, UK; Simon Parker, UK.

• Fear knocked; faith answered: A sense-making perspective of Indian Women Entrepreneurs' success by Vrinda Khattar, Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai; Upasna Agarwal, Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai; John Merin Litty.

• Developing Conscious Government Leaders in India through the Inner Engineering Leadership Program by Tracy Chang. Rutgers University; Corina Zhao, Teachers College of Columbia University; Marcella Zoccoli - University of Helsinki, Finland.

A heartfelt thank you to Anita Mendiratta, who generously served as Associate Program Chair, helping bring this ambitious program to life. We are especially grateful to six senior scholars who served as Associate Editors: Dennis Heaton, Kathryn Pavlovich, Stacie Chappell, Radha Rani Sharma, Orneita Burton, and Jerry Biberman. Each contributed significantly by handling urgent and complicated reviews and taking on twice the typical review load.

The 57 accepted papers are organized into 13 thematic sessions across Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. These sessions highlight pioneering research, global insights, and transformative practices that integrate consciousness, ethics, leadership, and management. Authors of papers not accepted into the main program were invited to present at our MSR Research Colloquium which was held in May. Many embraced this as an opportunity for community dialogue and feedback.

To support newcomers to AOM, we hosted a Zoom-based "Meet & Greet" session, fostering connections and a sense of belonging. In addition, we launched a vibrant promotional initiative. Joan Marques created beautiful visual tiles for each accepted session, which Ekaterina Ivanova and Anil Maheshwari shared on LinkedIn using the hashtag #AOMMSR2025. Four volunteers from among our submitters are now helping repurpose this content across platforms like AOM MSR Connect. We're thrilled to see MSR's online community growing, now over 825 strong on LinkedIn. Help us reach 1,000 and beyond by reposting and amplifying this inspiring content.

In addition to our core academic program, MSR is proud to sponsor several special sessions designed to foster connection, learning, and community:

• Junior Scholars Networking Session (Saturday morning): A warm, informal opportunity for emerging scholars to build new friendships and networks within the MSR community.

• Meet the Journal Editors (Saturday late morning): Gain valuable insights into the publishing process and learn how to position your work for success in MSR-related journals.

• MSR & Friends Gathering (Sunday evening): A relaxed and inclusive space to connect with colleagues from other divisions and forge new interdisciplinary friendships.

• MSR Plenary: "A Spiritual Turn in Management": Join us as a distinguished senior scholar reflects on the future direction of MSR research and practice.

• MSR Business Meeting (Monday afternoon): Hear from the MSR leadership team as they share key updates, celebrate milestones, and introduce strategic goals for the year ahead.

• MSR Social Event (immediately following the Business Meeting): Enjoy good food, ice cream, and uplifting conversations with fellow MSR members in a joyful closing celebration.

We warmly invite you to participate in these community-building events! We look forward to an enriching and transformative gathering.

Message from the Professional Development Workshops (PDW) Chair

Best PDW award winner

MSR Division Events

The MSR Division presents the following enriching events at the AOM Conference Copenhagen 2025. We have organised this day wise for you, to help you plan ahead, and make the most of your visit. Enjoy as many MSR PDWs as possible, network, share, learn and explore opportunities.

Day 1, July 25:
A sacred start in Copenhagen

• 10817: Gandhi's Legacy: Ethical Leadership to Address Indignity. Link
• 12293: Pranayama and Meditation for Mental Wellbeing. Link
• 12912: Reality Proves Possibility- Humanistic Management as Enabler of Dignity and Flourishing for All. Link
• 14358: Flourishing in Academia: Co-Designing Inclusive Academic Workplaces for Neurodivergent Scholars. Link
• 22924: Women in Islam: Identity, Career, and Agency. Link
• 17245: Philosophy, Ethics and Management. Link
• 25117: Practicing Spirituality in Business and the Classroom. Link
• 10983: "Awakening to Ourselves and the Earth" Within Management Education. Link
• 14413: Experiencing Spiritual Leadership Through Systemic Constellations. Link
• 13663: Using Philosophical Methods in Management Scholarship. Link
• 16140: Moral Foundation and Self-Worth in Managerial Education: Role in Sustainability, Ethical Leadership. Link
• 10818: Integral Presence at Work as a Means to Spiritually Transform. Link
• 15854: Employment with Justice: Theology of the Workplace and Allied Perspectives Inquiry. Link
• 10810: Work as Dharma: Elevating Consciousness and Agency Beyond Conventional Work Orientations. Link
• 17658: Cultural Factors in Sustainability Curricula Insights from Georgian (Country) Cultural Perspectives. Link
• 22823: How Spirituality and Meditation Help Harmonizing Spaces of Academic Freedom. Link

