United in Parma

A month has gone by since we were together in Parma for our annual Sinergie-SIMA conference, and I’d like to share some take aways from this important meeting. Once again, the annual conference numbers suggest that SIMA’s community is growing, engaged and vibrant.
Parma ha ospitato 528 studiosi di management gli scorsi 13 e 14 giugno, un significativo aumento del 40% rispetto ai numeri dell’anno scorso che, a loro volta, avevano fatto segnare un record assoluto rispetto all’anno precedente, confermando un trend stabile di crescita. Anche i 336 paper sottomessi mostrano una chiara tendenza a un’intensa e stabile crescita negli anni. Al centro del nostro convegno abbiamo posto l’idea di creare valore per la nostra comunità offrendo un feedback di elevata qualità sulla ricerca che i soci stanno conducendo, sia grazie alle review eseguite prima del convegno, sia grazie ai commenti offerti da colleghi esperti durante le sessioni parallele. La logica e i processi sottesi al convegno sono stati sostanzialmente modificati al fine di poter veicolare effettivamente tale feedback. Siamo profondamente grati a Sinergie e ai coordinatori e co-coordinatori dei Gruppi Tematici per lo straordinario lavoro che portano continuamente avanti con immensa dedizione al fine di riuscire realmente a offrire tale dimensione della qualità al nostro convegno.
Finally, thanks to the SIMA Next Gen and SIMA-SIM Research Methods School team and teachers, young scholars have had the chance to follow a free course on how to execute constructive reviews and, as part of the course, have also contributed to review conference papers. Finally, thanks to the SIMA Next Gen and SIMA-SIM Research Methods School team and teachers, young scholars have had the chance to follow a free course on how to execute constructive reviews and, as part of the course, have also contributed to review conference papers. By having access to senior scholar reviews, this service to the community has also become a diffused learning process for younger scholars, some of whom have offered extremely insightful comments to the conference authors. This year, papers were presented in 44 parallel sessions, coordinated by 13 thematic groups, plus the conference special track. All coordinators have reported very engaging, interactive and stimulating sessions.
La didattica sta rapidamente diventando un tema centrale per il nostro Consiglio Direttivo e per la nostra comunità. L’impatto di Make-IT-a-Case è cresciuto notevolmente e quest’anno a Parma erano presenti studenti, docenti e istituzioni partner (Invitalia e MIMIT) per le selezioni finali dei progetti migliori del secondo semestre. Inoltre, i docenti che hanno seguito i gruppi finalisti sono stati anch’essi premiati per la loro capacità di trasmettere passione per il management.
Teachers of the winning teams have been awarded for their capacity to transmit passion. Our T&E team’s research on innovation in T&E conducted on SIMA members in the last months attracted a very qualified audience of the education ecosystem in an original roundtable session in which, and for the first time, editors shared their views on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
This year we have had the honor to host a dialogue among the highest expression of the Italian and international Institutional players (Anvur, Cun, CRUI, Coara) on the challenges connected to evaluations in the University system, a theme that is both complex and key.
The pre-conference activities have also increased significantly, the Paper Development Workshop is now a consolidated opportunity for young scholars to access expert support and suggestions on their research, as well as the social activities organized by the Next Gen team for younger scholars has become an important occasion to be welcomed to our community in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This year, thematic group coordinators and co-coordinators, as well as local SIMA referents also met on the Wednesday before the conference to work and socialize.
The awards granted to outstanding members of community have increased, as we have begun to expand the focus also on high potential short papers, outstanding expert and young reviewers, passionate teachers and amazing service to the SIMA community. Each award means so much to the core values we believe in and it is a way to shine the light on the many incredible people that render our community so special.
All of these achievements are certainly the result of the effort and relentless work of many, many academic colleagues and administrative staff whom we are so lucky to have in SIMA and Sinergie. Certainly, for all those who were present, the ability to bridge
theory and practice during the keynote session, the beauty of the Greenlife buildings and gardens, the perfectly clean and functional lecture halls at the University of Parma, the young hosts present in front of every lecture hall in turquoise t-shirts, the wonder of living a cocktail at sunset in the amazing park of the Magnani Rocca Foundation, the grandeur of the elegant dinner tables and the quality of the food throughout all the conference, dancing under the most amazing pine tree, the city busses that boldly showcased Sinergie SIMA conference as their stops, the T-Shirt that we will have to remind us of this event and the many photos that will fix these moments in our memories forever, are just some examples of what the team of Parma have worked incredibly hard to offer our community. A team who has strived to share the best of their world and territory with us, who have worked with an amazing sense of unity and pride, proving to us all that excellence may be reached through generosity. Parma has, once again, signed a landmark in our community, and we have been very lucky to have had the privilege of sitting on the shoulder of a Giant.

Thank you, Parma!