Revisiting Management Classics in the Transformative Era
The 6th International Conference on Management Research (ICMR 2026), hosted by the School of Management, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, invites scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders to re-examine the timeless works that shaped the field of management.
Under the theme “Revisiting Management Classics in the Transformative Era”, the conference seeks to explore how foundational theories and frameworks — much like enduring melodies or literary masterpieces — continue to inspire and inform management thinking in an age of digital disruption, sustainability, and rapid innovation.
ICMR 2026 provides a vibrant platform for revisiting, repurposing, and rediscovering management classics through contemporary lenses, fostering meaningful dialogue across academia and industry.
Sub Themes
Conference Sub-Themes
1. Strategy and Competitive Advantage
Exploring classic strategic frameworks—like Porter’s Five Forces, the Resource-Based View, and Ansoff’s Matrix—in the context of digital transformation, platform economies, and hyper-competition.
2. Economics and Managerial Decision-Making
Revisiting classical and neoclassical economic thought to understand their relevance amid global trade shifts, stakeholder capitalism, and the gig economy.
3. Human Resource Management & Organizational Behaviour
Reflecting on timeless OB and HR theories—Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor, Mayo—and their application in hybrid workplaces, inclusion, and talent management.
4. Marketing
Examining enduring marketing principles such as the 4Ps, AIDA, and Kotler’s philosophies in the age of digital media, personalization, and influencer culture.
5. Finance
Assessing foundational theories like CAPM, EMH, and Modigliani-Miller in light of fintech innovation, crypto-assets, and behavioral finance.
6. Operations
Adapting classical operational models—Taylor’s scientific management, Lean, Six Sigma—to today’s challenges of agility, resilience, and sustainability.
7. Analytics & Decision Sciences
Tracing the evolution of quantitative decision-making from OR and statistics to AI, machine learning, and big data analytics.
8. Entrepreneurship
Learning from pioneering thinkers such as Schumpeter and Drucker to understand innovation, creative destruction, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
9. Emerging & Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives
Encouraging reinterpretations of management classics through new lenses—sustainability, ethics, governance, innovation, and education.