Research Institutes and Chairs at GEM

GEM’s research chairs and future research institutes aim to produce rigorous, interdisciplinary scientific research that examines and sheds light on major transitions in energy, work and organizations, as well as in local and regional areas, in support of sustainable performance and well-being. Working closely with businesses, institutions and stakeholders in the field, GEM generates knowledge that decision-makers can put into practice. By bringing together scientific approaches, professional expertise and operational practices, GEM’s research chairs and future institutes create impact and contribute to the emergence of resilient models capable of addressing economic, geopolitical, environmental and societal challenges.

Research Chairs, Institutes and the EAGLE 2030 Strategy

Research conducted within GEM’s chairs and institutes is fully aligned with the EAGLE 2030 strategy, which positions GEM as a catalyst for transitions. By helping anticipate energy, technological and territorial transformations, this research supports the school’s ambition: to understand in order to act in a world shaped by profound transitions and changing economic models.

True to its identity as a business school focused on science and innovation, GEM is strengthening its academic ambitions by developing research chairs and institutes that combine scientific rigor, interdisciplinarity and strong connections with the field. This dynamic lies at the heart of EAGLE 2030, where research contributes to both the “Science” pillar, by accelerating the integration of new knowledge into professional practice, and the “Transitions” pillar, by supporting energy, technological and organizational transformations.

Objectives

GEM’s research chairs and institutes aim to deliver impactful, collaborative and applied research aligned with the challenges of major transitions and the scientific ambitions of EAGLE 2030.

Strategic Objectives:

• Develop knowledge with a strong societal impact
  Conduct rigorous scientific research to shed light on energy, digital, managerial and territorial transitions, while identifying early signals of change that are reshaping organizations and practices.
• Support businesses and territories in their transformations
  Work collaboratively to develop joint assessments and provide practical frameworks that enable organizations to turn their sustainable transition projects into reality.
• Experiment with innovative solutions
  Bring together in-house expertise, research laboratories and partners to explore, develop and test new approaches in real-world settings, and measure their actual impact.
• Share research findings with decision-makers
  Make applied and interdisciplinary research accessible to business leaders, elected officials, institutions and public-sector stakeholders, helping inform national and international debates on major transitions.
• Enrich a cutting-edge learning experience grounded in real-world practice.

Research Projects

HarmonIA Lab, is a research laboratory dedicated to studying the interactions between humans, artificial intelligence and organizations. It examines how AI, particularly generative AI, is transforming team dynamics, innovation processes, decision-making and forms of collective responsibility. The laboratory combines empirical research and theoretical work to understand how to design genuinely augmented and sustainable work environments.

GEM’s research chairs and institutes focus on energy transitions, the changing world of work, territorial transitions and the future of mountain regions. Each institute under development will establish its own research priorities, building on the existing work of GEM’s research chairs and teams.

Energy transition

• Renewable energy
• Decarbonization and energy efficiency
• Societal impacts of energy choices
• Innovation and governance in the energy transition

Research in the field of energy transition examines the social, economic and political conditions shaping the transformation of energy systems, with a particular focus on social acceptance. Building on research conducted by the Energy for Society Institute, this work broadens the scope to address energy sovereignty, democratic governance, market fragmentation and technological uncertainty.

Rooted in dialogue between researchers, businesses and local stakeholders, the Energy for Society Institute aims to become a leading European platform for exploring the interactions between energy, society and the transition to a more sustainable future.

Territorial Transitions and Mountain Regions

• Climate change adaptation in mountain regions
• New economic and tourism models
• Water resources and sustainable management
• Social and territorial dynamics

his research area explores the transformation of sentinel territories facing major climate, economic and social challenges, with a particular focus on mountain regions and areas undergoing significant change. Now entering its third cycle, the Local Sustainability Transition and Well-being Chair, examines the capacity of local stakeholders to adapt, innovate and cooperate in the face of systemic, environmental and socioeconomic crises, with the aim of fostering sustainability.

By 2027, the chair is set to evolve into the Moving Mountains Institute, dedicated to studying transition pathways in sentinel territories by combining scientific research, field-based experimentation and the co-development of solutions with local stakeholders.

The Futur of Work

• New forms of work
• Digitalization and organizational transformation
• New management models
• Workplace design and quality of working life

Research into the future of work explores the profound changes reshaping organizations, occupations and professional relationships. The development of a Future of Work Institute is underway, with the aim of bringing together research on changes in the workplace, digitalization, future skills and employees’ evolving expectations. The institute aims to inform organizational decision-making in response to these transformations and contribute to educating and training the managers of tomorrow.

GEM’s research chairs and institutes are led by their academic directors, who work closely with the Associate Dean for Research. Their operations are built on collaborative partnerships involving businesses, public institutions, academic experts and media organizations. Each chair or institute manages its own research projects, organizes research seminars and study series, contributes to scientific and public debates, and supports real-world experimentation.

Academic governance is overseen by, Olivier TRENDEL, Associate Dean for Research, Full Professor and member of the Consumer Behavior research team. His current research focuses on consumer persuasion and combating misinformation, services marketing, and food-related beliefs and behaviors. Several of his studies examine automatic information-processing mechanisms, particularly implicit cognition.