Previous conferences: MESD 2006

Strategic Tool for Competitiveness

The Colloquium raises the key question of the role that multinational enterprises play in the conception and implementation of sustainable development policies, in the context of economic globalization. Because of the size and scope of their cross-border activities, multinationals are global environmental actors and stewards. Their corporate strategies can accelerate or slow the sustainable development process. Contrasting U.S. and European-based multinational enterprises' roadmaps will yield innovative solutions for one of the key issues of our era.

 

Theme

Strategic Tool for Competitiveness

 

Organizers

Georgia Institute of Technology through its Center for International Business Education and Research and the Institute for Sustainable Technology and Development (USA), ICN Business School (FRANCE) and CEREFIGE (a research laboratory in management sciences and finance from the universities of Lorraine, France).

 

Dates and place

October 19-20, 2006, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

 

Principal topics

  • Multinational Practices on Sustainable Development: The conference explored the ideas that multinationals have concerning sustainable development and reaffirmed their strategies and organizational practices (human resources, marketing, technology, communications, etc). It also dealt with the understanding of the factors that motivate these decisions as well as the specifics that determine them. Examples, case studies and concrete experiences helped to expose these processes.

  • The conditions of emergence, diffusion and continuity in sustainable development: Here, we dealt with the roles that the macroeconomic environment (political, social, legal, institutional and cultural) have on the emergence and diffusion of multinational practices. The symposium will dealt with the question of the impact of the positions taken by the ONG and the international organizations, (ILO, UN, etc) as well as the study of institutional and cultural specificities. It also highlighted the influence of the micro-economic environment (market, competition, stakeholders, activity sectors, etc.) as well as organizational (size, hierarchy, top management teams, etc) and decisional specificities.
  • The role of multinationals in the development of politics and/or global strategies on sustainable development: The involved examining the role of multinationals in the implementation and diffusion of regional and international initiatives (political, social or legal).

 

International Scientific Committee

  • Prof. José ALLOUCHE - University of Paris I - Pantheon Sorbonne, FR
  • Prof. Pierre BARDELLI - University Paul Verlaine-Metz, FR
  • Prof. Mohamed BAYAD - University Nancy 2, FR
  • Prof. Bert BRAS - School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Michel CAPRON - University of Paris 8, FR
  • Dr.   Carol CARMICHAEL - Director, ISDT, Georgia Tech,US
  • Prof. Mark FERGUSON - College of Management, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Thomas FROEHLICHER - ICN Business School, FR
  • Prof. Corinne GENDRON - Universsity of Quebec, Montreal, CA
  • Prof. Robert G. HAWKINGS - College of Man. and School of Eco, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Jacques IGALENS - University of Toulouse 1, FR
  • Prof. Mireille JAEGER - University Nancy 2, FR
  • Prof. John R. McINTYRE - College of Management, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Bryan NORTON - School of Public Policy, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Roland PEREZ - University of Montpellier 1, France, FR
  • Prof. Henri SAVALL - University Jean-Moulin Lyon 3, FR
  • Prof. Vinod SINGHAL - College of Management, Georgia Tech, US
  • Dr.   Ravi SUBRAMANIAN - College of Management, Georgia Tech, US
  • Prof. Beryl TOKTAY - College of Management, Georgia Tech, US