PDWs

• 20022: Beyond the Strain: A 2-Hour Retreat for Reflection, Connection, and Academic Growth. Link
• 25279: Unpacking the Complexity of Religious Entrepreneurship (PDW - Doctoral Seminar / Consortium). Link
  11336: Transforming Mindsets: The Power of Arts-Based Pedagogy in Education for Sustainability.Link
• 19346: Edgewalkers in Academia: Supporting Spiritual Consciousness on the Edge of Scholarly Work. Link
  20210: From Fieldwork to Framework: Interactive 7-Stage Workshop for Mastering Qualitative Research in MSR. Link
• 18173: Theory of the Dharmic Firm and a New Aligned Measurement Framework. Link
  
• 19997: Fostering a Systems Thinking Mindset in Age of AI: Cultivating Consciousness for Ethical Leadership. Link
  
• 15823: AI as the CEO: Redefining Consulting and Spiritual Intelligence in Sustainable Education. Link
  
• 16633: Developing a Spiritual Research Paradigm Focused on Experience and Storytelling. Link
  
• 13812: Innovations in Learning Leadership for Flourishing Through Responsibilization. Link
  
• 13290: Understanding Vipassana Meditation for Leadership: Insights into Managing Biases and Emotions. Link
  
• 14676: Mindfulness in a VUCA World: Meditation Practices for Busy People. Link

Poster Sessions

• 11533: The Generative Power of Silence: Exploring Its Role in Personal and Spiritual Growth. Link
  
• 12853: Mindfulness: Boosting Creativity, Innovation, and Spiritual Leadership in Entrepreneurs. Link
  
• 13458: Being Fully Human: Reflections on the Journey to Wholeness. Link
  
• 13378: Exploring Customer Experiences with Christian Organizations Nationwide. Link
  
• 12413: Bestination: A Sustainable Approach to Problem Solving for Entrepreneurs. Link
  
• 13204: Tri-aligned Life & Leadership: Balancing Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Link

Meetings

• 25116: Junior Scholars Mentoring and Networking. Link
• 25115: MSR Research Journals. Link

Day 3, July 27:
Pushing boundaries in Management, Research and Practice

Panel Symposium

• 10591: What Now? What Are We Missing? What Do We Need to Learn and Change as Management Scholars? Link

Poster Sessions

• 18684: Religion, Spirituality, and Entrepreneurship: Systematic Review and Future Directions. Link
• 19187: Karma and Organizational Ethics: A Roadmap for Organizations. Link

Meeting

• 25114: MSR and Friends. Link

Presenter Symposiums

• 10632: Spiritual and Religious Perspective on Management Education. Link
• 16378: Dharma-Inspired Management: Bridging Spirituality, Ethics and Leadership. Link
• 12021: Building and Developing Intuition: Bringing the Sixth Sense to Work to Solve and Resolve Issues. Link

Scholarly Paper Sessions

• 25954: East Asian Wisdom: Foresight, Philanthropy and Continuity. Link
• 25955: Happiness and Harmony: Transcendence, Morality, and Business. Link
• 26362: Spiritual Leadership: Influence, Ethics, and Challenges. Link
• 26363: Sustainable Innovation: Leadership, Spirituality and Environment. Link
• 26364: AI and Consciousness: Agency, Creativity, and Platforms. Link

