Finding my academic home: a journey with the British Academy of Management

My journey with the British Academy of Management (BAM) began in 2014, during the early stages of my doctoral research. Like many early-career scholars, I was navigating not only my research topic (career advancement in small-and medium-sized law firms, with a focus on diverse workforces) but also my place within the wider academic community. BAM quickly became more than just a conference to attend; it became a community where I felt supported, encouraged, and accepted as an early-career researcher.

One of my earliest and most formative experiences was presenting at the BAM Doctoral Symposium in 2015. Standing in front of peers and established scholars was both daunting and exciting. What stayed with me, however, was not the anxiety of presenting, but the warmth of the community. There was a genuine openness and curiosity in the room. Senior academics, whose names I had only previously encountered in journal articles, were approachable, generous with their time, and genuinely interested in supporting emerging researchers. This early experience left a lasting impression: BAM was a place where contributions were valued, regardless of career stage.

Through my involvement in several Special Interest Groups (SIGs), including Gender in Management, Human Resource Management (HRM), Identity, and Research Methodology, I gradually developed greater confidence in my own academic identity. These communities enabled me to move beyond the boundaries of my doctoral project and engage with broader debates around work, inequality, identity, and organisational life. The Gender in Management and HRM SIGs helped sharpen my thinking around diversity and career progression, encouraging me to situate my research within wider structural and societal conversations.

The Research Methodology SIG became especially influential in shaping my thinking. Initially introduced through my doctoral supervisor, I found a community that encouraged methodological openness, reflexivity, and critical engagement. Discussions around qualitative rigour and the role of researcher positionality in organisational research particularly stayed with me: conversations that challenged my assumptions and strengthened my confidence as a qualitative researcher.

Over time, my relationship with BAM evolved from participant to contributor. I served as Secretary for the Research Methodology SIG across two terms over a six-year period, which gave me valuable insight into the collaborative work involved in sustaining and developing academic communities. Organising Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) further deepened my appreciation for the collegial and interdisciplinary nature of BAM, particularly the way these spaces bring together scholars at different career stages to exchange ideas in an open and constructive environment.

More recently, my involvement has continued to grow through the Gender in Management SIG, where I have contributed to PDWs and wider SIG activities, and subsequently taken on the role of Conference Track Chair. This year, I was also honoured to be nominated to the BAM Peer Review College. Alongside these roles, I have contributed as a conference reviewer across multiple SIGs, as well as reviewing for the British Journal of Management. Engaging in the review process has offered a valuable window into the breadth of scholarship across the BAM community and the emerging debates shaping the future of management research.

Reflecting on the past decade, it is clear that BAM has played a significant role in my development: not only as a researcher, but in shaping my academic identity and sense of belonging within the discipline. The field of management itself has evolved considerably during this time, with increasing attention to issues of diversity, identity, and inclusion, as well as to methodological innovation. BAM has not only reflected these shifts but has actively created space for them to be discussed, challenged, and developed.

Of course, the academic landscape is not without its challenges. Increasing pressures around publication, funding, and impact can make it difficult, particularly for early-career researchers, to find their voice. Yet, throughout these shifts, BAM has remained a supportive and adaptive space. Its networks, conferences, and SIGs continue to provide opportunities for connection, collaboration, and critical reflection.

As BAM celebrates its 40th anniversary, I find myself reflecting not only on what the Academy has contributed to my journey, but also on what it represents more broadly: a community that values scholarship, inclusivity, and mutual support. Looking ahead, I am keen to see how BAM continues to evolve, and I remain committed to contributing to its future by supporting the next generation of scholars and the continued development of an inclusive and collaborative academic community.

Dr Juliet Kele is a Lecturer in Human Resource Management at the University of York. She is passionate about conducting research on equality, diversity, and inclusion and specifically, using intersectionality theory to advance our understanding of the lived experience, inequalities and power relations.