Memorias / Volumen 14 / Número 26 / octubre 2016 (Artículo sin editar)
University: a collaborative platform for knowledge? The example of
ESTHUA - Tourism and Culture faculty at the University of Angers
*Aude Ducroquet
* Doctor in strategy-studies. Associate Professor, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management,
University of Angers, Angers, France. E-mail: [email protected]
Recibido: 15 de marzo de 2016.
Aprobado: 18 de julio de 2016.
Cómo citar este artículo: Ducroquet, A. (2016). University: a collaborative platform for knowledge?
The example of ESTHUA - Tourism and Culture faculty at the University of Angers. Memorias, 14(26),
xx-xx. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.16925/me.v14i26.1552
Abstract:
Description: ESTHUA, Tourism Faculty at the University of Angers, is considering the establishment
of an economic intelligence system. This would allow it to resolve its issues surrounding data
collection and the production and distribution of information, but would also allow it to respond to
demand from the emerging tourism cluster, which has taken on an economic intelligence project to
support its members. This reflection article considers possible options to answer this problem. Point
of view: In the first phase of our research-action work we suggest analyzing the issues surrounding
an economic intelligence system as a prospective target for ESTHUA, both for the collection but also
for the distribution of information from a conception of knowledge for the common good. Description:
Via a modeling test, we will try to demonstrate the importance and roles of an economic intelligence
network administrator. We will outline the steps involved in the implementation of the system, with
the importance of raising user awareness, registering contributors and starting with easily available
tools. Conclusions: Finally, we will suggest separating the distribution of information depending on
the involvement of each member of the network.
Keywords: economic intelligence, business intelligence, cluster, prospective, university.
Introduction
The context.
This communication aims to generate discussion specifically within our faculty so as
to introduce a strategic economic intelligence system.
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We can start by revealing that there is little distribution (via newsletters, websites or
other
means)
of
information
in
the
field
of
tourism.
The
websites
www.veilleinfotourisme.fr (mainly produced and maintained by the Ministry of
Tourism) and www.veilletourisme.ca (an initiative put forward by the Transat
leadership at the ESG and UQAM) are still references within the field, although the
information provided contains little detail and little evidence of weak signals. Added
to this are some specific initiatives, such as the www.etourisme.com blog, travel on
move (TOM, http://www.tom.travel) or the site http://veille.crdta.pro set up by the
Auvergne Regional Committee for Tourism Development which provide useful
information for those who may be curious. However, none of these systems stand
out as being the best in the sector.
In addition, the Transat leadership has designed their site as a way of
communicating but provides relatively little detail of its results and activities. They
define ‘tourism’ economic intelligence as the ‘identification, collection and analysis
of information with added value so as to support the competitiveness of the tourism
industry and to promote a better future vision for its leaders.’
Economic intelligence in tourism needs to observe consumer behavior in the areas
of food, transport, habitat, sports, etc.
The authors add that economic, political or indeed social changes do influence
tourism challenges and this is why they need to be studied. Similarly, the ‘intangible
parameters’ (by which we mean the major trends in society) determine new
consumer expectations: for example a return to nature, the tend for simplicity,
technological needs etc.
ESTHUA’s decision therefore makes complete sense. As a specialist in tourism,
education and the production of knowledge within the field, it is logical that it should
be at the heart of any economic intelligence system for the whole sector. In fact
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ESTHUA is the largest tourism education establishment in Europe and includes the
greatest number of researchers from various disciplines, all of whom are working on
tourism issues, grouped together in one place. In addition, ESTHUA has numerous
economic partners and a strong international presence.
Using a participative observation type approach, we are looking to highlight the
challenges, for ESTHUA and the university, in becoming the reference when it
comes to the distribution of information in order to establish its national and
international reputation. It will also allow the faculty to become a key contact for
public bodies and organizations which may then turn to ESTHUA for advice as to
their development. As such ESTHUA could become a collaborative hub for
knowledge and advice concerning tourism.
Linked to our early-stage research, this paper is divided into four parts. The first two
posit the context of our applied research and methodology. The third analyzes the
issues of a collective intelligence system in the studied case. The fourth tries out a
modeling test for the system. Finally, we will conclude by summarizing our thoughts.
Presentation of the structures.
The ESTHUA Tourism and Culture faculty is an interdisciplinary department,
specializing in tourism, at the University of Angers. With a wide variety of modules
available, developed in collaboration with industry players, it has nearly 3,000
students (of which 20% are foreigners representing almost 60 nationalities).
ESTHUA has become the largest European center for tourism studies. It also has
more than 300 guest lecturers. It is very involved in research with more than 20
faculty-researchers mainly in the fields of geography, management sciences and
sociology.
The three transversal sectors of research are:
- Access to tourism for emerging societies
- Diversification of activities, regional strategies and organization management
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- The economic and tourist growth of culture and heritage.
