newsletter in pdf format

Welcome to the sixth edition of Newsletter@HEC-Paris
You’ve surely noticed. HEC School of Management has a new look.
HEC has changed its visual identity, because HEC has changed and is opening up to
new horizons…
The HEC brand has built its reputation on its leadership in France, of course, as well
as on the prestige of its worldwide programs, the excellence of its Faculty, and the
renown of more than 24,000 alumni. Only two European programs won the grand slam
in 2003, appearing in all the top international rankings, and HEC is one of them. Its
programs consistently win majority acclaim in all of the main international rankings.
The campus is going international, with students from the four corners of the globe –
over 80% of the MBA intake and more than 25% of the Grande Ecole students come
from abroad. The Faculty is also becoming more cosmopolitan – 2/3 of the professors
recruited in the past 4 years are foreign citizens.
Yet there is still much to be done…
In a competitive, international context, in order to express its desire for progress and
its worldwide ambition, HEC needed to rethink and modernize its image while
respecting its rich and influential heritage.
The new, sober and forceful logo symbolizes a bridge between the School’s heritage
and a new era, demonstrating how the School brings cultures and generations
together. Using “Paris” in the name helps associate two key concepts with the HEC
brand – culture and quality – at the same time giving a clear geographical reference,
which is indispensable in a context of international competition.
The Landor agency, specialist in brand and design strategy, has done a remarkable
job by carrying out an audit of the HEC brand for nearly 10 months, to better
determine the group’s strengths. During that period, agency consultants met and
interviewed as wide a sample as possible of people within the HEC community
(alumni, professors, students, personnel), as well as many outside this community
(journalists, students and CEOs).
They then spent several months refining a “philosophy” and creating visuals centered
on the group’s fundamental values of selectivity, multi-culturalism, entrepreneurial
spirit and academic excellence.
The logo you have just discovered is the one which received virtually unanimous
approval.
As the emblem of HEC’s international ambitions, this new distinctive and unifying
logo, now bonds all the programs of the HEC School of Management into a single
community, including all the institutions on campus as well as the Alumni Association
and the 25 companies supporting HEC’s development, all of which are now joined to
serve our Institution.
Bernard Ramanantsoa
Dean
• The HEC MBA: a close
collaboration with Theodore Zeldin
• New exchange programs for HEC
Grande Ecole students
• News from the Part Time Masters:
an overview with Nathalie Lugagne
• Update on the HEC Executive
MBA
• Portrait of a new professor: Angelo
Fanelli
• Humanitarian aid at HEC: Mission
Quechua wins the Paris Match prize
• Pierre-Antoine Gailly (HEC 75),
President and CEO of the Moulin
Rouge
• Michel Lebas: A long and
distinguished career at HEC comes
to an end
• Christine Luckx, the Specialized
Masters new Executive Director
• Portrait: a visiting Ph.D. student
from Germany at HEC
• Toshiba funds an HEC research
Chair on mobility and distance work
• HEC Professor Nicolas Vieille
awarded the Lanchester Prize
• Virtual teaching spaces: new tools
for professors and students
• Can we train Managers?
• HEC: a pioneer in central Europe
> NEW EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS FOR HEC
GRANDE ECOLE
STUDENTS
> NEWS FROM THE PART
TIME MASTERS: AN
OVERVIEW WITH
NATHALIE LUGAGNE
> UPDATE ON THE HEC
EXECUTIVE MBA
> PORTRAIT OF A NEW
PROFESSOR: ANGELO
FANELLI
> HUMANITARIAN AID AT
HEC: MISSION QUECHUA
WINS THE PARIS MATCH
PRIZE
An interview with Valérie Gauthier,
Associate Dean of the HEC MBA.
What is the context of Thedore
Zeldin’s contribution?
When the British philosopher and
historian Dr Theodore Zeldin came
to HEC in September 2003 and was
awarded the title of HEC Honoris
Causa Professor, he gave a special
lecture for MBA students about his
recent research interests. He has
been focusing on improving working
conditions and jobs of the future,
highlighting the interpersonal level.
This is perfectly in line with our
MBA’s emphasis on personal
development embodied by the 5
orientation periods implemented this
year.
On a practical level, how will
Theodore Zeldin contribute to the
HEC MBA?
Dr Zeldin will visit MBA students
during those 5 periods and coach
them individually, with the help of
his team. The first step of the
process is developed out of a
self-portrait written on the basis of
the Oxford Muse Template. In
January 2004, Theodore Zeldin and
his team have engaged in
one-on-one conversations based on
the self-portraits initially written
by 35 MBA participants to help them
come to grips with the true nature of
their personal projects by
deepening and challenging their
self-awareness. Dr Zeldin insists on
the importance of conversation (as
opposed to meetings) as a crucial
form of communication for
companies, that can prevent stress.
