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Call For Papers

Collaboration, Creativity, and Commerce: Innovation in Business from Ideas to Execution


Mobile, Alabama, a historic Gulf Coast city known for its maritime commerce, entrepreneurial spirit, and growing innovation ecosystem, provides an ideal setting to explore how ideas evolve into real-world business impact. Home to industries ranging from aerospace and shipbuilding to healthcare, logistics, and emerging technology ventures, Mobile reflects the dynamic intersection of collaboration, creativity, and commerce that defines modern business.


In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, innovation rarely occurs in isolation. It emerges through collaboration across disciplines, organizations, and industries. Businesses must combine creative thinking, strategic insight, data-driven analysis, and operational expertise to transform promising ideas into meaningful outcomes. From developing new technologies and business models to redesigning supply chains and enhancing customer experiences, organizations increasingly rely on collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches to drive innovation.

At the same time, advances in analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms are reshaping how organizations make decisions, engage consumers, and execute strategy. Leaders must navigate an environment where creativity and experimentation coexist with data, algorithms, and technological change. Understanding how ideas move from conceptual development to implementation and measurable impact has become central to both academic research and managerial practice.

Business education also plays a critical role in preparing the next generation of leaders to thrive in this environment. Faculty, students, and industry professionals are increasingly working together to translate theory into practice, connecting classroom learning with real-world business challenges. Conferences such as GSBR provide an important forum for these conversations, bringing together scholars, students, and practitioners to exchange ideas and explore innovative approaches to business research and practice.

This year’s theme invites submissions that explore how collaboration and creativity shape the development and execution of innovative business ideas. We welcome research that examines how organizations generate, refine, and implement ideas across disciplines including management, marketing, data analytics, supply chain, and business education.

While submissions aligned with the conference theme are encouraged, the Gulf South Business Research Conference welcomes contributions across all areas of business scholarship and practice, including research presentations, teaching innovations, student research, and practitioner insights.

We look forward to welcoming you to Mobile and the University of South Alabama for GSBR 2026.

2026 GSBR
Research Tracks

1. Teaching Moments & Pedagogical Innovation
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: How ideas are taught, tested, and transformed in the classroom.


Topics may include:

  • Innovative teaching methods and instructional design

  • Experiential and project-based learning

  • AI and technology in business education

  • Curriculum development and assessment

  • Industry–academia collaboration in teaching

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2. Management, Leadership & Organizational Innovation
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: How collaboration and leadership drive innovation and execution within organizations.
Topics may include:

  • Leadership and organizational behavior

  • Entrepreneurship and small business development

  • Strategy and innovation management

  • Diversity, equity, inclusion, ethics, and governance

  • Change management and organizational resilience

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3. Marketing, Consumer Insight & Creative Strategy
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Turning ideas into value through deeper understanding of markets and consumers.


Topics may include:

  • Consumer behavior and decision-making

  • Branding, storytelling, and creative strategy

  • Retail, CPG, and service marketing

  • Digital marketing, social commerce, and AI-driven marketing

  • Pricing strategy, trust, and customer experience

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4. Data Analytics, AI & Business Intelligence
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Transforming data into insight and informed decision-making.


Topics may include:

  • Business analytics and data visualization

  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications

  • Predictive modeling and forecasting

  • Ethical and responsible AI

  • Decision support systems and data-driven strategy

​

5. Supply Chain, Logistics & Operational Execution
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Where innovation meets real-world execution.
Topics may include:

  • Supply chain strategy and resilience

  • Logistics, transportation, and operations management

  • Technology-enabled supply chains

  • Sustainability and risk management in operations

  • Global and regional supply chain networks

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6. MBA Student Research & Applied Projects
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Practice-oriented research and real-world problem solving.


Topics may include:

  • MBA capstone projects

  • Applied analytics and business intelligence

  • Consulting and industry projects

  • Innovation and entrepreneurship case studies

 

7. Doctoral Research & PhD Student Track
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Emerging scholarship and research in progress.
Topics may include:

  • Conceptual and theoretical models

  • Empirical research studies

  • Methodological innovations

  • Early-stage dissertation research

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8. Dissertation Abstracts & Best Dissertation Award
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Recognizing outstanding doctoral research contributions.


Submissions may include:

  • Completed or near-completion dissertations

  • Structured dissertation abstracts

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A Best Dissertation Award will be presented during the conference.

 

9. Dissertation Roundtable Incubator
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Interactive discussion and mentoring for doctoral students working on dissertation research.
The Dissertation Roundtable provides doctoral students with an opportunity to discuss dissertation ideas, research design, and methodological approaches with faculty and peers in a collaborative setting.


Participants may seek feedback on:

  • Refining research questions and theoretical framing

  • Research design and methodology

  • Data collection and analysis strategies

  • Navigating the dissertation process

  • Preparing research for publication

  • Entering the academic job market

These sessions are designed to be informal, supportive, and developmental.

 

10. Undergraduate & MBA Poster Track
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Showcasing emerging student research and innovative business ideas.


Topics may include:

  • Capstone research projects

  • Business analytics and data visualization projects

  • Marketing research and consumer insights

  • Entrepreneurship and new venture ideas

  • Supply chain or operational analysis


11. Practitioner & White Paper Track
Track Chair: TBD
Focus: Translating research into real-world business impact.

 

Topics may include:

  • Practitioner-led insights and applied research

  • Industry white papers and case studies

  • University–industry collaborations

  • Policy, economic development, and regional business innovation

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