Speakers at ASAC 2025

‘Sustainability’ has recently become ubiquitous – so ubiquitous that this
movement has led to possible misconceptions and misunderstandings of its very meaning, at least in the context that it should be embraced. Of higher concern is the now apparent (mis)appropriation – and hijacking – of the entire concept and field, with the advent of trendy keywords and acronyms such as ‘ESG’ and initiatives such as the creation of the International ‘Sustainability’ Standard Board by the IFRS Foundation, which has naturally important implications for the international business community. This presentation will delve into these
concepts and insights and provide a clearer, broader and a more complete and accurate picture of this space and where we are (or should be) headed.

Dr. Keddie’s current research follows three key streams. In the first, she examines the use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance-based goals in executive bonus plans. Second, Dr. Keddie is leading an interdisciplinary team exploring Canada’s transition towards a circular economy; her role examines how food retailers are tackling the measurement, reduction and redirection of food waste. Third, she has been exploring the valuation of natural and cultural capital in the context of UNESCO sites in Canada. Broadly, her sustainability accounting research is of interest to a variety of stakeholders including management, shareholders, regulators, and standard setters as interest continues to grow in social and environmental matters. She believes in the power of accounting to move the world towards sustainability.

The teaching case research domain has become increasingly diverse, with various case study types and publication outlets. This raises a question of what counts as quality and impact in the scholarship of teaching cases. For instance, while short cases can be more manageable for teaching and offer a focused learning experience, do they compromise rigor? Primary versus secondary versus fictitious (including AI-generated) cases add further complexity to the question of rigor and fitness for the purpose. How should case scholars ensure thoroughness, capture intricacies for a realistic decision-making experience, while creating impact in research, teaching, and the larger business and academic community? These questions are important for case writers and teachers in the evolving landscape of teaching-cases, as well as in academia as a whole. Hear from Dr. Eric Dolensky, Editor-in-chief of the Case Research Journal, on these questions at ASAC 2025, Waterloo.

Professor Dolansky is the editor-in-chief of the Case Research Journal (CRJ), the leading academic journal for cases in management, with strict publication standards. Being the EIC of an esteemed academic publication, Professor Eric is well-positioned to speak on the proposed topic.

TBC

Dr. Moren Lévesque is Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems; CPA Ontario Chair in International Entrepreneurship; and Co-director of Entrepreneurial Studies at Schulich School of Business, York University. She is also an Editor of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, one of the leading journals in the field of entrepreneurship. She has published widely in renowned international journals and a special focus in her research is technology and innovation, with some of her latest research focused on AI.

TBC

Charlene Zietsma is a highly accomplished and renowned Canadian organizational researcher. She is the Max McGraw Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at SEAS and at the Ross School of Business. She previously held appointments at Pennsylvania State University, York University (Toronto), Western University and the University of Victoria. She is an International Research Fellow of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation and earned her doctorate at the University of British Columbia.

Professor Zietsma’s research focuses on social innovation: the individual, organizational and collective efforts to make (and resist) significant, large-scale change in the context of sustainability and social justice issues. She studies institutional work, institutional change processes, social and sustainable entrepreneurship, and social movements focused on grand challenges and wicked problems. She is interested in how business organizations move towards more sustainable practices, particularly through voluntary governance such as certifications, codes of conduct and cross-sector partnership agreements.

She has lectured extensively on these topics around the world and her work has been published in the top management journals, with several winning best article awards. She was awarded the Administrative Science Quarterly Scholarly Contribution Award for making a significant impact on the field of organization studies. Her work has been recognized for its societal impact by the Financial Times (Responsible Business Education for Academic Research), the Global Business School Network and EFMD Global’s Going Beyond Initiative, the Responsible Research in Business & Management Network, the Academy of Management Organizations and the Natural Environment and Social Issues in Management divisions.

Professor Zietsma has held editorial and guest editorial roles with several journals and serves on the editorial board for the Academy of Management Journal and the Academy of Management Review. She has organized a number of conferences and conference tracks. She held a Chair of Excellence at Universidad Carlos III, Madrid, as well as visiting appointments at the University Technology Sydney, University of Sydney, Queensland University, Queensland University of Technology, Nottingham University in Ningbo, China, Hebrew University, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Liverpool.

Despite the existence of many different financial service providers, some consumers remain underserved and have limited access to funds or financial products. In some cases, access is limited by an individual’s financial history while in others it can be negatively impacted by their own confidence in their ability to navigate financial service firms. Technology has frequently been suggested as a possible solution to improving financial inclusion and while it brings distinct advantages, it cannot remove all barriers. This talk will explore the role of technology in boosting financial inclusion in addition to the underlying psychological and individual characteristics that may continue to limit one’s willingness or ability to make full use of financial services.

Lynnette Purda was appointed interim Dean, Smith School of Business in January 2025. She is also Professor and RBC Fellow of Finance and recently held the role of Associate Dean (Graduate Programs). She is a Chartered Financial Analyst with industry investment banking experience and is an editor of the book Corporate Fraud Exposed.
Her primary research area is corporate finance with a focus on governance. Her work appears in leading academic journals and she has worked with policymakers and practitioners including the Bank of Canada, the Accounting Standards Oversight Council of Canada, and FP Canada. She is a past president of the Northern Finance Association.
Dr. Purda has been nominated for teaching excellence awards at both the undergraduate and Master’s levels. She has taught in programs across the Smith portfolio including Bachelor of Commerce, MBA, Master of Finance (both Toronto and Beijing), and Master of International Business. She also supervises the research of Master’s and PhD students and won the 2022 PhD/MSc Award for Research Supervision.

TBC

Dr. Wendy R. Carroll is an award-winning teacher and practice-oriented researcher who is the Director of the EMBA and EDBA Programs and associate professor in the Department of Management at the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University. After a 20-year career working in national and multinational businesses as a senior leader and executive, Wendy joined the academy 12 years ago and researches in the areas of workforce strategies, human resource management, employee silence, and evidence-based decision-making. 

As a practitioner turned academic, Wendy has worked to develop and integrate approaches and techniques for organizational leaders to bring back to their workplaces. She has received eight student-driven and two peer-driven teaching awards, including the Dr. Geraldine Thomas Education Leadership Award for 2018. For her role as an educator and researcher impacting practice, Wendy has been named one of the Top HR Professionals of 2016 in Canada by Canadian HR Reporter Magazine.