research@hec - Issue#1 - (Page II)

research hec ‘Objective: Reinforcing Dialogue with the Corporate World’ Participating in the knowledge economy has become a priority for world-class Business Schools. With this in mind, we have decided to place research at the core of our development plan, and ensure its diffusion to a wide audience. You are about to discover the very first issue of research@hec, which incorporates articles from our research professors. The articles are based on publications in the best scientific journals and research books, and have been adapted to address managers’ needs. This will help us to pursue our aim of reinforcing dialogue with the corporate world. It is important that you, the readers, send us any comments, criticisms, and suggestions that you may have. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the partners of the HEC Foundation, which has been actively supporting our research activities for many years. This new HEC production owes much to these activities. We hope you enjoy the articles. Bernard Ramanantsoa (MBA.76) Dean, HEC Paris ENCOUNTER z What Does Management Research Achieve? Discussion between Marc Vanhuele and François Séguineau IS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH RELEVANT? Marc Vanhuele believes that the question itself is irrelevant and shouldn’t even be asked. One of HEC’s essential missions is to contribute to the Marc Vanhuele is an Associate development of ideas, knowledge, Professor in Marketing, Associate and techniques in the area of busiDean, and Director of Research, as well as Director of the GREness management. This has had a GHEC, the CNRS (French national positive impact on all those studying research centre) unit at HEC. on the campus and on managers undergoing executive training, and has also increased HEC’s international visibility and influence. Over recent years, with the help of the HEC Foundation, the presence of HEC’s researchers has been considerably reinforced on the international scientific scene, resulting in increased publication of research results in prestigious reviews. ‘However, practicians are not very familiar with these publications, which are important for HEC’s international ranking,’ says Marc Vanhuele, ‘and the process of selecting articles is a slow and fastidious one; once the article has been published, it can be incorporated into management literature, which can be used in turn as a support for developing mangers and leaders. Clearly, the process— from the moment an idea is introduced to its adoption by the decision-makers—is a long one!’ FROM THEORY TO EXPLICITATION: RESEARCH@HEC François Séguineau points out that ‘part of the Foundation’s missions is to maintain the link between research and companies, and ensure communication about all the research activities that we support. This depends on our ability to “translate” the ideas and their formulation by HEC’s researchers to the managers and leaders’. In fact, as Marc Vanhuele states, ‘while research is sometimes accused of being too removed from practice, this accusation isn’t really targeted at the subjects treated, but rather about the methods used to communicate and explain the results of projects and research’. And yet, as François Séguineau remarks, ‘managers and leaders need to stop and think before François Séguineau (E.89) is the taking action, and that’s why we believe Director General of Toshiba Sysit is essential to offer them a publitem France and President of HEC Foundation’s Research Commitcation that clearly explains HEC’s tee. research and suggests ways of promoting corporate development. research@hec is all about helping everyone to foster a culture of constant innovation’. II research@hec • February-March 2008 http://www.hec.edu/hec/eng/professeurs_recherche/r_index.html http://www.hec.fr/fondation/gouvernance_recherche.php

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of research@hec - Issue#1

Cover
‘What Does Management Research Achieve?’
‘Harry Potter Marketing’
‘Capital Investment: Myth and Reality’
‘Mobile Companies’

research@hec - Issue#1