President’s Message

Dear Members, Colleagues, and Friends of IFSAM,

As we reflect on the year 2024, it is with immense pride and gratitude that I share with you the milestones and collective achievements of our Federation over the past year. This period marked a significant step forward in strengthening our strategic vision, enhancing global collaboration, and advancing the scholarly and practical contributions of our community.

One of the most significant achievements of 2024 was the successful completion of IFSAM’s inaugural strategic plan, led by the Presidential Team Office in close collaboration with the Secretariat. The development process was notably inclusive, actively engaging our member associations. To ensure broad participation, two online meetings were scheduled on different dates and times, allowing for a diverse range of members to contribute to an open review and discussion process. Following the first virtual meeting held on January 25, 2024, the feedback received was systematically collected and analyzed, and the resulting insights were shared during the second meeting on February 28, 2024. Special thanks are due to Rosamartina Schena for her outstanding work in facilitating this process. This foundational document represents a collective endeavor to align the Federation’s mission and objectives with the
evolving landscape of management research, education, and practice. A key outcome of this initiative is the articulation of the IFSAM Future Guidelines and Priorities, which were formally presented and discussed during our General Assemblies in June and November. These guidelines now serve as a strategic compass for our current and
forthcoming activities.

Throughout the year, our Vice Presidents in charge of soft policies have made remarkable strides in furthering the Federation’s mission. Under the capable leadership of Silviya Svejenova (VP Research), Sergio Wanderley (VP Education), and LeeLu (VP Practice), significant updates were made to our Federation’s soft-policy statements. These updated statements reflect contemporary challenges and opportunities in the global management landscape, ensuring that IFSAM remains responsive, inclusive, and impactful across research, education, and practice domains.

Another highlight of 2024 was the announcement, in February, of the recipients of the IFSAM 2023 Awards, recognizing excellence in scholarly contributions, educational innovation, and practice engagement. These awards
continue to underscore our commitment to celebrating outstanding achievements that bridge theory and practice and promote global understanding in the field of management.

The year also saw the consolidation of our Presidents’ Platform Meetings (PPMs) as a key venue for dialogue and exchange among leaders of member associations. Regular quarterly meetings were successfully held, with the final
session of 2024, due to scheduling constraints, taking place in January 2025. These meetings have proven instrumental in fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and jointly addressing the challenges faced by our member
associations.

Moreover, 2024 marked an exciting phase of outreach and expansion. We initiated formal contacts with several potential new member associations, including Euromed, furthering our ambition to broaden the Federation’s global
reach and to provide an increasingly diverse platform for knowledge exchange and cooperation.

On the governance front, the year was characterized by continued engagement and strong participation across all of our bodies – the General Assembly (GA), the Board of Directors (BoD), and the Advisory Council (AC). Transparent
communication, inclusivity, and shared decision-making have remained the cornerstones of our governance practices, ensuring that IFSAM operates in the best interest of its members and the wider management community.

Lastly, I am pleased to report on our active involvement with the CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) initiative. IFSAM participated in its inaugural General Assembly, reinforcing our commitment to
improving research evaluation processes globally. Our engagement with CoARA signifies another avenue through which we contribute to the ongoing conversations around research integrity, fairness, and relevance.

As we move into 2025, let us carry forward the momentum of the past year, building upon these achievements with renewed energy and shared purpose. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all members, volunteers, and partners who
have contributed to our progress. Together, we will continue to shape a more connected, impactful, and forward-looking management community.

Warm regards,
Sandro Castaldo
IFSAM President