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Abstract

Academic conferences are cultural ceremonials that serve as occasions for professional learning as well as organizational and professional socialization. A cultural analysis of the different structures and processes of the annual conferences held by two academic organizations (the Academy of Management and the Organizational Behavior Teaching Society) illustrates the integral role that conferences play in the formation and affirmation of each organization's cultural values, beliefs, and practices. This comparison of academic ceremonials also identifies the presence of two alternative modes of organizational and professional socialization and explores their implications for each organization, the academic profession, and management education.

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Academic Conferences as Ceremonials: Opportunities for Organizational Integration and Socialization

Abstract

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