The dialogue between researchers in management and practitioners is increasingly intensive and regular. The objective of this research is to present a process of the co-creation of a new practice of human resources management: the labor loan for an ecosystem. For some time now, a number of French organizations have used an innovative human resources management system: the loan of labor. This system, which is regulated by French law, aims simultaneously at safeguarding local employment and at temporarily relieving companies of their payroll. The system also helps to develop the skills and employability of employees in an employment area. This research analyzes the emergence of this new practice in light of the analytical approach of proximity. A longitudinal and original methodological framework makes it possible to understand how the actors co-construct the devices of labor loan, in order to appropriate them and disseminate them within a pool of jobs. It also shows the significance of inter-organizational dynamics and the interactions between researchers and practitioners in the emergence of the system.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relation between human resource management (HRM) and innovation in small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) through gift/counter-gift exchanges. Design/methodology/approach Using the theory of the gift/counter-gift, the authors study the case of a French SME, specifically, a technological innovation project developed from 2013 to 2016. The authors structure the data and create a model using the Gioia method. Findings The results reveal that the logic of giving evolves in three key stages: freeing up gifts, mobilizing gifts and rethinking gifts. Originality/value These stages highlight the importance of an enabling organizational environment, gift/counter-gift relationships and the role of a number of HRM practices.