In parallel, a regional initiative to support the development of research, training and
innovation (named RFI) aims to promote synergies between the academic,
institutional and economic stakeholders within the same sector. In this context, the
Pays de la Loire regional council supports an RFI system for tourism in which
ESTHUA is a leading light. The Angers TourismLab (ATL) project was launched on
the 10th April 2015.
The aim is that the Pays de la Loire becomes the European leader in academic and
applied research in both tourism and in education related to jobs in the tourism sector
and for innovation in companies and tourist destinations. The regional tourist
dynamic is already significant, including 43,000 jobs and representing approximately
8% of regional GDP1. There are numerous and diverse projects:
-
Creation of a research association of comparable size to the major international
centers.
-
Introduction of Summer School programs and specialized training for adult
education.
-
Study of the relevance of a cluster for innovative tourism businesses etc.
The concept of economic intelligence.
ATL is structured around three committees, each focusing on the three parts of the
triptych: Research, Training and Innovation. The Innovation Committee has various
responsibilities centered on interaction between stakeholders from the economic
world and academics with an aim of providing scientific knowledge and creating
better cooperation between these two, often distant, worlds. One of the challenges
is to develop a cluster (set up by public bodies) which is currently under
consideration. After workshops to define the goals, a preliminary group was set up:
1
http://www.univ-angers.fr/fr/universite/actualites/angers-tourismlab.html
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the TIL (Tourism Innovation Lab), which has the task of defining governance and the
Cluster’s responsibilities. Three main tasks were identified: networking among
stakeholders, providing support for experiments and supplying forward-looking
information coupled with the development of an economic intelligence system for the
tourism of tomorrow.
It is obviously this latter point which interests us here. Tourism businesses or project
entrepreneurs included in this cluster dynamic are mostly very small businesses
which do not have the reflex to put in place an economic intelligence system as part
of their structure. Although curious and attentive to their surroundings and networks,
they have not organized an economic intelligence mechanism. The knowledge
required to understand the environment in which the company is evolving is growing
exponentially. No company has the means to study its surroundings alone, much
less detect weak signals and emerging phenomena (E. Seuillet).
In his doctoral work, Arseneault (2010) explains that ‘the economic intelligence
strategy seems clear (...) as a specific activity might be difficult to integrate as a
sector of a tourism business, much less in a small or medium sized tourist business.
It's a job that requires skills and unique resources specific to this area of activity.’ He
therefore calls for the use of an economic intelligence cell for those involved in the
tourism field.
To fill this gap, the Innovation committee is therefore involved an economic
intelligence role. This economic intelligence is meant to be operational but will aim
to provide information allowing business leaders to make strategic decisions about
how to develop their offers. It will therefore need to have a prospective outlook.
However, ATL does not have a cell of this type within its structure, nor is it able to
recruit an economic intelligence analyst.
In parallel with these consideration, a study has shown that ESTHUA does not have
the national and international recognition that its size, its research policy and its
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development dynamics would suggest. In addition, its external communication is
limited.
A brainstorming process must therefore be conducted to produce and distribute this
knowledge, primarily among professional and institutional stakeholders. The main
objective is to establish an expert analysis by using a system of communication, and
thus become a key player in the field of changing the vision of tourism among
professionals. Developing a, economic intelligence, production and knowledgecommunication service would be interesting for ESTHUA at multiple levels:
-
To adapt its fields of analysis and skills to those sectors of industry in which it
trains and educates its students. By creating a needs analysis, for example in the
field of the strategic evolution of jobs, it may then include both a logic of
anticipatory representation (see the scenarios by G. Berger) and the preparation
of any action to be taken (Godet, 2004a, Godet, 2004b).
-
Become a key player in the development of areas with which it has contacts, by
developing techniques for communication and reflexivity. As B. Casterot (2002)
points out, ‘the aim of economic intelligence is to have an effect on decisionmakers’ mental images.’
-
Act as a lobbyer, to be able to put pressure on public bodies and create new
standards, new services, new regulations or even contribute to the removal of
some of them (Lamarque, 1985). Any collective economic intelligence creates a
strong network and results in a legitimacy of influence, more important today than
established authorities (Ken Blanchard).
-
Develop collaborative partnerships with companies in the form of research
projects or provide services by highlighting its expertise and skills.
ATL and ESTHUA being intrinsically intertwined, these two approaches then
combine to pose the following question: how do we set up a knowledgedistribution economic intelligence system and at the same time optimize the
skills of individuals?
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To take matters further, and also to satisfy its wish to attain a reputation among
professionals, could ESTHUA become an essential collaborative platform
providing knowledge and information to the tourism profession?
Research development
Methodology.