A one-to-one exercise is also
designed where each MBA
participant presents him or herself to
a counterpart or a participating artist
or scientist, based on a
questionnaire created by Dr Zeldin.
Questions from the Oxford Muse
Template include professional
aspects (“What challenges,
thoughts or people do you run away
from? Are your methods of escaping
satisfactory? In what ways do you
wish to become more courageous?”)
interspersed with more personal
elements (“What are the best and
worst moments you have spent with
your parents?”).
How does the HEC MBA compare
with other top MBAs in the world?
The Financial Times latest MBA
world survey ranks HEC 9th for
“career progress”, a criterion
measuring the MBA’s ability to
reveal participants’ leadership skills.
I think this outstanding result is
directly linked to our very qualitative
approach to training managers
focusing on coaching and on their
personal changing process. Other
modules designed to broaden the
scope of the MBA experience deal
with “Visions of leadership”,
“Thinking out of the box” and “Art,
cultures and management”.
> THE HEC MBA:
A CLOSE
COLLABORATION
WITH THEODORE
ZELDIN
More recently, we have
launched a new exchange
program for 75 (and soon 100)
2nd-year students, with
institutions such as HEC
Montreal, the University of
Calgary, the University of
Texas at Austin, the University
of Bath (UK) and the University
of Grenada (Spain).
Other ways for HEC students
to gain international exposure
are to do an internship abroad
or to enrol in a double degree
program.
> NEWS FROM THE
PART TIME MASTERS:
AN OVERVIEW WITH
NATHALIE LUGAGNE
> UPDATE ON THE
HEC EXECUTIVE MBA
> PORTRAIT OF A NEW
PROFESSOR: ANGELO
FANELLI
> HUMANITARIAN AID
AT HEC: MISSION
QUECHUA WINS THE
PARIS MATCH PRIZE
Interview with Michel
Raimbault, Associate Dean,
HEC Grande Ecole:
What are the different ways
for students to gain
international experience?
We have been increasing the
number of options over the
last two years. We decided to
extend the mandatory period
abroad from 10 weeks to one
semester, for all our students,
as of September 2004.
Can you tell us more about
double degrees?
This is definitely the most
demanding track, and it is
totally in line with HEC’s
philosophy. For students to
actually “deserve” the two
degrees, they must satisfy the
two schools’ requirements.
That is why we thought the
curriculum had to last a little
longer: between one extra
semester and one year.
What are the most
sought-after destinations?
First, with the CEMS – MIM
Overall, we see a steady
program, close to 100
demand for North American
students can spend half of
universities (50% of the
their 3rd year at HEC and the
2nd-years students’ requests),
other half in a partner
and a significant increase in
university abroad.
requests for Latin America
with 20% of the PIM requests.
Secondly, the PIM program
allows 50 3rd-year students to The interest for Asia is stable:
17% of PIM applicants would
benefit from a 1-semester
like to go there.
exchange program with a
European, American or Asian
MBA, complemented by a
3-month local internship.
> THE HEC MBA:
A CLOSE
COLLABORATION
WITH THEODORE
ZELDIN
> NEW EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS FOR HEC
GRANDE ECOLE
STUDENTS
> UPDATE ON THE
HEC EXECUTIVE MBA
> PORTRAIT OF A NEW
PROFESSOR: ANGELO
FANELLI
> HUMANITARIAN AID
AT HEC: MISSION
QUECHUA WINS THE
PARIS MATCH PRIZE
How are the various HEC Part
Time Masters structured?
Our programs range from
Finance, Human Resources,
Marketing and Sales
Development, to Consulting
and Coaching for Change. The
10 sessions span over 15
months (1 week per month),
which encourages real group
bonding. Almost all programs
include “synthesis trips” as
well as modules for personal
development or negotiation.
These Masters are a
stimulating opportunity to gain
a fresh perspective.
Who are these Masters
intended for?
Most participants are
35-40-year old managers
looking to strengthen their
specialization or prepare for a
change of direction. Many
already hold a “technical”
degree and are about to take
on new responsibilities in a
new area: e.g. a researcher
wanting to work in marketing.
We give them new analytical
tools and help them to
become more proactive.
HEC’s diploma gives
managers self-confidence,
credibility and equips them for
new professional challenges.
How is participants’ previous
work experience taken into
account?
