Ithai Stern is a Professor of Strategy at INSEAD. His research career is devoted to advancing the field of behavioral strategy by studying the social and psychological processes underlying executive behaviors, firm-level decisions, and organizational performance. His work has been published in leading management journals including the Strategic Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, and Academy of Management Journal, and been featured in numerous print, radio, and television outlets including BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, US News and World Report, CNN, CNBC, and Fast Company. Before joining INSEAD, Professor Stern was a standing faculty member at Kellogg School of Management at the Northwestern University. He has cofounded and chaired several international conferences and is the academic director of the INSEAD Immersive Learning Initiative that he created in 2018 (https://www.insead.xrlearning.io/). Professor Stern has taught MBA, EMBA and executive education courses in many countries around the world for which he received numerous teaching awards.

Candidate Statement:

Dear SMS Members,
I am honored to be considered for a position on the Strategic Management Society (SMS) Board of Directors. As a candidate, I am deeply committed to advancing the Society’s mission of fostering collaboration, innovation, and impact in strategic management research and teaching. My priorities include:
1. Enhancing Member Engagement: I aim to create more opportunities for meaningful dialogue and collaboration among SMS members, enabling established and emerging scholars to connect, share insights, and build relationships that drive the field forward.
2. Bridging Academia and Industry: By expanding partnerships with industry leaders and organizations, I will work to elevate the relevance and impact of our research, making it more accessible and applicable to practitioners facing real-world challenges. I have successfully done this within my own institution and am ready to do so on a larger scale through SMS.
3. Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: I am dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community where different perspectives are actively sought out. I plan to create new platforms and initiatives to support underrepresented groups and explore ways to include members worldwide who find it difficult to attend our conferences.
4. Leveraging Technology for Research and Teaching: I believe SMS should lead the way in helping members harness new technologies, such as AI and extended reality (XR), to enhance our research and teaching.
Thank you for considering my candidacy.
Warm regards,
Ithai Stern