Call for papers: 4th Annual eM&Ai Conference

24-26^th November 2025 Helsinki, Finland

Conference theme: “M&A amid 21st century challenges”

A warm welcome to the annual 4^th Annual Conference of the European Mergers & Acquisitions Institute (eM&Ai), hosted in Helsinki with the theme “M&A amid 21^st century challenges”.

Such challenges include, but are not limited to, geopolitical instability and the reordering of the world order, climate and biodiversity crises as part of overall planetary ecological collapse and the crossing of planetary boundaries, socio-technological transformation resulting from the speedy introduction of artificial intelligence-based tools into organizations alongside an increasingly digitalized workplace and society. All the while, rights that have been taken for granted, such as democracy, freedom of expression and peace are being torn apart, while transformations to prevailing economic and social paradigms are impending.

Amid such a transformative, if not revolutionary landscape, individuals are reflecting on what it means to be human in an increasingly virtual and digitized age, how to live balanced, healthy, purposeful and responsible lives, while consuming planet-mindfully. On their side, organizations need to strategically reconsider their role, purpose and business models amid the economic, environmental, political, technological and social world order that is being globally and locally renegotiated.

In terms of academic research, this era raises numerous questions, while opening opportunities and new avenues. For example, who takes agency, where is leadership? In this regard, what is the role of scholarship in the remaking of the world order? Are scholars taking the roles of followers, observers, describers, analysts, reflectors, shapers, and/or influencers? All the while, the question of what topics are under scholarly scrutiny takes increasingly political form. While the European M&A research community has inquired into the phenomenon of organizational restructuring via mergers and acquisitions for decades, the contemporary landscape offers opportunities for reimagining, reconfiguring and re-exploring the field, be it as regard

• the strategic need and motivation for M&As,

• the management of M&As,

• the sociocultural processes and dynamics involved in M&As,

• actors, their agency and leadership in enacting and implementing M&As,

• opportunities offered by M&As for organization theorizing,

• the interconnections between M&A decision-making and management with the broader geopolitical, socio-ecological and technological landscape,

• the learnings from M&As for intra- and interdisciplinary theorizing in addressing grand challenges and the remaking of the world order.

Why Finland?

Given its history and geopolitical position, Finland is exceptionally poised to host a conference on these themes. As a country, it has a tradition of being and finding one’s identity in-between, regardless of circumstances. It is among the most northern countries in the world, where resilience is gained from enduring four very different seasons and exposure to stark seasonal differences in light alongside a long, arctic winter.

Despite its size, it is a sparsely populated country. This means that despite experiencing biodiversity loss, Finnish citizens experience a relative closeness to nature, be it in cities or the countryside. We hope that you take the opportunity to join Helsinki on the weekend before the conference, exploring its history and seaside walks.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome submissions from M&A scholars, be it PhD research plans, early-stage ideas for future research, work-in-progress papers or readily-polished papers, following the requirements below:

• Abstract (300-500 words) submission deadline: 30 September 2025

• Notification of acceptance: mid-October 2025 (to allow for timely travel arrangements)

• Registration deadline: October 31^st 2025

Please submit your abstract to the following email address: emai-conference2025@utu.fi

Description of the event

The European M&A Institute’s (eM&Ai) annual conference aims to further networks and connections within European academics, while bridging between academia and industry. This year, the annual eM&Ai conference is held in Finland, via a joint initiative by scholars from the University of Turku, the University of Vaasa, and Hanken School of Economics. The event geared toward PhD students and faculty. 

About the European M&A Institute (eM&Ai)

Set up in 2020, eM&Ai - the European M&A Institute - is a scientific collaboration network dedicated to advancing research on Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) (https://www.european-ma-institute.org/). Faculty members have diverse research interests and expertise within the remit of M&As, including acquisition decision-making, post-acquisition integration, business restructuring and divestitures, alliance and partnership management, and the performance of M&A transactions. The mission of eM&Ai is to promote joint research initiatives, facilitate scientific dialogue among M&A scholars, and strengthen collaboration between leading European institutions in terms of PhD instruction and education. The Institute also aims to conduct empirical research that advances knowledge in the field and to engage in meaningful discussions with the business world and society.

Conference Organizing Committee

Prof. Satu Teerikangas (University of Turku); PhD Sniazhana Diduc (University of Vaasa); Associate Prof. Pia Paulina Junni (Hanken School of Economics)

Conference Target Audience

PhD students, post-doctoral fellows, early-career researchers, professors and practitioners

Practicalities

Schedule: The conference starts with an informal dinner on Monday, November 24^th. The main conference day is Tuesday, November 25^th, which closes with a dinner. The conference ends on Wednesday November 26^th after lunch. Participants are recommended to arrive by Monday evening.

Keynote: The conference features a keynote by Professor Eero Vaara on ‘The Nordic M&A academic research academic tradition’ on November 25^th morning.

Location: Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland

Fees: The conference is free of charge. Coffees and lunch on 24.-25.11. are free of charge as is the conference dinner on Tuesday November 25^th.

Travel: Participants are encouraged to make their travel arrangements by finding a hotel close to Hanken School of Economics (which is within walking distance of Helsinki city centre, bus and railway stations). For example, the Helka hotel is recommended.

For any questions, please use: emai-conference2025@utu.fi