"Open" has become a leading idea in management and organization studies, as organizations face social, ecological, and technological challenges calling for more open ways of organizing. Yet "openness" is often used without a clear definition - usually just seen as the opposite of "closed." Recent theory suggests it's more complex: shaped by context, closely tied to closedness, and not always positive in its outcomes.
This workshop aims to build a clearer conceptual and methodological understanding of "openness."
Our PDW aims to:
- Move beyond open/closed dichotomies toward a relational understanding of #openness
- Connect diverse manifestations of openness across #strategy, #innovation, and #organizing
- Advance conceptual and methodological tools for studying open phenomena
- Shape future directions for openness research
In the second half, participants can discuss their own work-in-progress with panelists of their choice. No preregistration needed - just come prepared with a short 2-3 minute presentation (one slide or page is enough).
Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026
Time: 8:00am–9:30am ET (GMT-4/UTC-4)
Location: Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown, First Floor, Seminar A
Organizers: Alberto Bertello, Susan Hilbolling (Aarhus University), Sunny Mosangzi Xu (Aarhus University)
Panelists: Marco Berti (Nova SBE), Fleur Deken (VU Amsterdam), Raghu Garud (Penn State), Kristina Stoiber (TU Munich)
Sponsored by: SAP, OMT, TIM, SIM
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Sunny Mosangzi Xu
Aarhus University
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