Firstly, we examine it very
carefully during the selection
process. Up to 30% of the
participants can be self-taught
entrepreneurs or people with a
fairly basic educational
background. For those
applicants, we really focus our
evaluation on work
achievements.!Secondly,
practical experience is present
throughout the program:
participants’ evaluation is
highly based (80%) on an
assignment they must
produce about their own
company or business unit.
They are required to propose
new ways of organizing work
procedures, designing
strategies… These real-life
cases often provide interesting
input for the participants’
employers.
Part Time Masters participants
benefit from switching
between theory at HEC and
practical experience within
their jobs.
What are the main findings of
the survey carried out among
Part Time Masters 2000-2003
alumni?
73% of our alumni benefited
from a promotion or job
improvement since they
graduated. On average,
participants consider that they
have received a salary
increase of as high as 21% as
a direct result of their Masters.
> THE HEC MBA:
A CLOSE
COLLABORATION WITH
THEODORE ZELDIN
> NEW EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS FOR HEC
GRANDE ECOLE
STUDENTS
> NEWS FROM THE PART
TIME MASTERS: AN
OVERVIEW WITH
NATHALIE LUGAGNE
> PORTRAIT OF A NEW
PROFESSOR: ANGELO
FANELLI
> HUMANITARIAN AID AT
HEC: MISSION QUECHUA
WINS THE PARIS MATCH
PRIZE
An interview with Professor
Jean-Marc de Leersnyder,
Associate Dean for the HEC
Executive MBA
One year after the launch of the
new Executive MBA, where does
it stand?
It is a great success. Our AMBA
accreditation gives the program
great international recognition. We
are also witnessing a significant
increase in the number of
applicants, resulting in a more
competitive selection process. The
2004 class counts 317 participants.
So far, our main achievements have
been the re-designing of our
program. We have developed a
specific focus on leadership and
stressed on topics such as
European issues, sustainable
development and corporate
governance.
Our pedagogical system integrates
e-learning to optimize the benefits
of on-site training. Participants have
access to the Executive MBA
on-line resource center and tutored
forums to make group work more
effective.
The HEC Executive MBA recently
strengthened its partnership with
UCLA. What does this involve?
We are reinforcing our ties with
UCLA to further increase our
EMBA students’ international
exposure. For the past 2 years,
UCLA EMBA students have come to
HEC in July. Under the new
agreement, the 70 HEC EMBA
students will spend one week on
the UCLA campus and attend
classes with their UCLA
counterparts. This will involve
collaborative exercises, joint
company projects on research
themes, as well as teaching
exchanges. Academic links also
exist with Babson College, the
University of Minnesota, and Nihon
University.
What initiatives exist to
encourage group spirit among the
8 different EMBA tracks?
In order to encourage socializing
and networking among our 300
EMBA students, who are based in 5
different French cities, we have
launched the “Executive Campus”, a
whole week bringing them together
for lectures on Corporate
Governance and Sustainable
Development by prominent
lecturers.
This successful event inspired us to
organize a similar 4-day event in
Brussels, focusing on European
Issues, such as Political and
Economic Governance of the
European Union, Competition Law,
Lobbying, Enlargement… Philip
Lowe, General Director of
Competition, George Vassiliou
(Cyprus’ former President), Olga
Butorina (Head of European
Integration Chair) European
Deputies, were some of the
personalities who shared their point
of views on these issues.
> THE HEC MBA:
A CLOSE
COLLABORATION WITH
THEODORE ZELDIN
What challenges are you most
looking forward to in your new
role at HEC?
The student population is very
diverse in terms of nationality and
background, so I would like to
create a teaching context which
reflects this, by exploring many
different conceptions of executive
leadership.
> NEW EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS FOR HEC
GRANDE ECOLE
STUDENTS
> NEWS FROM THE PART
TIME MASTERS: AN
OVERVIEW WITH
NATHALIE LUGAGNE
> UPDATE ON THE HEC
EXECUTIVE MBA
> HUMANITARIAN AID AT
HEC: MISSION QUECHUA
WINS THE PARIS MATCH
PRIZE
HEC welcomes Angelo Fanelli, who
has recently joined the
Management and Human
Resources Department as an
Assistant Professor. He will teach
‘Organizational Behaviour’ and
‘Leadership at the Top: Beyond
Charisma’.
After obtaining his first Ph.D. from
the University of Bologna, Angelo
Fanelli completed a second
doctorate at the Warrington College
of Business Administration,
University of Florida. Before joining
HEC, he was a lecturer at SDA
Bocconi Graduate Business School,
and Editor of Ticonzero, an
electronic journal of Management.
What inspired you to join HEC?
