IFSAM - International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management

What IFSAM - International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management does

IFSAM — International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management — is a Belgian non-profit scholarly federation (ASBL) founded in 1990 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Its mission is to serve as a global platform connecting management scholarly associations across continents, advancing management research and teaching as a unified science, and promoting international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and standards of competence in the discipline.

The federation operates a portfolio of programs rather than commercial products: a Biennial World Congress (18 iterations to date, with the 18th scheduled for July 7-8, 2026, delivered online twice across time zones), quarterly Leaders' Platform Meetings (22 held since 2021), a four-award global recognition program introduced in 2021 (covering societally relevant scholarship, indigenous management research, pedagogical innovation, and exceptional service), and publications including annual newsletters, conversation letters, memory books, and the IFSAM Vademecum on Generative AI in Management Education. Governance is exercised through a General Assembly of 90 Governance Representatives drawn from 31 affiliated and observer scholarly associations spanning 150 countries and 6 world regions, reaching approximately 13,000 management scholars globally.

IFSAM is funded by annual membership dues paid by its affiliated scholarly associations; specific fee structures are not publicly disclosed. The organization employs 12 staff and is overseen by a President, President-Elect, Vice Presidents for Education, Events, Practice, and Research, and a network of Deputy VPs and regional Ambassadors. IFSAM distributes its work through its website (ifsam.org), LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, monthly bulletins, and member-association annual conferences. It is not a technology or commercial product company and holds no patents or proprietary technology assets.

Name

IFSAM - International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management

Legal name

International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management

Website

https://ifsam.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IFSAM is a Belgian non-profit scholarly federation connecting 31 management scholarly associations across 150 countries, serving approximately 13,000 management scholars worldwide through biennial congresses, quarterly meetings, awards, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Scholarly Federation

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADANAB

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

Keywords

• Scholarly association federation
• Management research networking
• Academic conference services
• Scholarly membership federation
• Management education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: IFSAM generates revenue through membership fees from affiliated scholarly associations. The federation serves 31 affiliated and observer scholarly associations representing 150 countries.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IFSAM is a global non-profit federation that connects 31 affiliated and observer scholarly associations of management across 150 countries and 6 world regions. It delivers the biennial World Congress, quarterly Leaders' Platform Meetings, a four-award excellence programme, and knowledge dissemination through newsletters, memory books, conversation letters, and policy statements. Its purpose is to advance management research and teaching as a unified science, establish standards of competence, and facilitate international collaboration among management scholars.

