The Management Summer School was attended by more than 300 participants from national and international research centers. Its theme was 'Game Changers in Management Studies'. Discussed were breakthrough trends, concepts, methods, techniques, strategies, technologies, as well as critical turning points in the evolution of management studies. The researchers managed to determine the state of the art, the understanding, perception, and ability to incorporate the emerging research trends, methods, and solutions that in recent years have been changing the ways in which organizations think and act as far as management is concerned. They also identified today's game changers in management studies: individuals who are setting priorities and research directions for the future. Furthermore, the School allowed researchers to network extensively and have an effervescent exchange of views on the latest challenges, breakthroughs, and socio-economic trends.
On behalf of the organizers, the conference was opened by the chairpersons of the Conference Presidium, Professor Agnieszka Zakrzewska-Bielawska and Professor Ewa Stańczyk-Hugiet, as well as the representatives of the Committee on Organizational and Management Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, including the Committee chairman, Professor Wojciech Dyduch, and and honorary member, Professor Bogdan Nogalski.
Topics of discussion
SLZ 2023 featured six plenary sessions, three parallel sessions, and 3 parallel workshops. The plenary and parallel sessions were conducted in the format of inspiring panel discussions. Session one, moderated by Professor Ewa Stańczyk-Hugiet, introduced the topic of ‘Game Changers in Contemporary Management.’ Session two, moderated by Professor Agnieszka Zakrzewska-Bielawska, reported on ‘Game Changers in promotion proceedings.’ Further sessions dealt with (moderators in parentheses): ‘Game Changers in Management Research Methodology’ (dr hab. Joanna Radomska, UE professor), a discussion on generations of Game Changers and the determinants of the effectiveness of current scientific research (dr hab. Anna Adamik, TUL professor), a discussion of Game Changers ‘The Editors - our enemies or friends?’ (dr. hab. Patrycja Klimas, UE professor), as well as the identification of ‘Game Changers in university development strategies’ (prof. Andrzej Kaleta).
Panel sessions dealt with a range of considerations, including environmental and technological (dr hab. Małgorzata Koszewska, TUL professor), socio-cultural (dr. inż. Sylwia Flaszewska), and economic-strategic management of organizations (dr hab. Estera Piwoni-Krzeszowska, EU professor); whereas the workshops were concerned with Systematic Literature Review (Professor Justin Paul), an introduction to The Necessary Condition Analysis (dr hab. Patrycja Klimas, EU professor and professor Jan Dul), and mixed methods (dr hab. Joanna Żukowska, SGH professor and dr hab. Regina Gansiniec, UJ professor).
Competitions accompanying the conference
Participant feedback and gamification tools and continuous streaming accompanied all sessions and workshops. The sessions and the results of gamification were made available to the public via the Research Platform connected to the SLZ website (https://slz.ue.wroc.pl/).
That was also where votes could be cast in competitions held part of the 2023 Management Summer School, e.g. the best poster, and the best design of the School logo. Awards were also given for the best article and for the best gamer. The winners, apart from diplomas and awards, were also presented with Kamienie Mocy (Stones of Power) of the Management Summer School 2023, as a token of appreciation and incentive for further development. That the stones work their magic has been certified by the School’s organizers.
One would wish that the 3 days of the conference (June 14-16, 2023) would not have passed so quickly. The organizers hope that all participants and auditors left the School filled with inspiration for many months to come. You can still become one of them by following the SLZ 2023 website and its profile on LinkedIn. You will not regret it!