26th EGOS Colloquium

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WAVES OF GLOBALIZATION 26TH EGOS COLLOQUIUM LISBON 2010
DEAR EGOSIANS
Welcome to the 26th EGOS Colloquium!
The theme of the Colloquium is globalization,
which speaks to me as a scholar and
dedicated EGOSian. I think that we need
to go further in the analysis of globalization,
including its creative potential as
well as darker sides. Although we have
seen increasing scholarly interest in
globalization in the past two decades, its
implications and various meanings have
not yet been fully explored in all strands
of organization studies. There are various
theoretical avenues that can be pursued,
and we need alternative explanations and
conceptual frameworks to better understand
globalization. Furthermore, the
current wave of globalization has resulted
in new economic, social, organizational
and managerial phenomena that need
scholarly attention. In my view, we as
organizational scholars have a great deal
to say and should also make our voices
heard in more general discussions about
globalization.
I cannot think of a more appropriate place
for our Colloquium on globalization than
Portugal and Lisbon. Portuguese have
acted as colonizers and been colonized.
The history of Lisbon is characterized by
various kinds of international influences,
which one can sense in its architectural
layers and cultural diversity. At the same
time, it is a modern European city full of
dynamism and creativity. The effects of
recent global industrial restructuring are
also visible in Lisbon and its surroundings
– as they are in most other Western cities.
Thus, Lisbon will certainly offer an inspiring
setting for our academic discussions.
I am also sure that this fascinating place
will help scholars from different backgrounds
to connect and create new kinds
of ideas and networks.
This Colloquium is the result of the
creativity, enthusiasm, and hard work
of a great number of people. This is an
amazing global organizational achievement
in itself, and I wish to thank all the
people involved in this project. On behalf
of the EGOS Board, I wish to express our
gratitude to our wonderful hosts, the local
organizing team for all their hard work,
the EGOS Executive Secretariat and the
scientific committee for their crucial input,
the convenors for setting up and managing
the sub-themes, as well as all the
people contributing to the pre-Colloquium
workshops and other special activities of
this Colloquium.
I wish you all a great Colloquium!
Eero Vaara
CHAIR OF EGOS