PDWs

• 10628: Building Meaningful Bridges: Engaging in the Interdisciplinary Conversation About Meaningful Work. Link
• 19729: AI 2: Appreciative Inquiry About Artificial Intelligence in the Future of Management Education. Link
• 16489: Practices for Purposeful Partnerships: A Women's Wisdom Circle. Link
• 21850: Embodying Connection with Others Through Music: A Practice to Develop Leaders, Managers & Educators. Link
• 20485: Sensory Templates: A Practical Tool for Solving Seemingly Unsolvable Problems. Link
• 24541: Enhancing Leadership Through Contemplative Practices: Management Skills and Character Development. Link
• 12914: Transforming Business, Education, and Business Education for Human Flourishing. Link
• 11580: SpiCaQuest: A Game-Based Initiative to Improve Spiritual Care Competencies. Link

Day 4, July 28:
Advancing insights in Management Research and Practice

Panel Symposium

• 14690: Mindful Excellence: Impacting Individual and Collective Flourishing: Link
• 23247: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Meeting Societal Challenges. Link
• 23344: Sacred Virtual Spaces and the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future. Link

Scholarly Paper Sessions

• 25950: Gender and Identity: Confidence, Education and Entrepreneurship. Link
• 25951: Indic Approaches: Dharma, Karma and Success. Link
• 25952: Indic Practices: Yoga, Peace and Inner Architecture. Link
• 25953: Mindfulness and Materiality: Environment, Consumption and Well-Being. Link

Meeting

• 25111: MSR Plenary. Link
• 25112: MSR Social Event. Link
• 25113: MSR Business Meeting. Link

Presenter Symposium

• 20335: Higher Consciousness in Entrepreneurship. Link

Day 5, July 29:
Culminating insights in Management, Spirituality, and Religion

Presenter Symposiums

• 19747: Humble Leadership: Moving the Field Forward. Link
• 23652: Decolonizing Management, Spirituality, and Religion: Pathways to Inclusive Scholarship. Link

Scholarly Paper Sessions

• 26365: Workplace Well-Being: Suffering, Renewal and Transformation. Link
• 26366: Organizational Leadership: Resilience, Legitimacy and Naturee. Link
• 26367: Religion in Workplace: Compassion, Faith and Ethics. Link
• 26368: Corporate Culture: Moral Beliefs and Religious Practices. Link

Dissertations Awards

This year's dissertation awards, announced during the MSR Research Colloquium:are:

1. First Place: Prajapat Gajendra K., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, India "Community-Based Entrepreneurial Support System: A Study on the Jain Religion"

2. Second Place: Tathagata Bhowmik, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, US. The Temporalization and Spatialization of Epistemic Resistance: A Subversion of Social Class and Caste by Marginalized Artists

3. Third Place: Thanuksha Abeywardana, University of Waikato, New Zealand "The transmission and persistence of spiritual values within ventures"

We congratulate alll the authors for this achievement and are happy to support such meaningful and vital work by presenting the JMSR Best Paper award, which is sponsored by the Tyson Center for Faith-Friendly Workplaces at the University of Arkansas. We wish the best of luck to all the potential candidates.

Cordial thanks to our reviewers

Division Election Results

Welcoming our New MSR Leader

We are delighted to share that the election results are in, with nearly 21% of MSR members participating this year. Thank you to everyone who voted and engaged in shaping our division's future.Please join us in congratulating Sharda Nandram, who has been elected to the Leadership Track. In her first year, Sharda will focus on planning the 2026 PDWs, and we know our community will warmly support her as she steps into this new leadership role. A heartfelt thank you to the election coordinator, past MSR Chair Julia Storberg-Walker, as well to Joan Marques, Tom Culham, and Kathryn Goldman Schuyler for their service on this year's Nominating Committee. Their active and thoughtful work ensured a strong slate of candidates and supported the high voter turnout we saw this year.

Join us on Social Media

Join us through social media, like, comment, and repost our content, and also share your thoughts with us. These online spaces are an effective and inclusive way to keep up with our online events and scholarship calls. We also have an active digital community of members on Connect@AOM too! Don't miss our calls for special issues, information on conferences, events, updates, and key information about our division and messages from our division leadership.

• YouTube: https://msr.aom.org/youtube
• Facebook: https://msr.aom.org/facebook,
• LinkedIn: https://msr.aom.org/linkedin

We look forward to seeing you, knowing you, listen to your ideas, support you, learn from you, share our work, and have fun at Copenhagen,

Thank you all for contributing to this vibrant, diverse, rich, and collaborative knowledge community!!

With love and best wishes,
your MSR Team