Prof Annemarie Davis, an associate professor in the Department of Business Management at the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS), has been elected as the Global Representative-at-Large for the Strategy as Practice Interest Group (SAP-IG) within the renowned Strategic Management Society (SMS). This prestigious appointment highlights her commitment to bridging global and African scholarship, ensuring that African voices are heard and valued in strategic management discourse.

Prof Annemarie Davis, Associate Professor in the Department of Business Management, College of Economic and Management Sciences

SAP is a dynamic, sociologically driven field within strategic management. Unlike traditional approaches that view strategy as a static plan led solely by top executives, SAP sees strategy as a lived experience embedded throughout an organisation. Originating in the United Kingdom, the field has gained international traction, with significant contributions from European, Canadian and Australian scholars – and now, increasingly, from Africa.

Davis’s election to this global role underscores her influence and dedication to diversifying SAP scholarship. She is one of only two African representatives elected from a pool of 54 nominees worldwide.

"It feels great to be recognised as a member in a slightly different capacity," she says, "but I am more excited about the recognition of scholars outside North America and Europe in the Interest Group structures. This is a very small step, but I believe it signals some of the initiatives to actively incorporate African voices to avoid, as Philip Altbach claims, perpetuating the paradox of global science where regions with demographic and intellectual contributions remain peripheral."

Prof Ignacio Canales from the University of Aberdeen, who oversaw the election process, congratulated Davis, stating: "Thank you for your participation in the 2024 SAP-IG Leadership Elections. I am very happy to let you know you have won the election, and we are delighted you will be working with the SAP-IG for the next two years. The Global Rep-at-Large role is intended to provide a broader perspective and ensure that our leadership reflects the diverse voices within our organisation."

Beyond her leadership role, Davis is committed to fostering emerging scholars in SAP. She actively co-publishes with her students and supervises research in the field. In 2023, a PhD candidate under her co-supervision, Chantelle Govender, presented a SAP study at the Annual Academy of Management Conference, the world’s largest scholarly management association. The same candidate also had a co-authored paper accepted for the Organisation Studies Summer Workshop (OSSW) in Greece, scheduled for May 2025.

Davis will also present a co-authored paper at OSSW 2025. The paper, which explores South African contributions to SAP and their epistemological value, was well received at the European Group for Organisational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium in Milan, Italy, in 2024. Her research advocates for global collaboration and the inclusion of African perspectives in SAP. Additionally, she and fellow SAP scholar Dr Charmaine Williamson have co-authored the SAP-Africa entry in the inaugural Encyclopaedia on Strategy as Practice, marking a milestone in the recognition of African scholarship.

Davis believes in the power of co-publishing to enhance academic development. She explains: "When co-publishing with students, the supervisor takes on the role of co-author, bringing expertise to refine the research for a different audience in article or conference paper format. This new role requires developing and enhancing the ability to adapt research for publication, benefiting the supervisor by strengthening this skill and increasing research productivity. For students, engaging with their research in a new format helps them extract the core message and communicate findings effectively. I strongly believe academic research should reach wider audiences, and publications or conference presentations serve as valuable platforms for this. For emerging scholars, co-publishing not only builds essential research skills but also ensures continuity in knowledge production."

The SAP research focus area at CEMS was introduced in 2014 and has already produced four PhD and 11 master’s graduates. "Having a research focus area that has been accepting students for ten years means that the pool of scholars in the field continues to grow, strengthening networks for support and reference," Davis explained. "We also have a dedicated LibGuide offering resources to prospective and existing students. In 2023, we hosted a webinar for registered students, and I plan to host another one this year. Most importantly, the research supervisors affiliated with the focus area form a strong team for collaboration, where co-supervision is encouraged."

* By Dr Charmaine Williamson and Tebogo Mahlaela, College of Economic and Management Sciences