Conference Theme:
Driven by technological advances such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and autonomous systems, digital transformation has become a critical factor in various industries worldwide. Digital transformation refers to the process of integrating digital technologies into all areas of a business or organisation, fundamentally changing how it operates and delivers value to its customers. It involves not just the adoption of new technologies but also a cultural shift in how businesses think and work. Given this, firms must adopt and explore digital technologies for economic and social changes.
This phenomenon offers us a unique opportunity to develop our insights into how institutional contexts shape technological innovation and adoption patterns in Asia and Europe. Notably, these regions are part of intensifying geopolitical competition over strategic technologies, exemplified by supply chain tensions, competing technical standards, and technology export controls in various products across industries. The interplay between geopolitics and digital transformation also shapes firms’ strategic choices, innovation trajectories, and market access. Moreover, digital transformation is not just about technology—it is important to rethink business models, workflows, and even the organisation’s culture to make full use of the possibilities offered by digital tools and resources. The EAMSA 2025 Annual Conference invites submissions that explore new dimensions and issues in business and management studies in the contexts of Europe and Asia.
Call for Papers:
We are open to studies employing different approaches, including theoretical, conceptual and empirical papers that draw on qualitative, quantitative, mixed or case-study approaches to explore issues arising from the conference theme and in the context of Asia and/or Europe. We also encourage authors to submit international comparative studies. As EAMSA strives to be a platform for wider discussions on interrelations between Asia and Europe, we also welcome paper submissions in the broader fields of international business and management studies, as well as innovation studies, economic geography, economics and area studies. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
International Business perspective
- How do Asian firms leverage their domestic digital capabilities for international expansion?
- How do multinational corporations adapt their digital strategies to diverse Asian market contexts?
- How do Asian firms’ approaches to digital internationalisation differ from traditional internationalisation patterns?
- How do Asian firms balance local responsiveness with global integration in their digital transformation strategies?
- How do Asian firms’ positions in global digital value chains influence their innovation capabilities?
Innovation perspective
- How do Asian firms’ approaches to innovation in digital technologies differ from Western innovation models?
- How do cultural attitudes influence digital transformation initiatives in Asian organisations?
- How do Asian firms integrate traditional knowledge systems with digital innovation practices?
- How do Asian firms’ R&D collaboration patterns in digital technologies differ across institutional contexts?
Organisational perspective
- How do cultural hierarchies in Asian organisations influence bottom-up digital innovation initiatives?
- How do Asian organisations adapt their management practices when implementing digital workplace technologies?
- How do traditional business networks in Asia transform when adopting digital platforms?
- How will emerging businesses and new practices affect individual employees? – What are the re-skilling requirements and key issues concerning human resources?
- How do state-sponsored digital initiatives influence the evolution of private-sector ecosystems in Asian economies?
Institutional perspective
- How do different configurations of state-market relationships across Asian economies influence firms’ digital transformation trajectories?
- How do firms adapt their digital innovation strategies when operating across multiple Asian regulatory environments?
- How does the interplay between formal institutions and informal networks shape the adoption of emerging technologies in Asian business groups?
- How do different models of data governance across Asian economies influence firms’ AI development and deployment strategies?
- How do state-owned enterprises in Asian economies balance political mandates with market-driven digital transformation imperatives?
- How do cultural factors shape cooperation and competition dynamics in Asian digital ecosystems?
Geopolitical perspective
- How do US-China technology tensions influence Asian firms’ strategic choices in developing indigenous capabilities in digital technologies?
- How do shifting alliance patterns in Asia influence cross-border digital innovation networks among firms?
- How do national security concerns shape Asian firms’ adoption of foreign versus domestic digital platforms?
- How do regional economic integration initiatives (e.g., ASEAN and RCEP) influence Asian firms’ digital transformation strategies?
- How do technology export controls and sanctions influence Asian firms’ innovation trajectories and market strategies?
- How do competing technical standards and protocols influence Asian firms’ choices in developing digital infrastructure?
