Relational Coordination Collaborative

RCC at the Academy of Management 2025

RC at Academy of Management Logo

July 24-29 in Copenhagen, Denmark

The annual Academy of Management Meetings will be held in Copenhagen this summer. RCC members belong to many divisions, including Organization Development and Change, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior,  Organization and Management Theory, Conflict Management, and more.

If you are attending, feel free to join us for the following activities hosted by and recommended by the Relational Coordination Collaborative.  In particular, please join us for a Welcome to Copenhagen Gathering at Radisson Blu Scandinavian Hotel Friday evening - hosted by the RCC and our Scandinavian colleagues!  See below for more information!

Friday, July 25

Bringing Research (and Researchers) to Life Through a Systems Psychodynamic Approach

Time and Location: Friday, 11:00-2:00 pm in Bella Hall C- C2-m2
Chair: Sanaz Mobasseri, University College London
Panelist: Heidi Brooks, Yale School of Management
Panelist: Stephanie Creary, The Wharton School
Panelist: Robin Ely, Harvard Business School
Panelist: Michael Jarrett, INSEAD
Panelist: Bill Kahn, Boston College
Panelist: Sally Maitlis, Said Business School, Oxford University
Panelist: Gianpiero Petriglieri, INSEAD
Panelist: Jennifer Petriglieri, INSEAD
Panelist: Lizzie Sheprow, Harvard Business School
The systems psychodynamic approach explores unconscious dimensions of novel or problematic features of organizations and organizing processes, and offers a new perspective to many of the issues we're studying in management. We find that people are intrigued by it but often unsure how to bring it to their research—hence the PDW! The PDW is structured in two parts: (1) an introduction to systems psychodynamics, which is open to all; (2) an opportunity for those who pre-register to apply this lens to a current or prospective piece of their own research and discuss it in small groups. Those interested in receiving feedback on a specific research project will need to submit a 500- word summary by 15 July to Sanaz Mobasseri at s.mobasseri@ucl.ac.uk.

Integrating Relational Coordination and Social Networks as Complementary Methods

Time and Location: Friday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm in Bella Hall B-B6-m3
Co-Chair: Sijia Wei, Northwestern University
Co-Chair: Heba Ali, Lancaster University; Relational Coordination Analytics
Panelist: Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University
Panelist: David Krackhardt, Carnegie Mellon University
Panelist: Stephen Shortell, UC Berkeley
Panelist:  Claus Jebsen, BI Norwegian Business School
Panelist: Mickael Bech, University of Southern Denmark

We live in an increasingly interdependent world - socially, emotionally, economically, physically, environmentally, biologically and evolutionarily.  As a result of interdependence, we need relationships to achieve our desired outcomes, especially in the context of growing complexity.  However, relationships are at risk around the world due to the rise of remote work, technologically mediated communication, economic inequality, and political polarization.   In this workshop, we focus on two approaches - Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Relational Coordination (RC) - that offer theories and methods for exploring relational challenges and solutions.

Sponsoring Divisions: Research Methods, Organization and Management Theory, Human Resources, Health Care Management

Dynamic Approaches to Context and Change - Moving the Theoretical and Methodological Goalposts

Time and Location: Friday, 3:00 - 5:00 pm in Bella Center: Hall B-B1-m3
Organizer and Co-Chair: Ninna Meier, Aalborg University; Co-Editor in Chief at the Journal of Change Management
Organizer and Co-Chair: Sue Dopson, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Panelist: Nanna Mortensen, Aalborg University 
Panelist: Emmy Hjort-Enemark Topholm, Aalborg University
Panelist: Helle Sofie Wentzer, Aalborg University 
Panelist: Anna Lupina Wegener, ZHAW School of Management and Law

This PDW aims to move empirical research and theorization of organizational change forward  by foregrounding the significance of dynamic approaches to context. We seek to advance  contextual studies of organizational change processes by focusing on context as dynamic  and changing over time. To do this, we need to shift our focus away from what context is to why it matters how we understand, study and work with context as an integral part of our research and theorization processes. By inviting participants to join us in an interactive two part workshop linked to an upcoming special issue in the Journal of Change Management, we  will focus on how the context-action-change relationship can be operationalized, studied, and  theorized in ways that take this relationship’s dynamic and processual nature into account. 

