When I assumed the AOM Entrepreneurship (ENT) Division Treasurer, the role represented a great honour as well as a pleasing opportunity to serve our division with the responsibility to continue the great work of previous treasures.
In the 2019 NewsBlast, we looked back into the financial statements from 2012 to 2018 to understand the financial position of our Division. During that review, we recognised the invaluable contributions of our sponsors (mostly universities, foundations, and publishers), as well as highlighted fewer sponsors since 2015 (i.e., it partially explaining the changes to the Ent Division Social Meeting). At the same time, we made emphasis on the increment of two operating expenses that are required to achieve all Ent Division goals. First, behind any Consortiums, PDW, Social Events, and Business Meeting, the division expended the highest percentage of their financial budget for engaging/disseminating doctoral, early career, mid-career, and late-career consortiums. Second, the Awards also represented an extraordinary effort of our division and its sponsors to recognise the excellence, advances, and contributions in our research community. Along with that review, we saw that the ENT Division with the support of AOM and sponsors had kept proper management of the incomes and expenses.
In 2019, we were very grateful to the ENT Division sponsors’ contributions. Their support allowed the participation of 40 PhD students from diverse countries in the Doctoral Consortium (i.e., we supported five students more than 2018), the recognition to the research excellence with 12 awards (i.e., see the awards winners), and the organization of meeting/interacting with Journal Editors, Co-authors, Colleagues and new Colleagues during the doctoral consortium, early-career consortia, mid-career consortia, late-career consortia, social event, and business meeting. Despite these great opportunities, we should recognise that the big challenge is the financial sustainability of all the ENT division goals/projects over time. The Entrepreneurship Division Committee will discuss this challenge and others during the Mid-Winter Meeting in Colorado. We welcome any thoughts and insights from you about how we might sustain our goals while remaining financially sound. Together, we will support the ENT division’s challenges and financial shape to be ready for the goals and projects of this decade.
All the best for the new entrepreneurial year!