All proposals must identify a Principal Investigator (PI), a Co-Investigator (CI), and one or more Participating Organization(s) (PO) to serve as the research setting.

The PI who leads the research effort and to whom the grant is awarded must be a full-time faculty member or post-doctoral researcher affiliated with a university and a current member of the Strategic Management Society at the time of submission and throughout the grant period.

The PO may be public or private and for-profit or not-for-profit. It may not be a university. The project must contain a significant empirical component that involves collection of qualitative and/or quantitative data in the PO. Examples of projects typically ineligible for RiO funding include collaborating with a PO to study the activities of other organizations not party to the proposal (e.g., partnering with a trade association to survey its members or working with a PO that is a research organization that will collect data on behalf of the PI). It is required that one or more managers from the PO be engaged directly in the research effort. Therefore, proposals that do not include a manager from the PO as a Co-Investigator will not be considered.  

A proposal may have multiple CIs (managers or academic).

The SRF recognizes that confidentiality concerns may impose non-disclosure requirements affecting information provided in publications or public presentations based on the research, including the identity of the PO. However, that identity must be fully disclosed in the proposal.

At any time, a single individual is permitted to serve as a PI or CI on only one proposal across all SRF programs (DRG, RiO, or RSM). Further, individuals named in a previously funded SRF proposal may not participate in a new proposal until expiration of the prior award. Individuals named on a proposal must disclose any prior SRF awards and demonstrate that the project in the current proposal is distinct from their previously funded research.

All SRF grants are intended to support research that has not been undertaken. Thus, completed work is not eligible for funding.

The SRF plans to award RiO grants of up to $25,000 each during the 2020 funding cycle. Recipients will be named SRF Scholars.

Financial support will cover direct research expenses for data collection (including travel to the research site), student research assistance, and other activities that enable conduct of the research project. Examples of ineligible expenses include conference travel and registration fees, compensation for PI or CI time, teaching buyouts, purchases of software or equipment, and university overhead. Operating activities of the PO are also not eligible for funding. Determination of eligible and ineligible expenses rests with the SRF.

For proposals accepted for funding, the SRF will prepare an agreement to be executed by the PI detailing the responsibilities of both the PI and the SRF. Monies awarded will be available for a 2-year period beginning January 1, 2021. Funds will be disbursed as expenses are incurred. Reimbursement is not permitted for expenses incurred prior to the grant period.

The SRF requires regular progress reports as well as a final report on the project. The PI will submit a progress report at the completion of the first year of the grant and a final report within 3 months of the end of the grant. The final report will include an executive summary of the research findings and documentation of the expenses incurred.

Proposals (in English) are to be submitted by the PI through the online submission system at srf.strategicmanagement.net. Submissions should contain the following in a single PDF file:

a) Cover sheet with the following information:

1. Submission title
2. Amount requested in US Dollars
3. Name of PI and academic affiliation of PI
4. Name of Participating Organization
5. Name and position of Co-Investigator from Participating Organization
6. Names of any other CIs and their affiliations
7. Summary (500 words) of the proposed research project

b)  Research Proposal of up to ten (10) pages, single-spaced, with the following structure:

1. Specific research question(s) to be addressed, including how the research contributes to the field of strategic management, review of the relevant literature from the field of strategic management, and expected contributions to both the theory and the practice of strategic management
2. Research design, including a description of the data provided by the PO
3. Cited references
4. Timetable/schedule (including a description of any work completed to date)
5. Detailed budget in US Dollars, including disclosure of other sources of funding and any financial support from the PO
6. Expected impact of SRF funding on the quality of the research
7. Any other pertinent supplemental information

c) CVs for the PI and academic CI(s) and professional resume(s) for manager CI(s)

d) Disclosure of any personal or business relationship between researchers and the PO (other than for managers employed by the PO)

e) A description of any non-disclosure agreements governing the research, including discussion of restrictions on publishing outcomes

f) A letter from the PO signed by a senior representative not named as a researcher on the proposal that confirms the organization’s participation in the proposed research

g) A letter from the Dean’s Office of the PI’s primary academic institution confirming support for the funding application and acknowledging any institutional financial resources being provided to the project

h) Disclosure of any relationship with SRF Co-Chairs or the RiO Program Director, which may create the perception of a conflict of interest: potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, advising, co-authoring, or consulting relationships

Grant recipients will retain copyright to all materials prepared in connection with the funded project. However, it is expected that the SRF will be granted an irrevocable, royalty-free license in perpetuity to use such materials for non-commercial purposes furthering the mission of the SRF. The SRF will omit the identity of the PO in its use of those materials if non-disclosure agreements prevent its inclusion in publications. The SRF requires that any publication of the resulting research in articles or other forms includes an acknowledgment that the research was funded in part by the SRF of the Strategic Management Society.

The SRF website will open for submissions in August 2020, and the submission deadline is October 1, 2020. Notification of RiO grants awarded will be made by January 1, 2021. Submissions will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Contribution to strategic management theory: Is this research likely to make a new and substantial theoretical or empirical contribution to the academic field of strategic management?
• Contribution to strategic management practice: Is this research likely to yield important advice for managers in private or public organizations and make a significant contribution to the practice of strategic management?
• Novelty of the research topic/question: Is this research likely to start or redirect a line of inquiry in the field of strategic management?
• Research design and methodological rigor: Are the data appropriate for the theory being developed or tested? Are the procedures appropriate for the research questions? Is the description of the methods to be used adequate?
• Collaboration with the Participating Organization: Is the PO a suitable research site for topic/question studied? Does the project fully leverage the involvement of the PO?
• Likelihood of project success: Are the qualifications of the research team appropriate for the proposed research? Do the researchers have sufficient access to resources (financial and non-financial) to carry out the project?
• Expected impact of the funding: Is SRF funding likely to make a significant difference to the quality, scope, or other characteristics of the project that will enhance its conceptual or empirical contributions to theory and practice?