Manager: Professor Sami Ben Jabeur
Permanent members:
Disciplines involved: Management Sciences; Economics; Educational Sciences
Topic and goals:
This group’s research tackles the big social and management issues. In particular, it studies these issues through the lens of ERS (Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability).
This research theme appears relevant first of all to the academic world, which is taking on sustainability and responsibility issues by means of conferences and journals dedicated to them. Moreover, in the world of business, companies have started to integrate these issues into their strategic management, which is translating into the publication of periodic reports on their results in terms of corporate social responsibility and the appointment of CSR managers, along with the appearance of other initiatives aiming to ensure the company is working for the common good. Finally, in the political domain, governments worldwide are coming to consider these issues as one of the fundamental cornerstones of their policies. In France, the government stated in 2018 how much of an important issue corporate social responsibility was before passing the PACTE law (2019), intended to strengthen CSR.
The group’s goal is to:
• Study and analyse CSR practices and prospects for the future both in France and internationally by means of methodological and theoretical tools that are both tried-and-tested and innovative.
• Contribute to the emergence of new, more sustainable and responsible growth models for businesses and the economy at local, national and international levels.
The research group’s objective is to promote scientific excellence and to make a tangible impact within society, the business world and our academic ecosystem. Early-career researchers find the cluster to be a conducive environment for scientific endeavour, in line with their personal interests and aspirations. The research environment is based on three fundamental values: collaboration, equity and excellence. The value of collaboration is reflected in each member’s commitment to and contribution towards the cluster’s development. We are committed to promoting solidarity and cohesion amongst research staff, thereby strengthening a strong collective identity. Whilst collaboration is paramount, equity remains an essential pillar. Each EC, regardless of their publication record, holds a recognised and valued position based on their interests and expertise. Finally, excellence is one of the objectives of our research. We ensure that our publications are of a high standard, being rigorous, original and relevant.
The research group’s work is currently organised around three main areas:
- Social responsibility and the ethical transformation of organisations.
- Decision science for green finance and sustainable innovation.
- Sustainable marketing and consumer perspectives.
Flagship project for 2025-2030:‘Innovative practices for the responsible and sustainable development of local authorities’
The flagship project for the 2025–30 period continues to explore innovative practices for the responsible and sustainable development of local authorities, whilst addressing new and topical management issues. The following topics will be examined:
- Vulnerabilities: the role and practices of organisations in managing vulnerabilities (mental health, a major national cause for 2025) and in managing one’s own vulnerability (governance arrangements, cooperatives, the social and solidarity economy).
- Circular economy: how businesses are adopting a circular business model, and how they are managing this transition.
- Artificial intelligence: the role of AI in the world of work and the strategic management of this technology.
- Innovative services: barriers and success factors in the implementation of innovative services within a sustainability context
- CSR competition: Corporate practices aimed at aligning CSR competition with social wellbeing objectives, whilst taking into account economic, financial, behavioural, marketing and strategic implications.
As this flagship project builds on the PrIORRA project, it adopts the same methodological approach: cooperative action research. This methodology establishes a partnership between researchers and businesses with a view to creating new practices that promote responsible and sustainable development. Researchers and business stakeholders share the status of co-researchers in a process of sharing, mutual learning and co-creation. Cooperative action research comprises four stages:
- A shared understanding of the research topic
- Joint development of innovative practices
- Implementation of jointly developed practices
- Feedback