The research activities of the La Rochelle Business School are designed to contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of management at both national and international levels, thereby contributing to its reputation and programmes.

Our research activities have the following objectives :

• ensuring courses are relevant and up-to-date, in accordance with the school’s educational mission and the needs of companies ;
• enabling future graduates to acquire analytical, diagnostic and problem-solving skills in a rigorous methodological and conceptual environment ;
• participating in the production and dissemination of research studies within the national and international scientific community ;
• lending credibility to the positioning and unique nature of the school’s degree programmes, especially in its two areas of expertise (tourism management and sustainable development) ;
• contributing to the transfer of the most advanced knowledge in the field of management and its application to both students and companies (research initiatives, consulting, continuous education, professional conferences, etc).

Centre for Management Research

Dominic DRILLON  Director, Center for Management Research (CRME) La Rochelle Business School

Research is the expression of a concerted effort to understand and explain the world in which we live, a desire to contribute to its development, and thanks to this enlightenment, improve the lives of those who live in it. Research, innovation and knowledge are the most precious treasures of our planet. To invest in knowledge is to recognize the sustainable importance of research.

For a Business School, research represents a major strategic asset. The employment rate of its graduates, the volume and the quality of research carried out by its faculties are among the most important criteria for assessment at national and international level. It has become one of the essential elements in an increasingly competitive environment to recruit and retain faculty. Research practice is the reflection of the research team; it is what guarantees long term renewal and enrichment of education. Indeed, for a School like La Rochelle whose primary mission is to equip men and women for tomorrow’s corporate world, research must be used to inform its curricula and course developments. Students must be able to integrate and make research methods and scientific knowledge their own and “translate” them into the business world in order to pursue successful careers as entrepreneurial contributors to business-wide optimization objectives.

One of the fundamental missions of a Business School is to create knowledge through research and scholarly endeavor. It then communicates and promotes this knowledge to three main communities:

• to academic networks by communicating research through publications and presentations in seminars and conferences.
• to practice through applied practice, professional publications, training and consulting activities. It is the interaction with the economic, social and cultural environment.
• and finally, to education (teaching and learning) through the transfer of knowledge and academic approach, in initial and continuous education to its students and professional audiences.

In general the capacity of companies to adapt to market and societal changes depends crucially on their ability to anticipate.  In other words, on their capacity to analyze the situations in which they are engaged, to produce new knowledge and have the methods and skills to implement solutions in order to make an impact on the economic environment. As such, the role of research in management and business is essential to economic and corporate social performance.

The Center aims to supervise, promote and develop research across a broad set of management disciplines and contribute to solving problems of concern to commerce, industry, the public sector and society in general.

It aims, through partnerships with universities in France and abroad, to quickly acquire a national and international size and visibility, to conduct studies for institutions or companies and to respond to invitations to tender in research projects.

Mission

Its mission is also to enrich knowledge and transfer it through instruction to increase the School’s educational performance. In the light of the graduates’ success in the medium and long term of their professional life, the school will be able to appraise the legitimacy of this research and its impact on professional practice.

Portfolio goals

The Center, in accordance with the School’s mission, has established the importance and focus of its research activities by setting the following portfolio goals:

• disciplined-based contributions (60% of total intellectual contributions)
• practice-based contributions (30%): industry commissioned research projects which are not public (consulting projects etc). The Business School faculty pursues challenging research projects in the areas of tourism management and sustainability to benefit industry and society.
• instructional scholarship (10%): to encourage academic innovation, and to make faculty more knowledgeable about and to enhance the different pedagogic approaches that underpin teaching practices. It also seeks to enhance the development of research knowledge and skills in the area of pedagogy.

Objectives

The five strategic objectives which define the CRME’s vision are:

• Become nationally and internationally recognized by academics, practitioners, and sponsors.
• Develop a multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research agenda, as well as in individual disciplines, driven by the needs of business practice.
• Engage with businesses and organizations to create new knowledge and insights into management practices and deliver it to the business community in a way that has impact, relevance and added-value.
• Develop research themes which will become financially self- sufficient within the Plan, by securing significant research and consulting income.
• Develop and promote a cadre for research students working with the school’s research team.