IAMOT 2024 was an incredible conference, full of valuable contributions and unforgettable moments. As a co-chair of the conference and researcher in this area, it is a pleasure to be able to share the main conclusions and what we can expect for the future of technology management – in terms of research and industry.
The IAMOT (International Association for the Management of Technology) community is quite large, with representatives all over the world. That’s why IAMOT conferences welcome people from almost every continent. This year, and for the first time, it took place in Portugal. Porto welcomed 230 participants from practically all continents – Oceania was missing -, representing more than 30 different nationalities.
The organising committee of IAMOT 2024 aimed to provide the participants the best conference which they ever joined – or at least, one of the best. With this in mind, we started to plan it quite early – more than a year in advance. We started by dealing with the operational and logistical aspects that one must address ASAP, like the location. The Alfândega do Porto was the chosen venue: with its historical architecture and stunning location next to the Douro River, it is one of the most representative places in the city of Porto, making it the perfect setting to host IAMOT 2024.
I invited Ricardo Zimmermann (to support me in scientific activities) and Gustavo Dalmarco (responsible for communication tasks) to join the organising committee. Each of us formed our “mini” team, and we invited seven more members: Grasiela Almeida, Marta Oliveira, Ana Silva, Sthefan Berwanger, Henrique Silva, Pedro Senna and José Pedro Rodrigues – each responsible for specific areas.
To ensure that IAMOT 2024 broadly covered the topic of “Human-Centred Technology Management for a Sustainable Future”, we carefully selected the keynote speakers, ensuring that they were the best in their fields, but also gathered the skills of excellent communicators. Basically, speakers who were able to make valuable contributions and make a difference. João Claro, co-chair of IAMOT and Chairman of the Board at INESC TEC, was quite important in this process, by helping us identifying the best keynote speakers.
Jeremy Hall, Professor and Director of the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex Business School (UK) addressed the role of operations and supply chain management in the climate crisis. He highlighted three approaches: adaptation, mitigation, and negative emissions technologies (NETs). The need for robust support policies to promote these innovations was a crucial point, especially in sectors driven by social mandates, but without clear commercial incentives.
Katja Tschimmel, Managing Consultant at Mindshake and guest lecturer at the University of Porto and Porto Business School, emphasised the importance of creativity and design in sustainability. Through participatory design projects, Katja has shown how creative, planet-focused thinking can generate eco-friendly practices and environmentally aware products.
Finally, António Murta, Managing Partner of Pathena SGPS S.A., explored the transformative potential of medical Artificial Intelligence (AI) in primary and hospital care; he also highlighted how AI is revolutionising healthcare, automating diagnostics, optimising treatment plans and improving patient outcomes.
As to the roundtables, we chose topics that covered the topic of the conference, “Human-Centred Technology Management for a Sustainable Future”. We selected very experienced moderators and relevant participants in their respective areas, ensuring rich and in-depth discussions that really added value and promoted a meaningful debate about the challenges and opportunities in this area.
The “Sustainability Practices in Industry” session, moderated by Américo Azevedo, explored how industries can adopt sustainable practices, using technology to create circular value chains, reduce CO2 emissions and improve supply chain transparency. Participants shared key initiatives, challenges faced and the role of tech innovation in their companies.
These discussions highlighted the importance of companies integrating sustainable practices and innovative technologies into daily operations. Companies should take a proactive approach, investing in technologies that not only improve financial performance, but also reduce environmental impact and promote social responsibility. The collaboration between sectors, government, and academia will be key to creating solutions that meet the complex and interconnected needs of today’s society.
António Lucas Soares moderated the session “With the Machine: Exploring Human-Centricity in Industry 5.0”, focused on the evolution of the concept of human-centred approaches – especially with the integration of AI. This session also addressed challenges concerning the balance between technological advances, human values and ethics, and the importance of developing technologies that promote people’s well-being and inclusion.
The session “In Search of Rigour and Relevance: What Drives the Impact of MOT”, moderated by Gita Surie, editors of top journals discussed how to prepare impactful management of technology (MOT) papers, balance research rigor with relevance and effectively engage the target-audiences. The balance between rigor and practical relevance in research was a central point, with editors sharing strategies to address said challenges.
Technology management is constantly evolving, and research in this area should keep focusing on innovations that not only improve efficiency and productivity, but also promote sustainability and social inclusion. We must delve into the intersections between technology and people, ensuring that technological advances respect and promote core human values. As a researcher, I believe that interdisciplinary collaboration and creative thinking will be crucial to address future challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
By Ana Simões, Senior Researcher
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