The 2021 Ninth Annual Humanistic Management Conference will take place online and is brought to you by our Chapters from around the world on the theme of Solutions.

We all use the word solution numerous times on any single day and yet we may not always have a clear view on what actually is a solution. We want to hire solution-oriented people to join our organizations; we want politicians to offer solutions to the challenges we face; we want businesses to provide products and services that deliver solutions; and we ourselves want to feel productive by developing and implementing solutions. But who will be able to derive meaningful benefits from those solutions? Who determines what resources are provided for solutions geared towards maintaining the status quo versus those challenging it?

Solutions are wanting in this world, but what differentiates a solution from a quick fix or a remedy, (how) can we know if a hailed solution will create adverse side effects? For how long must a solution provide a solution to be a solution? Why are we so receptive for the temptations of solutionist narratives?

These are some of the questions we will discuss at this year’s edition of the Annual Humanistic Management Conference, but to enrich our practical understanding of the theme, we shall also provide plenty of examples of policies, organizations and individuals that deliver solutions aligned to Humanistic Management principles.