|
"Industry, Innovation, and Policy in Uncertain Times"
Call for papers : ISA 2026 Conference
June 3-5, 2026 | Washington, D.C.
The Industry Studies Association (ISA) invites submissions of abstracts for individual papers and organized panels for the 2026 ISA Annual Conference, to be held at George Washington University.
ISA’s annual conference provides a premier forum for sharing industry studies research with fellow scholars, industry leaders, and policy makers; stimulating dialogue on emerging industry challenges and opportunities; and fostering new collaborations. We welcome research from all disciplines that incorporate an industry focus, and we view the conference’s multidisciplinary character as one of its greatest strengths.
ISA is particularly interested in submissions that offer deep observation and insight into a specific industry, compare dynamics across multiple industries, or demonstrate how knowledge gained from one industry can illuminate patterns or practices in others. We welcome field-based, qualitative, quantitative, model-based, and mixed-methods research.
Conference Location
The 2026 conference will take place at George Washington University, located at the heart of the United States’ decision-making apparatus—steps from the White House, Congress, federal agencies, and many policy institutions shaping national and global affairs.
GW is also embedded in the broader Washington, D.C. innovation ecosystem, home to rapidly expanding clusters in cybersecurity, defense and aerospace innovation, data and AI ventures, global development, and healthcare policy. This unique confluence of policy, industry, and innovation provides an exceptional environment for industry-focused scholarship.
2026 Conference Theme
Industry, Innovation, and Policy in Uncertain Times
The theme Industry, Innovation, and Policy in Uncertain Times reflects the profound transformation reshaping industries across the globe. Firms today operate in an environment defined by technological disruption, geopolitical realignment, supply chain fragility, climate imperatives, and accelerating shifts in labor markets and organizational forms. Innovation remains essential, but it increasingly unfolds within a policy landscape that is more active, contested, and consequential than at any point in recent decades.
For scholars in industry studies, these uncertainties are not simply challenges—they represent fertile ground for new theorizing, new empirical insights, and new collaborations. The 2026 conference theme highlights the importance of understanding how industry dynamics evolve under uncertainty and how innovation and policy interact to shape competitive outcomes, social welfare, and long-term industrial resilience.
While we encourage submissions related to the conference theme, a thematic connection is not required. Any paper or panel grounded in ISA’s core interest—rigorous scholarship on organizations, industries, and industry dynamics—is welcome.
The Submission Process
Researchers may submit single papers or organized panels of 3–5 papers.
Single Papers
Submit an abstract of up to 250 words at the submission link below.
Organized Panels
Panel submissions must include:
1. An overall panel description (theme, purpose, and coherence), and
2. A compiled document with each paper’s title, abstract (up to 250 words), and author information.
Panel proposals should clearly identify a unifying theme—for example:
· a shared methodology applied across multiple industries, or
· diverse approaches to a common challenge within one industry.
Panels that include practitioners (from industry, government, or other organizations) as presenters or discussants are especially encouraged.
Submission Link for Papers and Panels
To submit abstracts and panel proposals, click here and create a new account.
Important Dates
· Submission Portal Opens: December 1, 2025
· Submission Deadline: January 16, 2026
· Decision Notifications Sent: February 28, 2026
Research Streams
Submitters should select from the following streams. Submissions may also be made to General Industry Studies, and the program committee may reassign papers or panels where appropriate.
· Sustainable Innovation, Energy, and Mobility
· Public Policy and Global Competitiveness
· Health Care Systems, Biotechnology, and Pharmaceuticals
· Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and AI-Driven Transformation
· Labor Markets, Organizations, and the Future of Work
· Operations, Supply Chain, and AI-Enhanced Industry 4.0
· General Industry Studies
Awards
Current or recent Ph.D. candidates that defended their Ph.D. between 8/1/2024 and 12/31/2025 can apply for the Dissertation Award.
Junior (nontenured) faculty may also submit full papers to:
· Giarratani Rising Star Award
· Best Paper in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award
· Babbage International Policy Forum Industrial Innovation Policy Award
(sponsored by the Babbage International Policy Forum (UK))
All papers that significantly advance understanding of innovation or entrepreneurship are eligible for the Best Paper in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award, even if not submitted to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship stream.
More information about awards is available here.
Additional Questions
Please contact:
· John Paul Helveston, 2026 Conference Chair, George Washington University: [email protected]
· Industry Studies Association: [email protected]
|