Sponsoring Divisions:  Organization Development and Change, Organization Management and Theory

Strategy Conversation with the Organization Development and Change Community - Making Sense of the Data

Time and Location: Friday, 5:00 - 6:30 pm in Bella Hall B-B6-m3

Co-Chair:  Richard Stackman, University of San Francisco
Co-Chair: Patrice Rosenthal, Fielding University
Richard Stackman and Patrice RosenthalWhat are our strategic priorities for the Organization Development and Change Division going forward? Practice?  High impact research?  Both?  Professors Richard Stackman and Patrice Rosenthal will share the data from a recent division-wide survey and invite the community to make sense of those data together.
Sponsoring Division: Organization Development and Change

Welcome to Copenhagen - Gathering of the Relational Coordination Collaborative and Friends

Time and Location:  Friday, 7:00 - 8:30 pm at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel Copenhagen, Amager Blvd. 70

Host: Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University
Host: Ninna Meier,  Aalborg University
Host: Lauren Hajjar, Suffolk University
Host: Claus Jebsen, BI Norwegian Business School
Host: Heba Ali,  Lancaster University; Relational Coordination Analytics
Host: Jonas Hedegaard,  Team Working Life
Host: Soren Bjerregaard KjaerDanish Organization of Masters and PhDs
Host: Miranda Jane Safir, Brandeis University
Join us for a warm welcome to Copenhagen hosted by the Relational Coordination Collaborative and our Scandinavian colleagues!

Saturday, July 26

Making Relationships Visible - How to Study Relational Aspects of Organizational Change 

Time and Location: Saturday, 10:45 am - 12:45 pm in Bella Center: Hall B-B0-m5

Co-Chair: Ninna Meier, Aalborg University 
Co-Chair: Lauren Hajjar, Suffolk University 
Panelist: Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University  
Panelist: Claus Jebsen, BI Norwegian Business School and AS3 
Panelist: Helle Sofie Wentzer, Aalborg University 
Panelist: Francesca Dakin, University of Oxford 

It is well established in the change literature that relationships are central elements of organizational change processes, i.e., coordination, leadership, or sensemaking of change within and across organizations. And yet without methods for assessing the quality and strength of relationships, they can disappear from our hypotheses, our research designs and our findings.  The purpose of this workshop is to discuss how different methodological approaches and methods can be used to “make visible” and investigate relational aspects of organizational change.

Sponsoring Divisions: Organization Development and Change, Organization and Management Theory, Health Care Management

Seeing the Whole Together - Relational Mapping for Theory, Research and Practice

Time and Location: Saturday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm in Bella Center: Hall B- B1-m3

Session Chair: Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University
Facilitator:  Lauren Hajjar, Suffolk University
Facilitator: John Paul Stephens, Case Western Reserve
Facilitator:  Olawale Olaleye, Relational Coordination Analytics; Deloitte Human Capital
Facilitator:  Claus Jebsen, BI Norwegian Business School; AS3

In this workshop, we introduce relational mapping as a method for engaging in theory-driven research and practice. For researchers, we propose relational mapping as a method to theorize about a complex system in order to develop more nuanced, testable hypotheses than are likely without visualizing the system.  For practitioners, we propose relational mapping as a method to facilitate change in complex systems. We invite participants to use a case from their own context to practice relational mapping.  Based on the relational map they produce, we will guide them to engage in theorizing and hypothesis development in small groups. 

Sponsoring Divisions: Organization Development and Change, Organization Management Theory, Health Care Management

Sunday, July 27

Gathering of POS Scholars at AOM Presented by the Center for Positive Organizations

Time and Location: TBA

This breakfast experience organized by the Center for Positive Organizations gathers together the community of scholars applying the concepts and theories in the field of Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) in their research. Please, join us for the POS gathering to build community, connect with research collaborators, learn about new developments in the field, and generate energy about the possibilities created by using the POS lens.

R2: Amplifying Rigor and Relevance to Address Today’s Grand Challenges 

Time and Location:  Sunday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm in Bella Center: Hall D- D3-m2

Chair:  Jill Paine, IE Business School
Chair: Richard Stackman, University of San Francisco

Sponsoring Division:  Organization Development and Change

Rigor-Relevance Awards: In Conversation with Mats Alvesson and Ann Langley

Time and Location: Sunday, 4:00 - 5:30 pm in in Bella Center: Hall D- D3-m2

Division Chair: Michael Jarrett, INSEAD
Organizer: Quy Nguyen Huy, INSEAD
Awardee: Mats Alvesson, Lund University
Awardee:  Ann Langley, HEC Montreal
Mats Alvesson, Ann Langley and Quy Hui

This event brings together eminent scholars who share their experiences in the pursuit of both rigor and relevance in their research.  The Rigor and Relevance Award, sponsored by INSEAD, represents the core values of the Organization Development and Change Division - research that is both highly rigorous and highly relevant. We do not see rigor and relevance as an either/or - we see them as a both/and. Join us to hear this year's awardees - Mats Alvesson (Lund University) and Ann Langley (HEC Montreal), in a conversation facilitated by Quy Huy (INSEAD) about how they have achieved rigor and relevance in their research.

