AMLE Call for Special Issue Proposals
1 June to 1 August 2025
Deadline: 1 August 2025
Decisions expected 1 November 2025 for 2028 Special Issue proposals.
Process
Academy of Management Learning & Education (AMLE) is delighted to invite special issue proposals for an issue scheduled for publication in 2028. We will select one special issue for the year. The process of selecting the successful special issue proposal will be competitive—all submitted proposals will be discussed by the AMLE editorial leadership team who will make the final decision. Key criteria in the selection process will be (i) viability of topic (i.e., will the topic attract enough submissions for a special issue?), (ii) how likely the special issue is to significantly advance our substantive theoretical understanding of phenomena in management learning, management education, and the business of business schools, (iii) the experience of the guest-editor team (content-wise and ability to meet deadlines) (iv) dissemination strategies for generating submissions, and (v) dissemination strategies for generating impact on practice once the SI is published.
If your proposal is successful, a revision process will follow to shape the final call for papers. One or two members of the AMLE editorial leadership team will be assigned to join the special issue team to provide process advice, guidance, and support.
Deadline for submissions: August 1 2025 for 2028 Special Issue Proposals
Decisions expected: November 1 2025 for 2028 Special Issue Proposals
Proposals may be submitted for consideration after 1 June 2025.
Please note that unsuccessful proposals submitted for a previous year may only be resubmitted for consideration if specifically invited by the editorial leadership team.
Required content
Proposals must include this information:
| Editorial team | Typically, the editorial team is comprised of four to six people. Collectively, the membership of the team should demonstrate experience of management learning and education research, academic excellence, some editorial experience, international reach, and attention to diversity. Include a 50-word biography for each member of the team. |
| Academic rationale | The academic rationale functions in a similar way to the introduction to an article—it should explain why the SI is necessary, timely, and likely to add substantially to theoretical debates. This section is normally 2–3 pages and should be well supported by citations; while interdisciplinary breadth and novelty is welcome, you must show connection to debates in Management Learning and Education, or the business of business schools. |
| Example themes / research questions | Across a half to one full page, provide a number of example questions or themes for article submissions. If these are set out as possible research questions, they should be phrased as “how” / “why” questions since these are more likely to lead to contributions to theoretical debates. |
| Anticipated ‘shape’ of the Special Issue | With reference to AMLE’s submission types, indicate the number of articles of each type that your SI will aim to develop. Typically, most of the articles should be research papers, but essays are also expected to be part of the SI. The total number of the SI papers normally amounts to 6–8 articles/essays. You may intend to include invited exemplary contributions. |
| Exemplary contribution suggestions | You may choose to include one (or at most two) invited exemplary contributions in your mix of articles. If so, your proposal may suggest scholars that you believe would be willing to contribute. Ideally, the guest-editors have already secured the commitment from a pre-eminent scholar to write the exemplary contribution when the special issue proposal is submitted. However, please be aware that: formal invitations for exemplary contributions must be agreed with AMLE’s Editor-in-Chief; and these contributions will still undergo an (expedited) review process. Make no commitments to scholars at this stage. |
| Submission development plan | Outline (no more than two pages) how you will promote the special issue, and attract and develop a significant range of potential submissions. Your plan may include media and network activity, but must indicate planned activities at specific
conferences and team-hosted workshops, indicating who from your team will commit to each. We will work with SI editors in AMLE-supported paper development workshops to complement your plans. |
| Visibility and impact plan | Outline (no more than one page) how you will ensure that the completed SI would attract and engage scholarly attention and lead to an impact on practice and/or policy. Proposals are expected to also feature details of how the media will be enlisted to help disseminate the contents of the SI to a wider set of stakeholders. |
Required format
Proposals must use 12 Point Times Roman font and be single-spaced, with 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins. Where helpful, tables may be used and these should be included within the text
Submission details
Send your proposal, as a single Microsoft Word file, to AMLE@aom.org.
Examples of prior Special Issues
- Kumar, A., Soundararajan, V., Bapuji, H., Köhler, T., Alcadipani, R., Morsing, M., & Coraiola, D. M. 2024. Unequal Worlds: Management Education and Inequalities. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 23(3): 379-386.
- Haley, U. C. V., Cooper, S. C. L., Hoffman, A. J., Pitsis, T. S., & Greenberg, D. 2022. In Search of Scholarly Impact. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 21(3): 343-349.
Creating fit with AMLE
- Lindebaum, D. 2024. Management learning and education as ‘big picture’ social science. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 23(1): 1-7.
- Foster, W. M. 2018. Our Big Table Approach. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 17(1): 1-3.
