Dear Andrew,
You make some interesting points about Toronto and Canada.
I see from social media that some people think that the AoM should relocate either its conference and/or its headquarters to Canada to hide the fact it is American. Speaking as a historian of international business, I don't know if that strategy would work. During and between the two world wars, some German firms incorporated in Switzerland and other neutral countries in an attempt to present themselves as non-German firms. This strategy worked for some but not all of these organizations. In some cases, Western government officials saw through the ruse of incorporating in Zurich or Macau, as did some customers in those nations. (Consumers in that era were typically low information people). I suspect that the many Middle Eastern and Chinese academics who currently pay to attend the AoM won't be fooled if the mailing address is suddenly changed from Briarcliff Manor to Toronto. They will realise that the AoM remains an essentially US organization, even if they membership fees are now billed in Canadian dollars and the website has a Canadian IP address. Whether that knowledge would change their willingness to pay to attend the AoM is something I don't know. I suppose it depends on the extent to which they feel that the attitudes of the current US administration towards Muslims, Mexicans, China, etc reflect those of the US population.
The following pieces of business-historical scholarship may or may not provide useful lessons for the AoM leadership at this time.
Casson, M., & da Silva Lopes, T. (2013). Foreign direct investment in high-risk environments: an historical perspective. Business History, 55(3), 375-404.
Jones, G., & Lubinski, C. (2012). Managing Political Risk in Global Business: Beiersdorf 1914–1990. Enterprise and Society, 13(01), 85-119.
Smith, A. (2016). A LBV perspective on political risk management in a multinational bank during the First World War. Multinational Business Review, 24(1), 25-46.
Andrew
Regards,
Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith
Director of Studies, International Business
Senior Lecturer in International Business, University of Liverpool Management School.
University of Liverpool Management School, University of Liverpool
Chatham Street, Liverpool L69 7ZH, United Kingdom.
Office: GE45
http://pastspeaks.com/about/
From: Entrepreneurship Division Listserv [mailto:ENTREP@AOMLISTS.AOM.ORG] On Behalf Of Andrew Maxwell
Sent: 03 February 2017 14:00
To: ENTREP@AOMLISTS.AOM.ORG
Subject: Re: [ENTREP] FW: [ENTREP] Critical Management Studies seems to be alone in responding...
I am upset that an international organization of the standing of the AoM does not boycott the USA in response to this travel ban. There are already many thousands of academics who have signed such a petition, and a move by the AoM would be a real signal that we are not just an academic institution but one that seeks to impact the society in which we all work.
In the US, even the NBA moved their "All Star Game" - when they wanted to signal their disapproval of intolerant legislation in North Carolina. The AoM should be a leader in this regard - not a follower. As noted this is not a political issue but one of human rights and academic freedom.
While I know moving the conference is a challenge, given that the President of AoM is based in Toronto, and given recent comments by both the Prime Minister of Canada and the Province and City, why don't we just move the conference there. I know that it would be logistically challenging, but doing the right thing is often difficult. That does not mean we should not do it.
Surely a big vision and an implementation challenge are the challenges of entrepreneurship.
As an alternative, we could establish Toronto as a second site - and connect every session electronically - giving participants the choice of location.
There are politicians in Toronto and Canada who would just love this opportunity to show the importance of tolerance and diversity.
Director Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto.
On Thu, Feb 2, 2017 at 11:25 PM, Roxanne Zolin <Roxanne.Zolin@aib.edu.au> wrote:
Dear Entrepreneurship Scholars and Practitioners,
IMHO Benson has hit the nail on the head by invoking AOM's own Code of Ethics.
What other countries or organisations do, or don't do, is not relevant.
If we do not comply with our own Code of Ethics we lack integrity. AoM should either comply or change the Code of Ethics.
I call on AoM Leadership to explain how their statement complies with AoM's Code of Ethics.
If AoM leadership does not choose to comply with our Code of Ethics or change it, should they resign?
Cheers,
Roxanne
Dr. Roxanne Zolin
Professor and Head of Discipline - Entrepreneurship
Australian Institute of Business
A 27 Currie Street, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000 W www.aib.edu.au
T 61-8-7325-1315 M 0433 400 113 E roxanne.zolin@aib.edu.au
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Per and Benson, I understand where you're coming from, but I think you're oversimplifying a complex issue.
As many of you know, long before last week it was extremely difficult, in some cases virtually impossible, to get US visas for scholars from the seven "countries of concern" to which the EO applies. Just last year I spent considerable effort preparing to host a visiting doctoral student who happened to be an Iranian national, only to be told at the last minute that my university would not support the visa application, because all previous attempts had been denied by the State Department. Should AOM have issued a statement condemning this policy for the 2016, 2015, and 2014 annual meetings?
The US, like other countries, has long submitted foreign nationals from various countries to different levels of scrutiny in the visa process, at the airport, and elsewhere. This is obviously discriminatory. Is it appropriate for AOM to take a public position on travel restrictions per se? What about restrictions outside the US? Six of the seven countries in question currently forbid Israeli passport holders from entry, so that an Israeli scholar cannot attend a conference in Iran or Sudan or Libya. This certainly violates the text below bolded by Benson. Should AOM condemn this?
As Anita notes, the AOM has a strict policy preventing officers from expressing their personal views as the views of the organization. Moreover, the AOM has no process in place by which the organization can develop a view on a public policy question. Anita says that there is a proposal under consideration by the Executive Committee to relax these restrictions in "extreme circumstances," but it is still being discussed. Of course, determining what constitutes an extreme circumstance is far from obvious.
In short, I think you're misinterpreting "politics" to mean partisan politics, in which case it seems like the travel ban is not a political issue, but one relating to human rights and freedom of inquiry. As I understand it, the Board interprets politics to mean, "pertaining to government or public affairs," in which case country-specific travel and immigration restrictions do count as political.
Cheers,
Peter
I fully agree.
I have no idea why politics were invoked. It's pretty clear in our code of ethics, as follows:
The Academy of Management is devoted to increasing scientific and professional knowledge of management
practices. It promotes the use of such knowledge to improve the work lives of individuals, the efficiency and
effectiveness of organizations, and the well-being of society as a whole. The AOM ensures that attention is paid to the
rights and well-being of all organizational stakeholders.
AOM members respect and protect civil and human rights and the central importance of freedom of inquiry and
expression in research, teaching, and publication.
Further:
· Worldview. Academy members have a duty to consider their responsibilities to the world community.
In their role as educators, members of the Academy can play a vital role in encouraging a broader
horizon for decision making by viewing issues from a multiplicity of perspectives, including the
perspectives of those who are the least advantaged.
Thus, protecting human rights and ensuring freedom of inquiry and expression is not a matter of politics – it is a fundamental component of what we do, as stated in our code. Many solid corporations came out more clearly regarding this fiasco. See what the statement from the American Sociological Association looks like:
http://www.asanet.org/news-events/asa-news/statement-american-sociological-association-concerning-new-administrations-recent-and-future
Our leadership should be responsive and accountable in these matters.
Benson Honig Ph.D.
Teresa Cascioli Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership
DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University
Hamilton Ontario Canada L8S4M4
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). Ventures HO!