We are pleased to announce the following symposium at AOM2026. We warmly welcome anyone interested to join us.
Title: Demystifying Computational Modeling: Learning Theory-Building Practices from Junior Modelers
Date & Time: Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 15:00–16:30 (EDT)
Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 100 Level: 113A (1101 Arch St, Philadelphia)
Overview:
The rise of generative AI has lowered the technical barriers to coding, making computational modeling more accessible to researchers than ever before. But being able to write code is not the same as being able to build a good theoretical model. The "modeler's eye"-the ability to extract what matters from complex management phenomena, simplify it appropriately, and identify the critical variables, processes, and mechanisms-is a form of tacit knowledge.
In this symposium, we learn directly from four junior scholars who have honed this tacit knowledge through hands-on practice. Through their presentations and feedback from our discussants, we will make visible their thought processes: how they observed phenomena, translated them into models, and connected them to theoretical contribution.
This session is especially for those who are curious about computational modeling but unsure where to start, or who want to learn how to model their own area of interest.
Presenters and Papers:
- Anparasan Mahalingam (Syracuse University) – "A Value Capture Theory of Competition with Nonprofits"
- Chen Liang (MIT) – "How Do Interpretation Differences Among Members Influence Collective Decision-Making Outcomes?"
- Taeho Kwak (ESSEC) – "Problemistic Search and Organizational Structure"
- Takahiro Inada (Kyoto University of Advanced Science) – "How Set and Pair Dependence Shape Knowledge Transfer Across Task Similarities"
Discussants:
John Chen (Baylor University)
Sanghyun Park (National University of Singapore)
Sponsoring Divisions: Strategic Management (STR); Organization and Management Theory (OMT); Research Methods (RM)
We look forward to seeing you there!