The academic environment here
offers a good balance between
teaching and research, with more
time dedicated to teaching than in
the US. I was also attracted by the
chance to be in Paris, not to
mention the fact that the campus is
beautiful for taking walks.
What are your particular research
interests?
I'm interested in the production of
charismatic figures and the effect of
these images on the stock market.
My second related interest is how
language shapes the way we
behave, within organizations and
within the stock market. In my
opinion, charismatic CEOs are an
example of how, through language,
some firms are able to create
favorable perceptions on the stock
market that do not necessarily
correspond to their real economic
potential.
Does charismatic leadership
influence company performance?
There is a lot of hype surrounding
charismatic personalities, and a big
cultural phenomenon whereby
CEOs become celebrities. This
‘hype effect’ can sometimes create
a stock market bubble, but it makes
very little difference to long-term
performance.
Angelo Fanelli’s research has been
published in Organization Science
and Leadership Quarterly.
> THE HEC MBA:
A CLOSE
COLLABORATION WITH
THEODORE ZELDIN
> NEW EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS FOR HEC
GRANDE ECOLE
STUDENTS
> NEWS FROM THE PART
TIME MASTERS: AN
OVERVIEW WITH
NATHALIE LUGAGNE
> UPDATE ON THE HEC
EXECUTIVE MBA
> PORTRAIT OF A NEW
PROFESSOR: ANGELO
FANELLI
How important is humanitarian aid
on HEC’s campus?
As Michel Raimbault, Associate
Dean, HEC Grande Ecole, points
out, students’ commitment is high:
“as many as 16 students’
organizations on the campus focus
on humanitarian action, with around
100 students taking part in a
practical ground mission abroad
every year, with a focus on
developing countries. This high
interest has also resulted in a
special Career Fair held last year
focusing on NGOs, similar to the
Finance or Law Career Fairs.
Sabine Trannin was recently
awarded one of the 18th LVMH
Asia Scholarships (web page in
French only) for her research on
Western NGOs in Cambodia, and
Mission Quechua won a student
photography prize given by French
weekly newsmagazine ‘Paris
Match’.
Other humanitarian initiatives held in
France – although less publicized –
include teaching prisoners, tutoring
high school pupils from
underprivileged areas, and
organizing cruises for children with
leukaemia.
How does the school
acknowledge such experiences?
First, humanitarian activities are the
only ones allowing students to get
sponsorships from the school.
Secondly, through ground missions
lasting for 10 weeks at least,
students can earn credits exactly as
if they had done an internship within
a company. We are convinced that
such experiences are an integral
part of students’ personal
development.
An example:
Mission Quechua, winner of
the Paris Match prize
Mission Quechua, run by 25 HEC
Grande Ecole students, was voted
HEC’s best humanitarian
organization in 2002 and 2003.
President Camille Falguière
explains :
“Each year, Mission Quechua
organizes a 3-month mission in
Peru. For example, during the
summer of 2003, Mission Quechua
cooperated with French NGO
CICDA and studied the Peruvian
coffee, cocoa and lemon production
chains, carrying out cost and market
surveys to help local agricultural
development and producers’
integration into the global market.
We also work along with a Peruvian
NGO called San Javier to promote
education in the Huancavelica
region…”
What is the visibility of these
initiatives?
We are very proud of the students’
strong commitment, which often
leads to public recognition.
> MICHEL LEBAS: A
LONG AND
DISTINGUISHED
CAREER AT HEC
COMES TO AN END
50% of the audience is now
French, sales have doubled in
4 years, and net earnings ratio
now exceeds 10%. An
exceptional aspect of my
position is that I can spot the
audience after the shows and
see their reactions
immediately, which I love. Most
of them are visibly exalted and
joyful!
> CHRISTINE LUCKX,
THE SPECIALIZED
MASTERS NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
> PORTRAIT: A
VISITING PH.D.
STUDENT FROM
GERMANY AT HEC
Since graduating in 1975,
Pierre-Antoine Gailly has
embraced some challenging
professional leaps, from
management and internal
auditing to sales and
marketing. He joined the
Arnault group in 1993 as CEO
of Le Bon Marché department
store, and in 1995 became
CEO of Desfossés
International (a press group
publishing La Tribune),
vice-CEO of Fininfo (financial
information). More recently, in
1998, he became CEO and a
significant shareholder of the
Moulin Rouge.
Tell us more about managing
the Moulin Rouge, a
world-renowned
entertainment institution!
