This special issue advances management development research through brief reports addressing contemporary challenges facing managers in rapidly changing environments. It seeks responses to geopolitical instability, technological disruption, and sustainability pressures, while challenging traditional academic approaches that inadequately explain modern business complexities.
The special issue welcomes diverse empirical research methods and prioritizes contributions from early career researchers. Submissions should demonstrate practical applicability and offer actionable insights managers can implement. Particularly, the issue addresses urgent needs for management frameworks guiding AI integration, nearshoring trends, cross-cultural team management, and responsible autonomous systems governance, providing evidence-based tools to equip managers in transforming challenges into opportunities.