The British Academy of Management (BAM2024) Conference - Dr Kaleem Ullah
The British Academy of Management (BAM) hosted its largest ever event this year at Nottingham Business School, drawing over 1,800 participants from across the globe. The BAM2024 Conference, held from September 2nd to 6th, provided a vibrant platform for thought leaders, researchers, and professionals to engage with the latest ideas and trends shaping the business management landscape.
One of the highlights was the presentation of a research paper by Dr Kaleem Ullah, Lecturer in Management, at Bangor Business School (BBS), titled "Advancing to Circular Transformation in the UK Food Industry: Leveraging Dynamic Capabilities for Business Model Innovation". Presented in the Organisational Transformation Change and Development track, the paper explores how businesses can integrate circular economy (CE) principles, focusing on the organisational capabilities needed to drive business model innovation in response to environmental challenges in the food sector.
Kaleem said, “the conference was an exceptional learning opportunity. Attending nine sessions, including keynote panels, paper presentations, and editor discussions, has significantly enhanced my understanding of current academic and industry challenges."
One of notable keynote panels, Sustainability and Humanity in Organisations, delved into the increasing importance of ethical and sustainable practices in the corporate world. The panel highlighted the challenges organisations face in ensuring SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks are not merely superficial measures but are embedded into real, impactful business strategies. These discussions closely aligned with Kaleem’s research on CE, providing further insights into how businesses can integrate sustainability into their operations.
Adding to the excitement, Gary Walpole from Swansea University, one of Bangor University’s partner institutions, received an award for the Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) project. The CEIC programme fosters collaborative networks across Wales to drive sustainability and innovation, with three BBS academic staff, including Dr Kaleem Ullah are contributing to the Pan-Wales initiative.
In addition to research presentations, the BAM and Non-BAM editors’ sessions offered invaluable insights into the publication process, particularly for early career researchers (ECRs).
Kaleem concluded the conference on September 6th with a professional development workshop titled Equipping Early Career Academics with Essential Skills in a Digital Era. The workshop equipped ECRs with practical insights into career development, digital research tools, and networking strategies, offering valuable guidance for navigating the complexities of academia.
A big thanks to BBS for providing the funding to attend this event. As an ECR, conferences like BAM are instrumental in expanding our academic horizons and developing the skills necessary for future success.
