Wes studies the strategies of organizational actors that are marginalized for their core practices or their work with marginalized actors to better understand how they navigate the social and economic sanctions they experience. These organizations range from social enterprises to cold-climate fine wineries to mixed martial arts organizations.

His work has been published in the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, and Strategic Management Journal.

Journal Articles

Piazza, A., Bergemann, P. and Helms, W.. Getting away with it (or not): The social control of organizational deviance. Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Review, Forthcoming.

Aranda, A., Helms, W., Patterson, K., Roulet, T. and Hudson, B.. Standing on the shoulders of Goffman: advancing a relational research agenda on stigma., Business & Society, Forthcoming.

Sadri, M., Piazza, A., Phung, K. and Helms, W.. The disparate economic outcomes of stigma: Evidence from the arms industry., Strategic Management Journal, Forthcoming.

Hudson, B., Patterson, K., Roulet, T., Helms, W. and Elsbach, K.. Organizational Stigma: Taking Stock and Opening New Areas for Research, Journal of Management Studies, Volume 59, 2022.

Wang, L., Helms, W. and Li, W.. Tapping into agglomeration benefits by engaging in a community of practice., Strategic Organization, Volume 18, 2020.

Massa, F., Helms, W., Voronov, M. and Wang, L. Emotions Uncorked: Inspiring Evangelism for the Emerging Practice of Cool Climate Winemaking in Ontario, Academy of Management Journal, Volume 60, Number 2, 2017.

Helms, W., Patterson, K. and Hudson, B.. Let's not taint stigma research with legitimacy, please, Journal of Management Inquiry, Volume 28, Number 1, 2017.

Helms, W. and Oliver, C.. Radical settlements to conflict: Conflict management and its implications for institutional change, Journal of Management and Organization, Volume 21, Number 4, 2015.

Helms, W. and Patterson, K.. Eliciting acceptance for illicit organizations: The positive implications of stigma for MMA organizations, Academy of Management Journal, Volume 57, Number 5, 2014.

Helms, W. and Webb, K.. Perceived voluntary code legitimacy: Towards a theoretical framework and research agenda, Journal of Management and Organization, Volume 20, Number 3, 2014.

Helms, W., Oliver, C. and Webb, K.. Antecedents of Settlement on a New Institutional Practice: Negotiation of the ISO 26000 Standard on Social Responsibility, Academy of Management Journal, Volume 55, Number 5, Winter, 2012.

Conference Proceedings and Presentations

Helms, W.. In The Eye Of The Beholder: Examining The Role Of Audiences In Organizational Social Evaluations - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 2018.

Helms, W.. Stigma and Its Intersections - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 2018.

Helms, W.. Stigma and the origins of defiance - European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), Tallinn, Estonia, 2018.

Helms, W.. Tackling the Challenges of Stigmatization Research: Addressing Our Theoretical and Empirical Issues - Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, 2018.

Helms, W. and Patterson, K.. "This isn't for everyone" The origins of defiance and the preservation of stigmatized practices - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, 2017.

Wang, L. and Helms, W.. Locational competitive disadvantage and the conditioning impact of trade associations - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Orlando, Florida, 2016.

Helms, W. and Bres, L.. Inter-Organizational Paradox and the Creation of the ISO 26000 Standard - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, 2015.

Helms, W., Suddaby, R. and Webb, K.. Organizational text work and ISO 26000 guidance on social responsibility: Influencing the meaning of a practice defining standard - Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, 2015.

Helms, W. and Bres, L.. Origins and outcomes to paradoxes: organizational motivations, paradoxical issues, and the political construction of ISO 26000 - European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), Athens, Greece, 2015.

Helms, W. and Patterson, K.. Stigmatization, legitimation, and settling on the ideologically contested practice of mixed martial arts (MMA) - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, 2015.

Massa, F., Voronov, M., Helms, W. and Wang, L.. "From the Heart": The Role of Emotional Expression in the Legitimation of Ontario Wine - EMONET IX Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2014.

Massa, F., Voronov, M., Helms, W. and Wang, L.. "From the Heart": The Role of Emotional Expression in the Legitimation of Ontario Wine - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2014.

Massa, F., Voronov, M., Helms, W. and Wang, L.. From the heart: The role of emotional expression in the legitimation of Ontario wineries - Emotions and Institutions Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 2013.

Helms, W., Wood, P. and Ingram, A.. Inter-Organizational Paradox and the Creation of the ISO 26000 Standard - European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium, Montreal, Quebec, 2013.

Helms, W., Suddaby, R. and Webb, K.. Organizational text work and ISO 26000 guidance on social responsibility: Influencing the meaning of a practice defining standard - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Orlando, Florida, 2013.

Helms, W., Wang, L., Massa, F. and Voronov, M.. Resonating with the emotions of audiences: Pleasing judges during wine tasting competitions - Emotions and Institutions Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 2013.

Helms, W.. Framing, Communication and Symbolic Management - Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, 2012.

Massa, F., Voronov, M. and Helms, W.. From the heart: Affective legitimation in Ontario wine industry - European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium, Helsinki, Finland, 2012.

Helms, W.. Organizational negotiation skills and persuasion on the negotiated order of ISO 26000 - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, 2012.

Helms, W.. Settlement on a New Institutional Practice: Negotiation of the ISO 26000 Standard on Social Responsibility (CSR) - SCR Research in Progress on ISO 26000 SR Standard Events, Toronto, Ontario, 2012.

Helms, W. and Patterson, K.. Mixed Martial Arts: From bloodsport to regulated sport - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Montreal, Quebec, 2010.

Helms, W. and Patterson, K.. Status, Stigma, and Safety Valves: Renegotiating Settlements on the Contested Practice of MMA - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, San Antonio, Texas, 2010.

Helms, W.. Framing Conflict Within Fields: Conflict Management Responses as Predictors of Convergent or Radical Institutional Change - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 2009.

Helms, W. and Webb, K.. Perceived Voluntary Code Legitimac - Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 2009.

Helms, W. and Webb, K.. Perception of Environmental Code Legitimacy: Towards a Theoretical Framework - Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) Conference, Niagara Falls, Ontario, 2009.

Helms, W.. Agreements in Multi-issue Negotiations: An Exploration of Agenda Structure, Decisions, and Advice - Group Decision and Negotiation, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, 2007.

Helms, W.. The positive and negative implications of stereotypes for heterogeneous work group performance - Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, 2007.

Other Publications and Presentations

Armstrong, M., Voronov, M. and Helms, W.. How brands turn customers into devoted followers, The Conversation, June, 2017.

Helms, W.. Framing conflict within fields: How conflict shapes the convergent or radical form of institutional change, Schulich School of Business, PhD Seminar Series, 2008.