Awards given by academic societies serve as external markers of scholarly recognition, shaping reputations and career trajectories. While the Global South Scholars (GSS)’ rates of participation at major conferences have grown, these scholars remain significantly underrepresented among academic award recipients. The thesis investigates the extent and causes of this underrepresentation. As part of this investigation, it addresses conceptual ambiguities in defining GSS. The thesis adopts a mixed-methods approach. A quantitative study of 20,265 scholars who participated in the Academy of Management (AOM) conference reveals that GSS receive awards at a 33% lower rate than their Global North counterparts, with disparities varying across the divisions of the AOM. I explore the root causes of this gap through qualitative interviews with 16 academic award gatekeepers. I identify two key dimensions influencing award outcomes: 1) demand-side barriers, including implicit biases favoring Global North scholars (GNS), institutional prestige signaling, and research paradigm dominance; and 2) supply-side barriers, such as financial constraints, limited networking access, and lack of award winner mentorship opportunities. I follow up by introducing a novel typology of GSS, based on the country of origin, Ph.D. granting institution, and employment affiliation. A further quantitative investigation based on this typology indicates that scholars employed in the Global South face the highest levels of underrepresentation, even when affiliated with prestigious institutions. The thesis highlights the asymmetrical impact of institutional prestige and geographical identity on award recognition. This research advances status bias theory, demonstrating how geographical hierarchies influence academic recognition. It also highlights the problems with the perception of meritocracy in the context of academic society awards, revealing structural biases that favor GNS. Finally, it brings conceptual clarity to the definition of GSS and demonstrates how underrepresentation can vary significantly between different types of GSS.