The "Skills, Employability and HR Decision Making" Chair

In June 2019, EM Normandie launched a Research Chair in « Competencies, Employability & HR Decision Making », in partnership with PerformanSe, Saven and Aksis, three key players in the Human Resource field. Held by Dr Jean Pralong, a Lecturer in HRM, this research unit aims at casting a scientific and objective vision on the current transformation of the world of employment and to bring to light the new competencies required by companies to design innovative strategies and to ensure their growth.

Digital technology and its consequences on the world of work

In a rapidly changing world, particularly under the impetus of digital technologies, there is a strong need to renew the study of employment in general and employability in particular. In the end, little is known about changes in the relationship to work and career. There is also a lack of knowledge about how individuals' expectations of companies in terms of employment and employability are formulated.

The Chair's work is organised around 3 mains axes:

• Axis 1: Professional trajectories. The Chair analyses career differences by focusing on cause-and-effect relationships with individual behaviours.
• Axis 2: HR decision making and digital tools: analysis of decision-making processes of organisations and individuals in terms of careers, recruitment or employment.
• Focus 3: Employability.

The H.R Insights Club

On 27 February 2020, the Chair launched its H.R Insights Club and offered a first season of meetings for HR decision makers on the School’s Paris Campus. Three mornings for debate and exchange around the ‘Competencies’ topic. The objective is to design relevant strategies to help HR managers handle their responsibilities efficiently. 
Prior to each meeting, a thematic questionnaire will be sent out to participants. The findings will be commented, analysed and discussed to produce recommendations and develop a good practice reference list. 

Programme for 2020

• Thursday 19 March, 9am-12pm - "Competencies? WTF!"
  Definition of what a competency is nowadays, with its underlying notions (soft skills, hard skills and mad skills) and in-company practice.
  Introduction by Dr Jean Pralong, Chairholder of Competencies, Employability and HR Decisions and Professor of Digital Human Ressources and Career Management, EM Normandie
  Testimonies by Anne Gallot, Executive Director, A Compétences Egales
• Thursday 9 April, 9am-12pm - "How to define needs for competencies and anticipate them?"
  Reference Lists and Alternatives? Anything new in the world of Prospective Studies? What methods? What is new in matters of Forward Management of Jobs and Skills and Workforce Planning? What strategies and what digital tools for a new Workforce Planning? 
  Introduction by Dr Aline Scouarnec, Lecturer in HRM, IAE at Université Caen Normandie
  Testimonies by Franck Thibault, HR Global Analytics and SWP Head for Sanofi and Florent André, President and Technical Director, Mindmatcher
• Wednesday 13 May, 9am-12pm - "Identifying and Diagnosing Competency:  what consequences?"
  Who is in charge of acknowledging competencies, diagnosing and certifying them? Is it the role of the enterprise, the individual, a third party or the blockchain? What impact? 
  Introduction by Dr Patricia Baudier, Associate Professor of Marketing, EM Normandie
  Testimonies by Alexandre Carpentier, General Manager of the Aksis Group and Armelle Bourden, Employment, Competencies and Professional Career Paths for Orange.

Studies published by the Chair

Discover the research