About Writing and Mentorship Program

AIR’s Writing and Mentorship Program will run for one year and has two components: skill development and mentorship.


Skill Development

The Skill Development component involves a series of activities and workshops through which the selected participants will be brought together for their collective journey. This involves:

Introductory workshop: Half-day workshop to bring the selected candidates together, introduce them to the challenges and opportunities of academic publishing, and set the agenda.

Development workshops: Short-duration workshops (3 hours, spread over nine months) aimed at manuscript development and conference/journal submission. The workshops will include topics such as: crafting research questions; outlining a research paper; writing an introduction; writing theoretical background; developing hypotheses; presenting methods and findings; articulating theoretical contributions; and managing the publication process.

There will also be periodic peer-to-peer support sessions organized to facilitate informal discussion between the participants and encourage collective learning.

Concluding workshop: A concluding workshop at the end of the program with presentations of the final papers from workshop participants.

Mentorship

The Mentorship component is offered to the selected candidates with a fully developed draft of their paper. This involves being paired with an experienced academic to receive mentorship regularly. Specifically, they will have a series of online meetings with an assigned mentor to receive feedback as the participants develop their manuscripts through various stages. Please note that this mentorship does not mean co-authorship. Any co-author relationships developed from this program will be outside the purview of AIR.

Eligibility and

Evaluation Criteria

To be eligible, you must be an early career researcher (i.e., in the last year or second last year of Ph.D. to within 5 years after Ph.D.) from underrepresented groups. Preference will be given to women and first-generation graduates within these groups.

All applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be evaluated based on:

Commitment to research.

Quality of the proposed idea.

Preparedness for the program, e.g., suitable prior research experience, writing skills, and training in methods.

However, we encourage all applicants to apply regardless of their preparedness. If you are an eligible scholar, we would love to hear from you.

How to Apply

Complete the application form, including an abstract for proposed paper with your resume.

Timeline for 2023 Writing and Mentorship Program

Applications Due:     April 7, 2023

Results Announced:  April 28, 2023

Program Duration:   May 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What groups are considered underrepresented?

We know, based on evidence that ranges from anecdotal to systematic, that management research has a low representation of individuals from (i) Adivasi, Bahujan, and Dalit communities, (ii) lower socioeconomic status, (iii) rural areas, (iv) religious minorities, and (v) sexual minorities. Additionally, individuals from other underrepresented groups are welcome to apply and explain their group’s representation. Their applications will receive due consideration in line with the objectives of this program.

Will there be a cost to participate in the program?

No. The program is free of cost to the participants.

Is there any theme or topic that the research ideas must fall under? Do the applicants need to be researching issues related to economic or social inequality?

There is no theme or topic of research that applicants should be working on. Applicants working in any area in management (broadly defined) are welcome to apply.

Is it necessary for the applicants to have a Ph.D. in Management?

Not really. Applicants with a PhD in a neighbouring discipline (e.g., economics, philosophy, psychology or sociology) may apply provided their research falls broadly within the discipline of management, including all its areas, such as marketing, entrepreneurship, operations management, OB/HR, strategy, innovation, and international business. However, this program is to help researchers develop skills to publish in top-tier management journals. So, the applicants’ research should fall within the scope of management journals.

What are the expectations from the selected participants?

Strong commitment to make the best use of the program (e.g., adhering to deadlines, meetings with mentors, delivering agreed output) and value the time being contributed generously by the mentors. This would translate into devoting the time necessary to not just attend the workshops, but also prepare adequately for the workshops and develop a paper, using the insights learned from the workshops.

Do the selected participants need to seek permission from their respective institutions?

We do not require such permission, but you may need to inform your supervisors – either formally or informally – depending on your institution’s norms and expectations.

Where will the program be held?

Given the global nature of the collaborations involved, the majority of the program will be held online.

Will the program help me to publish the manuscript that I develop at the end of the program?

The program is only aimed at developing the necessary skills to develop a strong manuscript and publish it in a reputed journal. The initiative to identify publication opportunities and pursue them rests with the participants, but they can seek guidance from the program team.

Does the program offer me any financial support to conduct research or to develop a manuscript?

This program does not have any financial resources to offer. We, however, have received offers of some scholarship for data collection. Depending on your project and need, we will try to help you find sources of support. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to find such support.

Can I select my mentor?

Participants who develop a good quality manuscript will be paired with a mentor, depending on the topic and availability of mentors. You may discuss with the program team regarding this when you have a good quality manuscript prepared.

Will the mentors become co-authors on the publications?

It depends. If the mentor and mentee see value in a collaboration, it is up to them to pursue co-authored publications. When we enlist the mentors, we only request their commitment to be a mentor, and not a co-author. Any co-author relationships developed from this program will be outside the purview of AIR.

Can I continue to receive mentorship from my mentor after the end of the program?

We request mentors to engage with mentees only to provide feedback on papers during the program. This typically involves 2-3 meetings or equivalent. Any engagement beyond this ultimately rests on your relationship with your mentor and their discretion.

What information will be asked as part of the application?

Please see the application form here for further details: Click here

Who will evaluate the applications?

The core program team will evaluate the applications. But, if we receive a large number of applications, we will enlist support from suitable external evaluators.

Can I apply again if I’m unsuccessful?

Yes, you can apply again next year if you are unsuccessful in this round.

Can I apply again if I’m successful?

As you may understand, we would like to give a chance to new candidates. But, if you wish to apply next year again for a justifiable reason, please get in touch with us.

I come from an underrepresented group in South Asia, but I will not be able to participate in the program. Can I reach out to you for support?

By all means. Please reach out to us and we will try to offer support that we can in line with the objectives of AIR.

I come from an underrepresented group, but I am not from South Asia. Can I apply for this program?

While the program is focused on South Asia, please do contact one of the coordinators with your interest. We are in touch with likeminded colleagues and agencies who are keen to see this initiative replicated in other parts of the world. So, please get in touch with us even if you are unable to apply for this program. We might still be able to offer support to you or find support for you.

Whom should I contact if I have any other question(s)?

Please contact one of the four coordinators: Hari, Kamini, Prateek or Vivek.