It is both a “traditional”
middle-sized company with
just under 300 employees,
and a myth that has to be kept
alive without fossilizing. 80
artists of 15 different
nationalities perform on stage
twice every evening. When I
took the job, only 20% of the
audience was French. Part of
my strategy has been to
promote the Moulin Rouge
among French residents.
What are your best
memories from your years
spent at HEC?
I have lots of great memories,
like when during elections for
student representatives, we
had a cow run down the
school corridor! On a more
serious note, besides the
solid technical education, I
very much enjoyed living on
campus, studying cases with
my fellow students. Many of
the bonds I formed then are
still alive. I also dedicated a lot
of time to sports. We had
wonderful coaches who taught
us team spirit, how to cope
with defeat and success… all
very useful things for business
life!
I am still very involved in HEC
life. After being vice-president
of the HEC alumni association
for several years, I am now a
member of the HEC board,
and I contribute to the Paris
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry with a focus on
education and training.
By the way, my eldest child
has just graduated from
HEC… so the tradition is alive!
> PIERRE-ANTOINE GAILLY
(HEC 75), PRESIDENT AND
CEO OF THE MOULIN
ROUGE
Being in close contact with
professionals from many places and
exposed to so many different
cultures was an incredibly enriching
experience, which I was able to
bring back to the classroom and to
my research.
> CHRISTINE LUCKX, THE
SPECIALIZED MASTERS
NEW EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
> PORTRAIT: A VISITING
PH.D. STUDENT FROM
GERMANY AT HEC
Educated both in France (HEC) and
in the United States (Tuck School at
Dartmouth College and Stanford
University GSB), Professor Lebas
has extensive experience as an
Executive Trainer and consultant.
What are the highlights of your
33-year career at HEC?
In 1974, I convinced the HEC
Grande Ecole Associate Dean that
Management Accounting should be
taught entirely in English. Students
loved it! It was the first time an HEC
managerial course was taught in
English. Today, all HEC programs
are essentially bilingual. I feel I
planted an important seed there.
The second highlight is the time I
spent as Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs of the HEC
Grande Ecole. It was challenging
and fun to help shape many
aspects of my Alma Mater, and, as
an administrator, I often saw the
fruits of my work right away. That
was very different from teaching,
where it can take a long time to see
the results of one’s labor.
The third thing, which stands out for
me, is the support I received from
HEC during my eight years as
French representative of the
Profession to the Financial and
Managerial Accounting Committee
of the International Federation of
Accountants.
How has your Trans-Atlantic
background influenced your
teaching?
My doctoral studies in the US were
an awakening. Stanford was, at the
time, Mecca for both Market Finance
and Information Economics. I
learned that managerial and
financial accounting are more than
just applying techniques. They are
grounded in economics, finance,
law, and sociology. I am proud that I
was, later, able to transfer some of
what I had learned to my students,
doctoral and otherwise.
Has your experience at HEC
inspired some of your many
publications?
My research and publications
address real world issues. Very early
on at HEC, I had the chance to
work with executives. Most HEC
Faculty Members are very active in
the business world. Creating
economic and societal value is the
purpose of any professional school.
Relevance is key to our success.
What does life after HEC hold for
you?
More of the same! Only difference is
that I’ll be based in the US "full
time", now, much to my wife’s joy.
My projects are to support
developing business schools and to
continue implementing Management
Accounting systems. It would be
nice to, somehow, “die on stage”,
like Molière…and I am in no hurry.
> PIERRE-ANTOINE
GAILLY (HEC 75),
PRESIDENT AND CEO
OF THE MOULIN ROUGE
taught by experienced Faculty
members and lectures given
by professionals. Small
groups allow each student to
tailor the curriculum to his or
her individual needs.
> MICHEL LEBAS: A
LONG AND
DISTINGUISHED
CAREER AT HEC
COMES TO AN END
> PORTRAIT: A
VISITING PH.D.
STUDENT FROM
GERMANY AT HEC
Who are the HEC Specialized
Masters intended for?
We offer our one-year,
full-time Specialized Masters
to students holding an
Engineering or a Business
school degree or a university
degree (usually in Law,
Economics or Medicine). Our
Masters allow such individuals
to enter the job market with a
double set of skills. Many
companies and institutions
need doctors, lawyers or
advanced technicians with a
deep management culture.
What are the main strengths
of the HEC Specialized
Masters?
Firstly, they benefit from a
good balance between
classes
The Masters relates closely to
the professional world, as
HEC is based in Paris. We are
therefore well placed to adapt
our programs according to the
economic world’s needs. In
addition to this, Masters
graduates become members
of the HEC community and
gain access to a broad
international alumni network.
You have recently been
appointed Executive Director
for the Specialized Masters.
