INVITATION: Nordic Leadership Studies Network Workshop 2026
We are pleased to invite your contributions to our Nordic Leadership Studies Network Workshop 2026, taking place at the Stockholm School of Economics in Stockholm on November 2–3 (noon to noon).
Despite many attempts, we have found it surprisingly difficult to define what exactly is meant by a "Nordic" perspective on leadership studies. Is there such a thing as Nordic leadership and management style, or is the term primarily a label attached to ideas and practices that travel across contexts but are also often associated with the Nordic countries? How might questions of context, situation and responsibility help us understand leadership across different settings?
While themes such as collaboration, participation, trust, shared responsibility and relatively flat organizational structures are often associated with Nordic management traditions, these ideas are increasingly being examined, adapted and challenged in diverse organizational and societal contexts around the world.
Rather than defining the Nordic in advance, we see it as a starting point for dialogue. We therefore welcome contributions that explore leadership from Nordic, international and interdisciplinary perspectives, in particular context- and situation-specific approaches, critical and relational leadership studies, and other interpretations of what leadership “is” (or should be) that help us better understand leadership practices across diverse organizational and societal settings.
Theme 2026: Leadership, collaboration and responsibility: Perspectives from Nordic and international contexts
We hope to further develop and strengthen a network of like-minded colleagues who share an interest in advancing leadership research, education and practice through open, collegial and intellectually stimulating exchange. The workshop is part of our broader ambition to foster an interdisciplinary network of scholars and educators. It provides an opportunity to explore both shared concerns and contextual differences in leadership research, education and practice.
Building on conversations initiated at our 2025 workshop at SSE, the event is intended as an open and collegial forum for discussing ongoing and emerging leadership research and leadership development pedagogy. We welcome participants from all career stages and from a broad range of disciplinary, methodological and geographical backgrounds.
We invite empirical, theoretical and conceptual contributions (both mature pieces and ideas under development) to be discussed in a constructive and developmental setting. The purpose is to support the refinement of ideas and ongoing work, and to encourage new collaborations across people, institutions, disciplines and research traditions.
The event is free of charge, with lunches and dinner included. Travel costs are covered by participants themselves. For inquiries about possibilities of funding assistance for junior scholars, please contact Katja Einola or Emma Bell.
Registration
To sign up for the workshop, please click here:
Leadership Studies Workshop 2026 at Stockholm School of Economics – Fill out form
You are now asked to give us only a short title of your planned presentation to help us give an idea of the different topics. You will also be invited to submit an abstract of approximately 400–500 words by mid-September 2026. Further instructions for this will be circulated at a later stage.
We look forward to welcoming you to Stockholm in November.
For general inquiries or help with travel arrangements and recommendations for hotels, please just contact us. More information will follow later.
Welcome!
Katja Einola & Emma Bell
Contact:
Katja Einola
katja.einola@hhs.se
