Member Spotlight: AOM President Peter A. Bamberger - A Vision for Global Impact and the Power of Volunteerism at the Academy of Management
Peter A. Bamberger is the current President of the Academy of Management (AOM) and the Simon I. Domberger Chaired Professor and Department Head of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University and Research Director at Cornell University’s Smithers Institute. A member since 1988, Peter’s journey reflects the transformative power of volunteerism and persistence.
Peter’s personal life has influenced his approach to leadership and service. Raised by Holocaust survivors, he speaks passionately about the importance of service: “I’ve always felt like I need to be part of something bigger - something making change for the better,” he explains, highlighting the sense of connection and meaning that has shaped his education and career.
Peter studied Labor Relations at Cornell, moved to a kibbutz in Israel after graduation to “pick avocados and live the socialist dream,” and later pursued his PhD at Cornell, where his membership with AOM began. He described his early experiences with the AOM community as daunting. Feeling unprepared and intimidated by the academic heavyweights around him, he grappled with finding his place. But over time, he gained confidence. Peter credits two mentors at Cornell, Harry Trice and Sam Bacharach, for helping him shift his research focus to employee substance misuse, a turning point in his career. This newfound focus laid the foundation for his future contributions to AOM.
After completing his PhD, Peter moved back to Israel, where he built his reputation remotely, albeit feeling geographically distant. After becoming a known and award-winning journal reviewer, he eventually joined the editorial board of the Academy of Management Journal (AMJ), and then served as one of its associate editors (2007-2010). Peter played a major role in the launch of Academy of Management Discoveries (AMD) as founding Associate Editor and then Editor-In-Chief (2012-2020). He led the effort to build its brand and promote it globally, crediting the late Andy Van de Ven for his strong vision at the time. His leadership in this area has furthered AOM’s mission to produce impactful, relevant research that addresses real-world challenges.
For Peter, AOM has provided not only professional growth but also a deep sense of belonging. His advice to current volunteers, PhD students, and those looking to engage with AOM is simple: “Join AOM and get involved. Real impact is hard to effect on your own. You need to be part of a broader community, and to be a part of any community requires that you make meaningful contributions to it.”
is AOM presidency is the culmination of a five-year Board of Governors volunteer cycle, a role he embraces with enthusiasm. As Vice President and Program Chair of the Annual Meeting in 2023, Peter conceptualized the theme "Putting the Worker Front and Center." At a recent visit to AOM headquarters, Peter shared his vision for continued global expansion of AOM’s mission and footprint. “We as a global community of scholars have an opportunity – not to mention obligation -- to broaden our understanding of management beyond extant paradigms, and to draw in and incorporate insights from regions, workforces and organizations often neglected by our research,” he explained.
Peter currently lives in Israel with his wife Ellen, and their three children, Zach, Sarah, and Noa, where he finds joy in exploring nature and going off the beaten path, whether it’s hiking or skiing. His research examines pay communication and compensation strategy, pro-social behavior in organizations, occupational health psychology, and the cognitive implications of discrete workplace events.
Peter Bamberger’s journey—from a doctoral student feeling out of place to becoming a prominent voice in management research—is a reminder of the impact of volunteerism, community, and perseverance. His story is just one example of how a career in academia, coupled with meaningful contributions to AOM, can lead to professional and personal fulfillment.