What are your goals?
I want our Masters to become
the reference for management
programs for engineers, and
to become increasingly
selective through entry tests
and reviewing candidates’
professional objectives.
Another focus is the growing
internationalization of the
Faculty that will be enhanced
by the presence of visiting
Professors and student
exchanges.
> PIERRE-ANTOINE
GAILLY (HEC 75),
PRESIDENT AND CEO
OF THE MOULIN ROUGE
Most ISP participants keep in
touch with HEC professors
even after being hired by major
international universities and
business schools.
> MICHEL LEBAS: A
LONG AND
DISTINGUISHED
CAREER AT HEC
COMES TO AN END
> CHRISTINE LUCKX,
THE SPECIALIZED
MASTERS NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
German Ph.D. student Holger
Lampe talks about his
experience in HEC’s Individual
Study Program
Professor Bertrand Quélin,
Associate Dean, HEC Ph.D.
Program, introduces German
participant Holger Lampe from
Cologne University.
Professor Quélin, what is the
Individual Study Program
(ISP)?
This visiting Ph.D. program
welcomes foreign Ph.D. and
post-Ph.D. students within our
programs. Ph.D. students
come from diverse countries
such as Brazil, Romania,
Germany and Iran and usually
stay on HEC’s campus for an
average of 9 months.
For post-Ph.D. students, it is a
fabulous opportunity to build a
relationship with the HEC
Faculty and potentially to start
joint research, as happened 3
years ago with a Swiss
student.
Holger Lampe, how did you
end up studying at HEC in the
Individual Study Program?
What I did was actually send
an application mentioning my
specialization and area of
research: optimization of
taxation in German-French
mergers. My Professor in
Germany was also in touch
with HEC. Being a Ph.D.
student with the University of
Cologne, I actually benefited
from an agreement between
my University and HEC and,
as a result, could do a fully
German-French binational
Ph.D.
What do you like most about
the ISP?
I find it very flexible, as I am
basically free to choose my
courses and can pick them
from those offered in the
Ph.D., the Grande Ecole, or the
HEC MBA programs. The ISP
allows me to immerse myself
in a different university culture
and a different approach to
research. The fact that the ISP
adapts perfectly to my areas of
interest was very important to
me. I especially appreciate the
direct and easy contact with
HEC professors, and their
readiness to cooperate with
students.
> HEC PROFESSOR
NICOLAS VIEILLE
AWARDED THE
LANCHESTER PRIZE
> VIRTUAL TEACHING
SPACES: NEW TOOLS FOR
PROFESSORS AND
STUDENTS
> CAN WE TRAIN
MANAGERS?
Professor Charles-Henri Besseyre
des Horts , Management and
Human Resources Department,
explains:
What is the goal of this new chair?
We have a long relationship with
Toshiba: they are a key
technological partner to HEC,
offering our students special prices
on PCs. More recently, Toshiba
installed Wi-Fi equipment on the
campus. Now we are launching the
joint HEC-Toshiba Chair, which will,
over the next 5 years, examine how
nomad technologies (mobility and
distance work made possible by
portable computers, personal
organisers, mobile phones etc.) are
changing the face of modern
management, from the new skills
required to the changes in
professional communications.
What will the research focus on?
Toshiba is particularly interested in
the organizational and human
impact of technologies, not in the
technologies themselves. That is
why they wanted a Human
Resources professor to supervise it.
As part of the program, Ph.D.
students and myself will investigate
the consequences of nomad
technologies on organisational
behaviour within companies.
What is the schedule of the
research?
It will take at least 3 years. We are
currently launching the first step:
students and myself are researching
published works related to
Information and Communication
Technology with special attention
given to strategy (strategic
importance of nomad technologies’
development), structure (structural
evolutions connected to nomad
technologies), process (key
success factors in the development
process of nomad technologies
within the organization) and human
resources (new attitudes and new
behaviors connected to the
development of nomad
technologies). During the summer of
2004, the analysis of practical cases
will begin, allowing us to formulate
hypotheses to be tested through
quantitative surveys within
international companies. The study
will be complemented by a
qualitative survey, for which we will
interview experts on the anticipated
future of ICT.
What will be the final result of the
HEC-Toshiba collaboration?
It is clearly a win-win arrangement:
Toshiba executives will take part in
selected HEC courses. Modules
covering nomad technologies as
well as special case-studies will be
available for HEC students. MBA
students will also have the option of
studying electives and attending
seminars on this topic. A
Specialized Masters could be
created in the future. Finally, HEC
students will provide Toshiba with
feedback through case
presentations.
