2026.10.06
News
[Faculty of Global Management] Senior Student Katsumasa Watanabe Presents Research at an International Conference in Poland
Katsumasa Watanabe, a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Global Management (GLOMAC), presented his research at the "12th AIB-CEE Chapter Annual Conference 2026," held in Poznań, Poland, from September 21 to 23, 2026.
The conference is an annual event organized by the Central and Eastern Europe Chapter (AIB-CEE) of the Academy of International Business (AIB), a global academic association for researchers and practitioners in international business and multinational enterprises from over 90 countries. Alongside the Academy of Management (AOM) and the Strategic Management Society (SMS), AIB stands as one of the world's leading academic organizations in the field of international business and multinational enterprise research. This year’s conference maintained a rigorous peer-review process, with the majority of presenters being university professors and doctoral researchers, serving as a highly specialized platform where research findings in international management were presented and discussed.
At this prestigious conference, which brought together leading scholars in international business research, Watanabe presented his research findings as an undergraduate student.
Under the theme "Central and Eastern Europe in Transition Again? Rethinking International Business in a Changing World," participants engaged in lively discussions based on the latest research insights and theoretical frameworks. Topics covered critical issues facing today's shifting international business environment, including geopolitical shifts, organizational transformation driven by digitalization, human capital optimization, and cross-border leadership.
Conference Overview
| Dates | September 21 to 23, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Poznań, Poland |
| Conference Name | 12th AIB-CEE Chapter Annual Conference 2026 |
| Theme | Central and Eastern Europe in Transition Again? Rethinking International Business in a Changing World |
| Organizer | Academy of International Business – Central and Eastern Europe（AIB-CEE） |
| Co-organizer & Host Institution |
Poznań University of Economics and Business, Institute of International Business and Economics |
Research Presentation by Katsumasa Watanabe (4th-Year Student, Faculty of Global Management)
Watanabe delivered a presentation titled "Surviving The Volatile Workplace: A Follower-Centric Analysis of Leadership Preferences and Cultural Predictors Among Asian Future Talents."
The study empirically examined leadership preferences and the cultural factors influencing them among the next generation of professionals in Japan and Singapore. By comparing the two countries, the research explored how cultural backgrounds shape those leadership expectations.
The analysis revealed that emerging talent in both countries strongly favors democratic leaders who value open dialogue. However, it also highlighted key differences rooted in cultural values regarding the underlying motivations for seeking such leaders and attitudes toward risk avoidance in organizational settings.
Based on these findings, the study offered practical implications for multinational corporations seeking to recruit and retain highly talented young professionals by emphasizing the importance of organizational design that takes local and regional cultural contexts into account.
Comment from Katsumasa Watanabe
"It was an invaluable experience to take on the challenge of presenting my research at an international conference such as AIB-CEE as an undergraduate student. The constructive feedback I received through the Q&A sessions and discussions provided valuable perspectives to further refine the theoretical rigor and practical implications of my research.
This study was made possible thanks to all the students who participated in the survey conducted in Japan and Singapore, as well as the continuous and dedicated guidance from Professor Singh and everyone who supported my research. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of them.
Building on this experience, I aim to publish this work in an international academic journal and aspire to become a leader who can drive organizational growth across cultural boundaries in the future."
