The Southern Management Association (SMA) is a domestic affiliate of the Academy of Management.  Its primary mission is to advance the research, teaching, learning, and practice of management. Presently, the SMA membership consists of over 900 management professors, doctoral students, and executives representing more than 200 colleges, universities, and business firms in 43 states and several foreign countries.

SMA provides a variety of professional activities and events for those who are interested in the study of management. Towards this end, the critical objectives of SMA are the development and dissemination of new ideas and approaches to the research, teaching, and practice of management. It strives to keep members abreast of new knowledge and practices in the field and to create a professional community that exchanges ideas and provides assistance to others. In addition, SMA maintains the currency of knowledge and skills of members, as well as shares expertise about how to achieve excellence in the performance of our academic and professional roles. Finally, SMA promotes collegial relationships and friendships.

What Can SMA Do For You?

The Southern Management Association provides many services and opportunities for its members.

Annual Conference.  The most notable service provided by SMA is its annual fall meeting in which competitive as well as invited papers are presented and discussed. These meetings are attended by over 400 participants and provide an excellent opportunity for management educators and management practitioners to meet professionally and socially in a relaxed yet stimulating environment. All papers presented at the meeting are published in the Proceedings and distributed to those in attendance. This publication annually represents an outstanding compilation of academic research available to educators and practitioners in the field of management. In addition, all papers are evaluated and the outstanding regular and student papers receive "Best Paper Awards" presented by McGraw-Hill/Irwin. In conjunction with the annual meeting, a pre-convention Faculty and Doctoral Student Consortium provides opportunities for attendees to interact with accomplished scholars and teachers, and to develop professional networks.

Journal of Management.  SMA in conjunction with SAGE Publications produces the internationally recognized Journal of Management.  It is issued four to six times a year and distributed to all SMA members. The Journal of Management highlights outstanding theoretical and empirical research contributions to the field of management and includes a yearly review of management.

Newsletter.  SMA also publishes a newsletter twice yearly to keep members apprised of association and member activities.

Placement Services.  An important service provided by SMA is that of assisting its members in locating employment opportunities. SMA sponsors an annual job placement service in which universities and persons interested in teaching and research positions have an opportunity to discuss employment possibilities. The job placement activities of SMA serve full-time teaching professionals as well as graduate students who are considering academic teaching and research as a profession and career.

What Can You Do For SMA?

Because the membership of SMA consists of persons who share a mutual interest in the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the art and science of management, all members are encouraged to participate actively in SMA activities by submitting manuscripts to the Journal of Management and to the spring call for papers for the annual conference. SMA depends on its members to participate in a variety of supporting capacities involving the annual meeting, such as reviewing papers, presenting research, chairing sessions, and serving as manuscript discussants. Numerous leadership opportunities also exist within the SMA, and contributions as area coordinators and session chairpersons are essentials to SMA's continued growth and improvement. SMA members are encouraged to become involved in supporting roles by serving as committee members, and to participate in elections that are held annually to select officers and board members.