> TOSHIBA FUNDS AN HEC
RESEARCH CHAIR ON
MOBILITY AND DISTANCE
WORK
their interaction changes over time
as a result of past decisions and
random exogenous shocks.
Nicolas Vieille sheds light on his
research:
> VIRTUAL TEACHING
SPACES: NEW TOOLS FOR
PROFESSORS AND
STUDENTS
> CAN WE TRAIN
MANAGERS?
Since 1954, The Frederick W.
Lanchester Prize has been awarded
by INFORMS (the Institute for
Operations Research and The
Management Sciences) "for the
best contribution to operations
research and the management
sciences published in English.”
Nicolas Vieille is the second French
Professor to receive the prize,
following Maurice Allais in 1957.
Professor Vieille has been
recognized for three research
papers published in the Israel
Journal of Mathematics: Two-Player
Stochastic Games I: A Reduction,
Two-Player Stochastic Games II:
The Case of Recursive Games, and
Small Perturbations and Stochastic
Games.
Stochastic games are abstract
models which generalize Markov
decision processes. In these
dynamic games, which were
introduced in 1953, the decisions
taken by the players affect not only
their current payoff but also their
future opportunities. The players are
facing competitors and their
objective is to reach as high profit
as possible over time. The nature of
the details of
What does your research in this
field focus on?
The goal of my research, which is
devoted to games that involve 2
players, has been to analyze an
abstract model that includes many
concrete situations. The problem is
to find strategies that are going to
be optimal, irrespective of how the
players balance the present and the
future. In some games, objectives
are directly opposed, in other words,
what one player wins, the other
loses (zero-sum case). But in most
economic situations this is a
restrictive way to view things, so I try
to study games where this property
is not true.
It was an issue that had been
identified long ago by researchers in
the field. One has to come up with
new ideas, build bridges, find new
ways to look at the problem. So,
that is what I did: by working within
a well-defined mathematic
framework, I eventually found a
conclusive proof of this theorem. It
was a problem which I kept coming
back to!
Where do you see your research
taking you next?
I think changing the focus of one’s
research can be good for
productivity, like a change of
scenery! So I’m now planning to
look at a very different series of
questions, arising from economics.
> TOSHIBA FUNDS AN
HEC RESEARCH CHAIR
ON MOBILITY AND
DISTANCE WORK
> HEC PROFESSOR
NICOLAS VIEILLE
AWARDED THE
LANCHESTER PRIZE
An interview with Gisèle
Michaux, Information and
Communication Technology
Manager for HEC
> CAN WE TRAIN
MANAGERS?
What is studies.hec.fr?
The HEC Faculty wanted to
benefit from the new
technologies through a virtual
learning exchange space. As a
result, in October 2002, we
chose to implement the
“studies” technology on the
HEC campus, resulting in the
creation of a dedicated
website, studies.hec.fr.
This site’s goal is to allow the
sharing of resources and
support material between
professors as well as
between professors and
students, in order to
supplement traditional
classroom teaching.
Faculty members can post
slides, case studies, exam
solutions and research
papers for students and
external colleagues, thanks to
a very user-friendly content
management system.
Professors can access and
update their own sites at any
time, wherever they are,
without needing any technical
help.
Everything was designed to
follow users’ needs, not
technological constraints.
So far, what have been the
main achievements made
possible by studies.hec.fr?
As many as 80 professors and
departments have created
websites to facilitate
information exchange with
their colleagues and students.
Thus, they share information
through dedicated web sites,
databases and search
engines.
Similarly, many academic
departments, such as
Business Law and Taxation,
have created their own sites.
We have noticed that such
tools allow students and
professors to develop
interactivity and innovation
much more quickly and
strongly.
What is more, studies.hec.fr
now enables dynamic
management of case studies
with numerous supporting
documents, such as the
Vivendi Universal business
game. Such games allow a
“push and pull” approach:
Professors “push” important
information so that students
see it, but students also must
actively search for relevant
documents on the database
(“pull”).
We are confident that virtual
networks will expand within
the HEC School of
Management and beyond, for
example, to link it to other
institutions and to promote
new teaching methods.
> TOSHIBA FUNDS AN HEC
RESEARCH CHAIR ON MOBILITY
AND DISTANCE WORK
The atmosphere in which this training
takes place is also fundamental. We
promote an idea of support based on
shared experiences and mutual
enrichment.
> HEC PROFESSOR NICOLAS
VIEILLE AWARDED THE
LANCHESTER PRIZE
> VIRTUAL TEACHING SPACES:
NEW TOOLS FOR PROFESSORS
AND STUDENTS
Bertrand Moingeon is Professor of
strategic management, and Associate
Dean for HEC Executive Education at
HEC. Having trained more than 8,500
managers and senior executives from 31
nationalities in 2003, HEC Executive
Education figures among the leaders in
Europe.
