Research and the Practice of Management: A French View

Researchers at the CRG (Management Research Center) carry out their work through “clinical studies” lasting from one to four years and generating in-depth observations on how organizations function. The observations are analyzed through systematic discussions: over a span of 20 years the CRG has carried out more than 100 clinical studies, debated in hundreds of internal meetings. These exchanges have made it possible to identify similarities and differences among the management situations studied, and to build up a body of knowledge in the field. Although the guiding principles behind this approach are rooted in the unique nature of the French “Grandes Ecoles d’Ingénieurs”, the research results can be useful for stimulating fruitful discussion in the field as a whole.