Constitution of the AIB

Article I - Name and Office

The organization shall be designated as the Academy of International Business, or AIB. It encompasses the parent organization, its members and chapters as well as other institutions it may set up.

The offices of the Academy shall be located at the address of the Executive Director or at such other place as may be designated by the Executive Board.

Article II - Objectives

The objectives of the organization are to foster education and advance professional standards in the field of international business by:

1. facilitating exchange of information and ideas among educators and between the business and academic fields;
2. encouraging and assisting research activities which advance knowledge of international business operations and increase the available body of teaching materials;
3. cooperating whenever possible with government, business and academic organizations for the furtherance of its basic objectives. However, to avoid the compromise of the intellectual integrity of its members as well as the independence and impartiality of the entire organization, the Academy shall not adopt a partisan position on any matter involving particularistic interests, either private or public.

The AIB shall not solicit or accept the moral, financial, technical or informational support of other organizations and individuals unless the latter's objectives are completely non-partisan with respect to the issues and projects involved in the joint or sponsored activity.

Article III - Membership

Membership shall be open to those individuals actively engaged in the performance or administration of teaching or research related to international business, who have demonstrated interest and capacity in furthering the objectives of the organization. The organization may have different classes of membership, both for individuals and for other entities, as specified in the Bylaws.

Article IV - Meetings

An annual meeting of the Academy shall be held at such time and place as determined by the Executive Board.

Article V - Government

The government of the Academy will be vested in an Executive Board consisting of no fewer than seven (7) and no more than nine (9) elected officers. The manner of the election or appointment of the officers and their duties will be as provided in the Bylaws.

The Executive Board shall appoint an Executive Director and a Secretariat to run the day-to-day operations of the Academy, under its oversight. The Executive Director shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Executive Board.

Article VI - Chapters

Subnational, country and multi-country chapters are a distinct yet integral part of the Academy of International Business. Members belong primarily to the AIB, with a secondary identification with their chapter. Chapters must have their own organization, with officers, meetings, constitution and bylaws conforming to democratic processes and to the letter and spirit of the AIB Constitution and Bylaws. The constitution and bylaws of each chapter as well as their amendments must be approved by the AIB Executive Board. AIB members automatically become members of the chapter closest to their place of work, or of one chapter of their choice as notified in writing to the AIB Secretariat. They may vote or hold office only in that chapter. However, members have the right to participate in the meetings and activities of other AIB chapters.

Article VII - Publications

The Academy shall issue publications for its members. Among them, a journal will contain articles of high scholarly quality and such other materials as is determined to be useful to the membership. All basic policy decisions as to content and manner of publication shall be decided by the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall select Editor(s)-in-Chief who will be responsible for the regular management of the journal(s).

Article VIII - Fellows

The Academy recognizes the establishment of a separate but internal and integral organization known as the "Fellows of the Academy of International Business." The purpose of the Fellows is to recognize outstanding contributions to the field of international business and to provide a forum for discussion among its members. The Fellows shall draft their own constitution and bylaws and elect their own officers as well as additional members in accordance with those documents.

Article IX – Trademarks, Copyrights and Logos

The registered or unregistered names, publications, titles, trade and service marks, logos, designs and other identifications of the organization shall be owned by the Academy of International Business and shall inure only to the AIB's benefit. Their use by any other organization is prohibited, unless specifically authorized in writing by the Executive Board of the AIB.

Any Academy member knowingly using the Academy name, logos or marks for a prohibited purpose shall be expelled from the Academy and may be reinstated only after two (2) years, upon favorable response by the Executive Board of the AIB to a written petition from the individual expelled.

Article X - Amendment of the Constitution

Proposals to amend the Constitution will be communicated to the voting membership when endorsed in writing by at least 10 percent of the voting members or 35 members, whichever is larger, or endorsed by a majority of the members in attendance at the Annual Meeting, or endorsed by a majority of the Executive Board.

Amendment to this Constitution shall be adopted upon a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the membership in response to a ballot, communicated either electronically or by mail. Membership shall be judged to include the members in good standing 60 days prior to the date of the communication of the ballot. However, no amendments will be considered adopted unless 10 percent of the voting members of the Academy have voted.