Product overview

IFSAM (International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management) is a global federation of scholarly management associations, not a technology product company. Its core offerings consist of international conferences and events, notably the Biennial World Congress and quarterly Leaders' Platform Meetings (LPM). The federation operates an awards programme recognizing excellence in management scholarship, indigenous research, and pedagogy. IFSAM also publishes resources including newsletters, memory books, and the IFSAM Vademecum on Generative AI in Management Education—a guidance document on AI integration in education rather than a software product. The 2026 Biennial World Congress will be delivered via an online virtual platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biennial World Congress IFSAM's flagship global congress bringing together scholars, association leaders, journal editors, and educators from around the world to explore the role of management associations in addressing global challenges.
• Leaders' Platform Meetings (LPM) Quarterly virtual meetings with presidents and chairs of member and observer associations to share and learn about topics of interest for the scholarly profession and management field, such as the future of higher education, academic conferences, and scientific research in management.
• IFSAM Awards Programme Four-award global recognition programme for outstanding contributions in societally relevant management scholarship, indigenous management research, pedagogical innovation, and exceptional service to the management field worldwide.
• IFSAM Publications (Annual Newsletters, Memory Books, Conversation Letters) Knowledge dissemination through annual newsletters, memory books documenting federation history, and conversation letters addressing topics of interest to the management scholarly community.
• IFSAM Vademecum on Generative AI in Management Education A comprehensive resource developed by the IFSAM Education Committee providing guidelines and practical tools for integrating generative AI into management education, including a faculty sandbox.
• IFSAM 2026 Biennial World Congress Online Platform Virtual conference platform hosting the 18th Biennial World Congress on July 7-8, 2026, delivered twice to accommodate participants across different time zones.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• ANZAM - Australian and New Zealand Academy of ManagementcoreOthersANZAM joined IFSAM in June 2023 as a full member association. It represents management scholars from Australia and New Zealand, hosting annual conferences and promoting management research and education in the ANZ region.
• EGOS - European Group for Organizational StudiescoreOthersEGOS joined IFSAM in June 2023 as a full member. With around 2,600 active members from 60 countries, EGOS advances theoretical and empirical knowledge about organizations and organizing. Provides access to Organization Studies journal.
• JABA - Japan Academy of Business AdministrationcoreOthersOne of IFSAM's founding member associations from Japan, representing management scholars in the Japanese academic community. Founded in 1926 with over 2,000 members across 277 universities.
• BAM - British Academy of ManagementcoreOthersLeading UK community for business and management scholars with 2,000+ international members. Publishes British Journal of Management and International Journal of Management Reviews.
• ANPAD - Brazilian Academy of ManagementcoreOthersMain Brazilian association for management research with 106 graduate program members and 3,000 individual members. Publishes Journal of Contemporary Administration (RAC) and Brazilian Administration Review (BAR).
• SIMA - Società Italiana di ManagementcoreOthersItalian Society of Management representing Italian management scholars. Hosts annual conferences and developed the Manifesto for Responsible Management Studies.
• EURAM - European Academy of ManagementcoreOthersLearned society founded in 2001 advancing management discipline in Europe. Has members from 49 countries in Europe and beyond.
• CNEMA - China National Economic Management AssociationcoreOthersFirst Chinese academic organization admitted to IFSAM in 1992. Based at Fudan University, leads the China Regional Group within IFSAM.
• SMS - Strategic Management SocietycoreOthersUnique global society bringing together reflective practice and thoughtful scholarship. Over 3,000 members from 80+ countries including academics, practitioners, and consultants.
• ASAC - Administrative Sciences Association of CanadacoreOthersFounded in 1957, one of IFSAM's founding members. Represents Canadian management academics with 493 members. Publishes Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences.
• AFAM - Africa Academy of ManagementcoreOthersCreated in 2011, representing African management scholars with 320 individual members and 10 institutional members. Affiliated with Academy of Management since 2016. Publishes Africa Journal of Management.
• AODN - Asia Organization Development NetworkcoreOthersFounded in 2006, connects OD practitioners and scholars in Asia. Offers OD Competency certificates and training programs. Organizes International OD Summit annually.
• IFEAMA - International Federation of East Asian Management AssociationscoreOthersPromotes research and application of business administration in East Asia. Supports industrial development and management practice advancement in the region.
• AIMS - Association Internationale de Management StratégiquecoreOthersMain French-speaking association of scholars in management, strategy and organization. Promotes strategic and organizational management research.
• FNEGE - Fondation Nationale pour l'Enseignement de la Gestion des EntreprisescoreOthersFrench Foundation for Management Education, established 1968. Supports French business schools development and manages examination tests for management programs.
• IAM - Irish Academy of ManagementcoreOthersLeading professional association for management studies in Ireland, formed in 1997. Has over 300 members promoting research and education in organization and management.
• ACEDE - Spanish Academy of ManagementcoreOthersSpanish Academy of Management established in 1990. Gathers teaching staff for scientific research in business administration. Publishes BRQ-Business Research Quarterly.
• AFC - Association Francophone de ComptabilitécoreOthersFrench-speaking accounting association created in 1979 with 400+ academics. Publishes Comptabilité Contrôle Audit (CCA) journal.
• CAMS - China Academy of Management SciencecoreOthersFirst Chinese scholarly association to join IFSAM after its foundation in 1990. Based in Beijing, rejoined as full member in January 2022.
• NAM - Nepalese Academy of ManagementcoreOthersEstablished 2009, encourages management research relevant to local, regional and global practices. Organized first international conference in March 2011 with 200+ delegates from 33 countries.
• Academy of Management (AOM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFAM is affiliated with Academy of Management since 2016, enabling joint activities and expanded reach for African management scholars.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD): Europe-based management development organization covering business schools and companies with EQUIS and other programmes. Comparable to IFSAM in serving the management education ecosystem internationally, but as a broader institution-focused body rather than a scholars' federation.
• AACSB International: Global accreditor of business schools with hundreds of member institutions. Comparable to IFSAM as a globally recognized institutional anchor in management education, though its business model (accreditation fees) and members (schools rather than scholars) differ.

Emerging players

• International Association of Management (IAM): Independent scholarly management association focused on management research and education with conferences and publications. Comparable to IFSAM in mission but operates as a smaller, competing scholarly umbrella rather than as a federation of associations.
• Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME): UN-backed initiative convening business schools and management-related academic institutions around responsible management principles. Comparable to IFSAM in convening management educators globally around a normative agenda, and in producing shared resources like the Vademecum on AI.

Direct peers

• European Academy of Management (EURAM): A learned society founded in 2001 advancing the management discipline in Europe with members from 49 countries. Directly comparable as a regional management scholarly association that convenes conferences and is also a member of IFSAM.
• Strategic Management Society (SMS): Global society with 3,000+ members from 80+ countries connecting reflective practice and thoughtful scholarship in strategic management. Comparable to IFSAM in international scope, member-driven model, and conference-led engagement.
• European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS): Colloquium-based scholarly society with around 2,600 active members from 60 countries advancing theoretical and empirical knowledge of organizations. Comparable to IFSAM in member-driven model, international convening, and is also an IFSAM member.
• British Academy of Management (BAM): Leading UK community for business and management scholars with 2,000+ international members and published journals. Comparable to IFSAM as a national scholarly management association operating internationally and serving as an IFSAM member.
• Academy of Management (AOM): The largest US-based global professional association for management and organization studies scholars. Directly comparable to IFSAM in mission (advancing management scholarship), membership model, annual meeting, and journals, and is itself a key member of IFSAM's network.
• Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM): Represents management scholars from Australia and New Zealand, hosting annual conferences and promoting regional management research. Directly comparable as a national/regional scholarly management association and an IFSAM member since 2023.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IFSAM_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0Tw_yXz7IX4Vi38gJOvbDg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifsam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IFSAM - International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management