The Academy of Management took another striking step in
its internationalisation drive after announcing that its 2027 Annual Meeting
will move from Seattle to Vienna.
While not overtly political, the relocation follows concerns
raised by members about personal safety and the broader political climate
surrounding travel to the United States.
The decision underlines a cultural shift at one of the
world’s most influential management associations, long regarded as a
predominantly North American institution.
While the association’s global membership has grown, it has rotated
its flagship conference almost exclusively within North America for the last 90
years. That pattern only changed last year when the academy held its first
European annual meeting in Copenhagen.
Now the shift appears to be accelerating. Following
Philadelphia in 2026, the Austrian capital will host in 2027, Toronto in 2028,
Frankfurt in 2029 and London in 2030. The sequencing marks a deliberate
repositioning of the association as a more internationally anchored scholarly
network rather than a US-centred association with overseas members.
The change in
direction could boost attendance levels. The event typically attracts around 10,000
delegates - Copenhagen welcomed around 13,000 to the meeting.
German scholar Timo Lorenz raised
concerns on LinkedIn about travelling to the US for academic conferences.
Following the Academy’s announcement, Lorenz praised the organisation for
listening to international members and recognising that academic participation
is shaped not only by intellectual interests and funding, but also by “visa
regimes, border politics, personal safety, identity, and the broader political
climate”.
He said: “After my previous letter, you took the time to
engage in respectful and substantive conversations with me about safety,
accessibility, and the conditions under which global academic exchange can take
place. Moving an annual meeting as big as this is not a minor administrative
adjustment. AOM is a large, complex, global organisation. Steering such a ship
is difficult, I understand this. That makes your decision all the more
important.”
Numerous other scholars have welcomed the move online,
praising the academy for broadening its horizons at a time of heightened
geopolitical tensions.
In its official
statement, Tammy Madson, AOM president, framed the move as part of a
broader commitment to “global access” and acknowledged that members face “a
range of challenges in how and where they are able to connect and engage”.
Although the announcement does not explicitly mention US
political conditions, the context has been widely understood within the
management research community.
For the academy, it would appear the implications extend
beyond venue logistics. The organisation is responding to a changing
geopolitical environment in which access to international academic exchange can no
longer be taken for granted.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
