At the 2025 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting—the world’s most influential academic conference in management—Associate Researcher Zhao Mengli from our school, in collaboration with Professor Luis Alfonso Dau of Northeastern University, received the "UofSC-Douglas Nigh Best Paper in Multidisciplinary Research Award" from the International Management (IM) Division. This award, the highest interdisciplinary honor conferred by the IM Division, is granted to only one paper annually.
Titled "Understanding Informal Entrepreneurship Using Anomie Theory," the study addresses the pervasive phenomenon of informal entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Innovatively applying sociological anomie theory, the research constructs a multi-level theoretical framework that integrates individual factors and macro-institutional perspectives. Using cross-national data, it demonstrates how institutions fundamentally shape entrepreneurial behavior. The study resolves academic debates between the "reinforcement theory" and "marginalization theory" of informal entrepreneurship while introducing a new social-structural dimension to global entrepreneurship research.
The award ceremony featured a dedicated session chaired by Professor Jesper Edman, showcasing 4-5 finalist papers selected by the IM Division program chair—including works from renowned scholars such as Professor Minyoung Kim of Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. Associate Researcher Zhao Mengli presented the findings, sparking lively discussions on theoretical innovation, institutional measurement, and cross-national applicability. After anonymous review by the IM Division research committee, the paper was unanimously selected as the sole recipient of this year’s award.
This achievement not only recognizes Associate Researcher Zhao’s scholarly contributions but also highlights our school’s growing influence in international management research and its commitment to nurturing young academic talent.
About AOM:
Founded in 1936, the Academy of Management (AOM) is the world’s largest and oldest scholarly management association, with over 20,000 members from 120+ countries. The 85th Annual Meeting, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, attracted more than 13,000 scholars and experts worldwide to discuss cutting-edge topics in strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, and innovation.
Reporter: Yin Haojie | Reviewer: Huang Minxue
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