Can we train managers? Do you find
yourself asking this question when you
run the Executive Education courses at
a top business school?
This is the title of a book I recently
published (L’Harmattan press) in
collaboration with several HEC
colleagues. It starts with an
observation. Many managers and senior
executives often express some
skepticism about how a business school
could help them. They can even be
resistant to the idea that an executive
can be trained.
At HEC, we are convinced that an
attempt to train executives using the
same methods as those used in a basic
management course is doomed to fail.
Training mangers is very similar to the
kind of coaching given to high-level
sportsmen and women. Before a major
sporting event, the sportsman or woman
has to put things into perspective,
prioritize things by continuing to develop
his or her skills. This is exactly what we
offer to managers and executives.
Our mission is to help them express
their talents, to capitalize on their
know-how, to refresh their knowledge,
take some distance, to question and
confront their beliefs.
Everyone knows the Grande Ecole
diplomas or the HEC MBA. Can an
executive get a diploma from an
executive program?
Absolutely. These programs were
devised to meet the needs of
executives and are therefore compatible
with fulfilling the demands of a high level
position. We offer two degree programs
in general management: the HEC
Executive MBA, one of the strongest in
its category in Europe, as well as the
TRIUM EMBA, a joint training course
with NYU and LSE, which is held in
Paris, New York, London, South America
and China. We also offer Part time
Specialized Masters. These correspond
to the major departments in a company
(Finance, Marketing…), and can also be
taken over several years through a
series of 2 to 3 focused training
sessions spread over one week.
In addition to these training courses
leading to a diploma, our range of more
than 80 intensive seminars focuses as
much on personal development as on
the latest management techniques.
These courses can last from 2 to 5 days
and are held at our Management
University. The sessions are planned
around different themes to allow
participants to improve both their skills
and their network during the evening
conferences or during the lunches and
breaks. Finally, we offer a number of
tailor-made training courses to
companies. In this case, subjects and
methods are chosen jointly with the
management of the company. This can
involve anything from support seminars
for a management team to specific
multinational programs targeting the 300
top executives of a multinational.
An interview with Professor Jean-Paul
Larçon and Carole Decamps, HEC
Eastern and Central Europe Program
Director.
What does HEC offer in terms of
programs in Central Europe?
HEC has been present in the region
since 1989, when the School started
training managers of newly privatized
companies in Poland and Russia.
In 2004, HEC offers 3 International
MBAs: one in Poland (Warsaw University
of Technology Business School), one for
the Baltic Region (Baltic Management
Institute - Headquarters in Vilnius), one
for Central Asia (AIB - based in Almaty Kazakhstan). The faculty is international
and the courses are given in English to
a public of 210 participants per year. We
plan to launch a new MBA in St
Petersburg next year.
HEC also offers full-time Specialized
Masters in Economy and Management in
Poland (Warsaw School of Economics)
and Serbia (Belgrade Faculty of
Economics), as well as post graduate
courses in Hungary (Budapest
University of Economic Sciences and
Public Administration).
Management training programs for
companies are offered in all the region:
Central Europe, Central Asia, Russia. In
addition, HEC takes part in research on
the transformation of local economies
and companies, publishing article and
books such as Entrepreneurship and
Economic Transition in Central Europe
(Ed.), Kluwer Academic Publishers,
1998, written in collaboration with LBS
and SSE Professors.
Professor Larçon, you co-founded the
Community of European Schools of
Management (CEMS) in 1989. How has
it changed since then?
From 1989 to 2001 the CEMS was an
exchange program between 15 European
business schools, each one dominating
its national market such as LSE in UK,
Bocconi in Italy, SSE in Sweden.
Since 2002 the integration went a step
further with the launching of a common
pan-European Degree: the “Master of
International Management”. CEMS is
today a powerful consortium of 17
business schools and 60 companies
developing its own standard of
international management education in a
global perspective. Each year, 50 HEC
students participate in the program to be
prepared specifically for a carrier of
international - multicultural managers.
This involves mastering 3 languages
perfectly, spending one semester in a
partner university, carrying out a
business project for an international
company, defending a thesis on
international business and co-organizing
an international conference.
The CEMS alumni network is very
active, and the immense majority of
graduates is pursuing an international
career from day one of their graduation.
In addition, numerous students’
organizations on the HEC campus focus
on Europe, and over 85 alumni live and
work in Central Europe.