Hi Ceri,

Thanks kindly for this information. It has obviously been a very difficult
time for Ian, yourself and Jane as well I assume. Not knowing is worse than
knowing!! I can appreciate how hard it must be to see all your personal
efforts being sidelined and watching something you are obviously passionate
about and committed to potentially disappear or change hands - must be very
very difficult.

However, hopefully, Gokce and Elmel can keep the flame alight for you and
us.

Thank you for encouraging AACORN to continue with a or the conference. 

A couple of further questions -

Can we use the name as is without problems?
Are there people currently registered?
And if so, where are those registrations held and how many of them are
there?

With respect, to approving and accepting papers, who is handling the
approval propose and where are we in the process?

I have had several emails overnight from people saying they are running
streams, are ready to accept and approve papers and are awaiting advice
before getting both AACORN and non-AACORN members to register - a total of
16 potential registrants I am told. 

Ceri, I am sure you will understand the need to move very quickly, if we are
to retain the confidence and energy of the AACORN community right now to
proceed.

Would you mind coming back to Gokce and me quickly on these matters.

Thank you and Kind regards,
Ralph




-----Original Message-----
From: Aesthetics, Creativity, and Organisations Research Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Watkins, Ceri
Sent: Thursday, 25 March 2010 3:08 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Art of Management Conference & Aesthesis

Hi all,

Please accept my thanks for your kind words in response to our involvement
with the Art of Management Conference Series and Aesthesis over the years.
It is very gratifying to hear your appreciation of the conference and
journal.  Please be assured both myself and the University are very
frustrated and saddened that the conference is unable to go ahead. This
decision was not taken lightly, and it has been particularly difficult and
disappointing when I consider all the enthusiasm and commitment from the
whole 'Art of Management community' that has gone into making the conference
series such a success.

As you are aware we had been working towards the transfer of the conference
activities and the journal to the University of Arts, London.  However, this
did not prove possible, despite considerable efforts on both our parts. Once
the University of the Arts withdrew from the negotiations it was no longer
possible to complete the transfer and the ramifications for the conference
organization and journal made it necessary to re-appraise the position of
both enterprises. After contacting the organizers in Istanbul, thoroughly
reviewing the current position and giving the situation careful
consideration, regrettably it was not going to be feasible to proceed with
the conference.

I am extremely grateful for the generous offers of help and support that I
have received, but even taking these into account, I regret that running the
conference as was proposed is simply not viable. This situation is obviously
very disappointing, especially after all of the efforts in the preparation
of the streams and events for this conference.

As Steve so rightly pointed out, running these type of projects is very
resource intensive and the University of Essex has provided substantial
support in a number of ways over the years, not least of which was a
generous allocation of time for both Ian and myself.  The University
continued to provide support throughout the attempted transition to the
University of Arts, however it could not reasonably be expected to continue
this level of support if the conference and journal were to be based
elsewhere, while my present role here precludes me currently playing a
significant part in any developments.

Both the University and myself would be delighted to see a group of
committed members take over and develop the conference series. In fact
reading the range of exciting proposals discussed I would be extremely
disappointed if it did not continue as one of the focuses for our activities
and, obviously, I would be happy to provide what support I could to ease the
transfer of the conference series to a new organizing body.

The situation with the journal is rather more complicated. The University
has a number of legal and financial obligations with which it must comply in
relation to any proposed transfer of the journal. Therefore any transfer of
this enterprise requires a far more formal process and commitment.

I hope this helps clarify the position and I would like to take this
opportunity to again thank you for your patience and understanding over this
unfortunate state of affairs.

Kindest regards

Ceri

Ceri Watkins
Management Centre
Essex Business School
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Tel:  +44 (0) 1206 874877
Fax: +44 (0) 1206 873429
Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
<http://www.essex.ac.uk/afm/emc/fourth_art_of_management_and_org.shtm>