INFORMS 2nd Annual Webinar on
Goal:
This program—originally launched by the INFORMS Public and Societal Operations Research (PSOR) Division—aims to connect with researchers in developing economies who may not have the opportunity to attend the INFORMS Annual Meeting in person. There are no restrictions on topics or research methods. However, the research question must address a real challenge observed in a developing economy and/or the research (e.g., experiments) must have been conducted within a developing economy. Additionally, the presenter must be affiliated with a university or research institution located in a developing country.[1]
Submission:
We warmly invite researchers from developing economies to submit abstracts for a two-day webinar scheduled for September 22–23, 2025.
Selected abstracts (approximately eight to ten) will be invited, by a committee of judges, for a 15-minute virtual presentation in English, followed by a Q&A session. Presenters will receive an INFORMS Certificate in recognition of their contribution. In addition, the best presentation and a runner-up will be awarded plaques from INFORMS.
There is no fee to register, present, or attend the program.
Key Information:
The extended abstract—limited to 1,000 words, plus a 150-word summary—must be submitted by July 15, 2025:
After clicking the link, you will be directed to a page where INFORMS members can log in using their existing credentials.
Non-members can create a new account by setting up a username and password.
If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact Beth West: [email protected]
- Abstracts must follow the guidelines outlined in the accompanying flyer; submissions that do not adhere to this framework will not be considered.
- Submissions must be in English and may be based on a working paper or a manuscript under review. However, papers that are already published or accepted for publication at the time of submission are not eligible.
- The corresponding author must also be the presenter and must be based in a country classified as a developing economy.
- Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria: (i) relevance of the research—either to challenges unique to a developing economy or to broader OM/SCM theory and practice; (ii) novelty, impact, and scientific rigor of the study; (iii) potential to engage and interest the webinar’s intended audience.
- Presentations will be selected based on the submitted abstracts. Authors are welcome to submit a full paper in support of their abstract, though it is entirely optional.
- In case of submitting a full paper, please consider that papers must not exceed 32 pages, including authors’ names and affiliation, all references, tables, figures, and appendices. The manuscript should be double-spaced (defined as no more than 33 lines per page) throughout, including the abstract and references. Please do not use footnotes. Submissions should have one-inch margins on all sides, be single-column, and use Times New Roman, 11-point font. Manuscripts must be uploaded as a single PDF file and should include the paper’s title, abstract, main body, references, figures, tables, and any appendices.
Important Dates:
- Acceptance Notification: August 15, 2025
- Webinar Dates: September 22–23, 2025
We look forward to your participation and to fostering new connections and collaborations across the global research community. For any questions, please contact Mahyar Eftekhar ([email protected]) or Renata Konrad ([email protected]).
[1] According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), developing and emerging economies include: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, the Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mali, the Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, the Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.