Student Membership

Strategy scholars turn to SMS throughout their careers to deepen their understanding, grow their professional networks, and advance their research. Many consider it their professional home during their doctoral degree and beyond. Students find value in the smaller, relational experience and the specific focus on strategic management.

Joining an Interest Group & Community (IG&C) as a PhD student allows you to find researchers working in your domain from all over the world. SMS gives you a platform to find trusted content, new ideas, and even research collaboration!

Learn more about ways to gain feedback on your research, receive career support, find publishing opportunities, access grant funding, and ways to engage in the SMS community below.

"Attending an SMS Conference as a PhD student helped me realize the power of giving back and the impact it can have on scholars at the very beginning of their academic career. The mentoring I received from experienced scholars and the lasting friendships I formed with inspiring PhD students shaped me into the person I am today and made me feel at home."
Radina Blagoeva, University of Georgia
"I have been fortunate to learn from SMS members whose work shaped my own. Professor Ram Mudambi’s scholarship bridging economic geography and international business strategy gave me a language for thinking about location and firm boundaries. Professor Xavier Martin’s reading lists and our conversations helped me see where my work fits within broader strategic management debates."
Tao Zou, King's College London

Why Join SMS as a PhD Student?

Mentorship and Career Support

SMS Job Board

Access the SMS Job Board to discover your next academic role in strategic management. You'll find curated opportunities, plus articles and helpful tips for landing an academic position.

Webinars

Receive complimentary access to all live and virtual event recordings to stay up-to-date on the latest strategic management findings.

Find a Mentor

Certain Interest Groups and Communities host mentorship programs that pair senior scholars with emerging voices in strategic management. Check out Knowledge & Innovation IG, Strategic Human Capital IG, Strategy Practice IG, and Entrepreneurship & Strategy IG if interested in mentorship programs. All IG&C's afford the opportunity to connect with and learn from other members.

Gain Feedback on Your Research

Apply for the SMS Annual Doctoral Workshop

This highly interactive workshop includes a variety of panels and practical sessions on developing dissertation proposals and launching academic careers, as well as a meet-the-editors session. 25 scholarships are provided to selected students with complimentary access to SMS Annual Conference.

Attend a Research Development Workshop

SMS offers a variety of student-oriented paper development and research idea development workshops, both in-person at the SMS Annual Conference and virtually through online events and conferences.

Publishing Support and Opportunities

Write for the SMS Explorer

Connect with senior scholars and support them with turning their academic research into content newsletter articles in the SMS Explorer. It is a newsletter that deliver timely insights and emerging ideas in strategic management.

Journal Editor Panels and Paper Development Workshops

The Strategic Management Society’s journals (Strategic Management Journal, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and Global Strategy Journal) host paper development workshops. During these sessions, an assigned mentor will read your paper and provide personalized feedback. This is a place to fine tune your research ideas and receive developmental feedback on full paper drafts. They also host editor panels for insights into the publishing process.

Find Funding and Recognition

Annual Conference PhD Paper Prize

Recognizes a PhD candidate’s presentation of an outstanding paper at the SMS Annual Conference. The winner will receive a $1,500 prize.

Will Mitchell Dissertation Research Grant Program

The Strategy Research Foundation awards grants up to $10,000 for PhD students to support elements of their research that enhance the quality, expand the scope, augment the research design, or in some other way enrich their dissertation projects. Learn more about the WMDR Grant Program.

Leadership and Community

Build Your Professional Community

Find belonging on the PhD Student Circle on Member Circle, SMS' exclusive online community.

Meet other PhD students in the strategic management field at the PhD Student Networking Lunch.

Leadership

Apply to be a PhD Student Circle Champion. Gain leadership experience and one complimentary year of membership.

Apply to serve as a Student Volunteer at the Annual Conference and receive complimentary conference registration.

Serve as the Membership Committee Student Representative; gain exposure to SMS' governance and the Board of Directors.

become a student member

Be a part of the SMS community of academics, business practitioners, and consultants making a lasting impact on the field of strategic management. Click here to join SMS today!

Join SMS today!