Sponsoring Division: Organization Development and Change

Monday, July 28

Relationships Across Differences (RADs) Community

Time and Location: Monday, 8:00-9:00 am in TBA

Host:  Stephanie Creary, The Wharton School
Due to space restrictions and to maintain security for all attendees, we will need you to RSVP by Friday, July 18 if you would like to attend this Gathering. Only those who are on the RSVP list will be admitted. To RSVP, please complete the following form

Sponsoring Division: Organizational Behavior

ODC Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony

Time and Location: Monday, 4:00 - 5:00 pm in Bella Center: Hall D- D1-m3

Division Chair:  Patrice Rosenthal, Fielding University
Division Chair Elect: Michael Jarrett,  INSEAD
Join us for the annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony for the Organization Development and Change Division!  Awards and recipients are shown below.
Distinguished Scholar Award:
Sandra Janoff, Future Search Network
Distinguished Eductor Award:
John Amis, University of Edinburgh
Pasmore Woodman Award:  
Cliff Oswick, University of London
David Grant, University of New South Wales
Best Paper Award:  
Mariam Misha, University of Washington
Bruce Avolio, University of Washington
Eva Maria Bracht, Goethe University Frankfurt
Aditya Gunawan, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya
Rupert F. Chisholm Best Theory-to-Practice Paper Award: 
Angela Greco, Delft University of Technology
Marco Berti, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Best Paper Based on a Dissertation Award:  
Karin Ahlback, London School of Economics
Lucia Garcia-Lorenzo, London School of Economics
Best Doctoral Student Paper Award:  
Santo Biswas, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
Roopak Kumar Gupta, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
Best Reviewer Award:
Rita Kowalski, WorkLife Consulting
Service Awards: 
Quy Huy, INSEAD
Patrice Rosenthal, Fielding University
Feirong (Jackie) Yuan, Southern Methodist University

ODC Distinguished Scholar Sandra Janoff - Strengthening ODC Methods and Theories with Principles for Multi-Stakeholder Systems Change

Time and Location: Monday, 5:00 - 6:00 pm in Bella Center: Hall D-D1-m3

Program Chair: Jody Hoffer Gittell,  Brandeis University
Distinguished Scholar: Sandra Janoff,  Future Search Network 

Sandra Janoff, Future Search

The 2025 ODC Distinguished Scholar, Dr. Sandra Janoff of Future Search Network, has dedicated her career to developing methods to enable system change through multi-stakeholder relationships at multiple levels of action to build thriving organizations and communities. In her address, Dr. Janoff will describe some of the multi-stakeholder challenges we face in organizations around the world, and why ODC methods and theories are critically important right now.

She'll share her methodology for bringing large groups together to solve complex problems they face.  She'll show how Future Search methods are grounded in Org Development and Change principles, how they are designed to foster high quality relationships, and how they can help to move the field forward.  Dr. Janoff will conclude by suggesting where ODC might go from here, then open up for a lively discussion with and among participants,  facilitated by Program Chair Jody Hoffer Gittell.

Sponsoring Division: Organization Development and Change

Organization Development and Change Social!!

Time and Location: Monday, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Danish Architecture Center, Bryghuspladsen 10

Host: Patrice Rosenthal, Fielding University
Host: Michael Jarrett, INSEAD
Host: Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University
Host: James Vardaman, Memphis University
Host: Richard Hall, Monash University

La Cava Toasts at the ODC Social!Danish Architecture Center

Join the Organization Development and Change Division to celebrate our time together in Copenhagen! We are thrilled to be hosting the ODC Social on Monday evening at the Danish Architecture Center following Dr. Janoff's talk.  Local ODC member Ninna Meier (Aalborg University) says the Danish Architecture Center [aomi.informz.net] is very bikeable and trainable from the Bella Center, with a lovely view of the Harbor. Several of our local ODC members have offered to lead small groups by bike or train from the Bella Center to the Danish Architecture Center.

Please know you may bring friends and family members to the ODC Social.  We will announce the best paper awards there once again and offer a toast of congratulations. We will be serving drinks and appetizers including Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine that’s popular in Denmark.  

The DAC is close to good restaurants in the Copenhagen City Hall neighborhood and in the Christianshavn neighborhood for people who want to go out for dinner afterwards. 

Sponsoring Division: Organization Development and Change

Tuesday, July 29