Understanding, training, transforming: a center of excellence for a more responsible economy
This research axis of the CSR-SD Center of Excellence explores how individuals actively (rather than passively) navigate transitions in a complex society.
These transitions include environmental, social, economic, and digital dimensions, characterized by rapid and unpredictable changes. The researchers involved come from diverse disciplines such as Human Resources, Organizational Behavior, Information and Supply Chain Management, and Entrepreneurship, and adopt complementary approaches to tackle these complex subjects.
We share a common view of the individual as an actor with sense-making needs, evolving in liminal states, and pursuing goals for their own well-being and that of others. In this framework, individuals interact with other humans, non-human entities (including plants, animals, and digital technologies), and various systems (organizational, technical, socio-economic). One of the major challenges of this research is to analyze the multiple levels of interaction and transformation: the individuals, their relationships, their organizations, and the broader socio-cultural-ecological environment.
We employ diverse theoretical frameworks to enhance our understanding of individuals in their environments, integrating psychological theories (such as identity, cognitive appraisal, psychological reactance, psychological contracts, social exchange, and moral injury), organizational theories (such as paradox theory, career scripts, job demands-resources management, and legitimacy), and institutional theory. Our research assesses the influence of individuals on organizations and society, but also how organizational practices affect individuals.
The individuals we study occupy various professional and organizational situations: employees, job seekers, managers, innovators, entrepreneurs, operating both in traditional sectors (public, private, and non-profit) and at the fringes of society.
In terms of research context, these also vary greatly, from companies to alternative organizations, higher education institutions, self-employment, multinationals, and digital workplaces, as well as prisons.
The study sites range from local to international, including Toulouse and the Occitanie region, as well as Japan, Vietnam, and Lebanon, for example.
The methods we use vary according to the objectives and nature of the research project, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Among the qualitative methods, we use ethnography, in-depth case studies, and participatory action research.
Quantitative methods include longitudinal studies based on surveys and experiments. When relevant, a mixed-methods approach is adopted.
Here are examples of some of the funding received to pursue these research agendas:
Antonio ABRANTESis a researcher in organizational behavior with a special interest in processes of adaptation to rapidly changing conditions, in particular how this type of change impacts aspects such as emotions, inclusion, and well-being, and also how these aspects impact responses to such changes.
His research adopts a mixed-methods approach (quantitative, qualitative, and theoretical), depending on the research questions. Recently he has been working on the effect of emotions on the handling of organizational paradoxes, in particular the concept of saudade – a blend of nostalgia and hope – using linguistic relativism as a theoretical framework.
He has also lately tried to focus his research around reflections on social justice in the workplace, corporate social responsibility, and how to develop greater environmental sensitivity within organizations.
Soumyadeb CHOWDHURY is an interdisciplinary researcher specializing in the impact of digitalization on workplace well-being and employee experience. His research combines quantitative experimental studies – particularly the development of innovative theoretical scales – and qualitative approaches.
Soumyadeb CHOWDHURY is currently leading a funded project on well-being and the digital work environment.Â
His work explores the psychological and organizational dynamics of digital work, contributing to a deeper understanding of employee experience in a transitioning world.
Charline COLLARD is a researcher specialising in organisational dynamics and the sociological approach to corporate social responsibility—examining how individuals experience and implement transformative practices within organisations, framed by the broader context of strong sustainability.Â
Charline COLLARD explores tensions within traditional and alternative organisations, such as citizen and activist collectives. Her work draws on diverse frameworks—ideology-infused psychological contracts, calling, emotions, paradoxes, prefiguration of social change, moral injuries, ecological justice, and power. Using a qualitative, ethnographic approach, she combines interviews, life stories, participant observation, and diaries. Her commitment to participatory action research (PAR) deepens her reflection on research with and for society, transdisciplinarity—including academic, non-academic, and non-human actors—political ecology, and researcher responsibility.
Shirah FOY is a researcher in strategy and entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on how individuals perceive and create value, and she studies this through the lenses of social structure, identity, and legitimacy.
Shirah FOY work explores the process of identity (re)construction through entrepreneurship, for example the identity transition of individuals reintegrating into society after incarceration. She primarily adopts a qualitative, inductive and ethnographic approach to study how individuals navigate social and professional challenges prior to and during the entrepreneurial process.
Anaïs KIT is a researcher in human resource management. She explores institutional dynamics and career transitions, particularly in the context of academic international mobility and career shifts..
Anaïs KIT is particularly interested in the employment of individuals with disabilities in corporate settings and their transition from salaried employment to entrepreneurship. She primarily employs qualitative methods such as discourse analysis.Â
Through an institutional theory perspective, she analyses the challenges and opportunities related to inclusion, professional legitimacy, and career transformation in a changing world of work.
Jorien Louise PRUIJSSERS is a researcher in accounting. Her work examines how auditors navigate ethical challenges, organizational pressures, and career transitions in a rapidly evolving profession.
Jorien Louise PRUIJSSERS explores how individuals make sense of complex professional and societal changes, balancing personal integrity, organizational expectations, and broader regulatory demands.
Her research contributes to understanding ethical decision-making, misconduct, and career dynamics in auditing, aligning with the center’s focus on individual agency and sense-making in transformative environments.Â
Caroline TILLOU is an associate professor of Human Resources Management. Her research focuses on the evolution of employees and companies’ expectations at work, primarily exploring the drivers of employee engagement in their professional activities.
Caroline TILLOU studies various types of engagement with a multifocal approach that includes the perspectives of managers, teams, mentors, and clients.
Her method incorporates literature from human resources and psychology to analyze the impact of specific HR practices such as training, working conditions, and compensation, as well as broader concepts like the meaning of work, well-being and stress, and psychological states that promote engagement and employee retention.Â
Her work also highlights the importance of context, such as the industry sector, health conditions or the use of artificial intelligence on individual behaviors.