Overview

The School of Management of Politecnico di Milano is pleased to host a Paper Development Workshop (PDW), sponsored by the Academy of Management Technology & Innovation Management (AOM TIM) Division, designed to give scholars the opportunity to receive developmental feedback on their ongoing research from leading journal editors and distinguished scholars.

The one-day workshop aims to support researchers in advancing their manuscripts toward publication in top-tier management and innovation journals. Participants will engage in intensive discussions focused on strengthening theoretical contributions, improving methodological rigor, enhancing positioning strategies, and increasing the overall publishability of their work.

We welcome submissions from scholars working across a broad range of topics in management, strategy, innovation, organizations, entrepreneurship, international business, and related fields.

Applicants do not need to be AOM members.

Editors

• Giada Di Stefano — Associate Editor, Strategic Management Journal and consulting editor, Strategy Science— Bocconi University
• Lamar Pierce — Editor-in-Chief, Organization Science — Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis
• John Walsh — Editor, Research Policy — Politecnico di Milano

The editors will share insights into the publication process at their respective journals and provide developmental feedback on selected papers.

Workshop format (full day)

• An opening session featuring presentations by the three editors on publishing in Organization Science, Strategic Management Journal, and Research Policy;
• Parallel paper development sessions in which selected authors present their work and receive detailed feedback from editors and faculty discussants;
• Opportunities for networking and interaction with editors, faculty members, and fellow participants.

Each selected paper will be assigned a dedicated discussion session to identify concrete pathways to improve the manuscript and strengthen its contribution to the literature.

Who should apply

PhD students and early-career researchers — including recent PhDs, post-docs, and junior faculty — with a paper in progress on the topic of: strategy, economics and management of innovation, organizations, including their processes, structures, technologies, identities, capabilities. The scientific committee will assign papers to the most relevant editors and mentors.

Submission guidelines

Authors are invited to submit full papers or advanced working papers that are sufficiently developed to benefit from detailed editorial feedback. Papers may be at various stages of development but should present a clear research question, theoretical positioning, methodological approach, and preliminary or complete findings. Submissions will be evaluated on their scholarly contribution, methodological rigor, and fit with the expertise of the participating editors.

To apply, submit your paper (and a short CV) by September 13th. A registration link will follow.

Key dates

• Submission deadline: 13 September 2026
• Notification of acceptance: 13 October 2026
• Registration: free of charge; registration link to follow.
• Workshop date: 13 November 2026.

Organizing and Scientific Committee

• Stefano Baruffaldi — Politecnico di Milano (AOM TIM Representative-at-large) — stefano.baruffaldi@polimi.it
• Marianna Marra — Politecnico di Milano — marianna.marra@polimi.it

On behalf of the AOM TIM Division. For further information, please contact the organizers.