For this study, we need to start with an existing problem. We then offer a contextual
interpretation and modeling of an appropriate solution. In our future study, we will
observe and analyze the implementation of the system as well as how stakeholders
are kept informed and the results obtained.
Positioning.
Our position in the context of researcher is in this case a little unusual. Based at
ESTHUA and interested in the issues related to economic intelligence, economic
and collective intelligence and the future, our work is mainly focused on innovation.
Aware of these issues, we feel implicated in the approach initiated by our Faculty. In
addition, being involved with both the Innovation Committee of the ATL and the TIL,
we share these feelings with the other parties involved.
We adopt an inductive approach, rooted in the empirical data (Walsh, 2015, Glaser
& Strauss, 1967). However, we regularly make comparisons between the case study
and the related literature to develop our ideas and we make use of the results
provided by other written works, in an abductive way (David, 1999).
We see our work more as an embedded research activity as described by Baskerville
and Pries-Heje (1999). We look to solve a tangible problem as set out by Lewin
(1946) and reiterated by Allard-Poesi and Maréchal (2014). ‘Any suggested research
activity stems in effect from a desire to solve a tangible problem, transforming an
experienced situation, seen as a problem by those involved, into a more favorable
one’ (p65). In the situation studied, the problem which needs solving is the subject
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of a collective construction procedure as advocated by Allard-Poesi and Perret
(2004).
Our role is to see this project through. With the help of a trainee, we will analyze the
needs of the stakeholders in each category, the resources already internally
available and those which can be easily obtained, the knowledge and the information
which we create, and that which we could publish as is or popularize. We also have
responsibility for explaining the project and unifying it. We will take on the role of
community-leader during the development-phase of the project, and then we will
recruit an economic intelligence specialist to manage the system.
Data.
The main data collected concerns the needs and expectations of the involved
parties. We have attended all the discussions at the TIL (of which there were 4) and
the ATL innovations committees (of which there were 4). To these we must add our
formal discussions with the management inside ESTHUA (3 meetings).
Insofar as we were involved with the two organizations, our observation phase and
field-study allowed us to identify the potential for internal progress. From discussions
on the subject with a dozen or so colleagues, we identified the needs of different
stakeholders, without having to mention an information audit which would require a
more structured investigation and is currently being developed.
This data is for now stocked in a logbook (Savoie-Zajc, 2004), the notes having been
taken by three people during meetings and which were then collected and compared,
and subsequently coded (with the help of a thematic coding technique, using codes
that became apparent whilst the notes were being reread (Allard-Poesi, 2003)).
Main results.
From these early collection phases, various interesting elements came to light and
on which our analysis, described below, is based:
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-
the stakeholders, both those professionals working at the ATL and the TIL and
the researchers want a simple and very effective tool.
-
the economic stakeholders receive newsletters with information but often find it
irrelevant to their activity.
-
the researchers' work is relatively unfamiliar to those directly involved and seems
inaccessible. In addition to this, the company executives, project leaders and
even the consultants have no idea as to the opportunities that the university and
researchers could provide, even though most of them have accepted trainees in
their companies but without making use of their knowledge.
-
most professionals answer questions from researchers and students in the
context of research interviews (for research projects or research thesis) but
without realizing the potential interest they may have in the finished work.
-
no external communication is undertaken with regard to the students’ work, nor
the work of the researchers.
-
only one academic representative is present at the meetings with the TIL and the
ATL innovation committee.
-
the exchange of information between researchers is poor or non-existent, but
between the stakeholders of different organizations too. Information is absorbed
but rarely transferred and distributed.
Challenges.
The concept of economic intelligence is of course very one-dimensional for what we
plan to do, even when used in parallel with the adjectives ‘strategic 2’ or
‘prospective3’. The concept of economic intelligence, ‘a combination of research
activities, the processing and publication (for use in operational situations) of
information useful for economic stakeholders’ (from the Marten Report, 1994), is the
2
‘(Strategic) economic intelligence concerns decisions affecting the future situation and evolution of the
company, in relation to changes in its socioeconomic environment’ (Lesca et Rouibah (1997))
3
which anticipates the future
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same because it does not include the idea of knowledge production. We thus
focused our work on Knowledge Management and the Knowledge Society.
The University as a central element in a knowledge-based society.
'As a link between research, businesses, students and the public, the university is at
the heart of the system producing and sharing knowledge’ (Pinte, 2006, Audet and
Malouin, 1986), thanks primarily to the work of researchers but also students who
regularly provide files, reports and papers on all sorts of subjects, not to mention the
theses that are undertaken by research students. Some of this knowledge is
published, and thus made public but in a sphere limited to peers, while another part
is all too often locked away in cupboards before disappearing and the rest is passed
on through conversations, in lessons and in presentations.
The university's mission is to ‘generate, communicate and capitalize people’s
knowledge’ (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995), and it is where ‘knowledge is developed
and popularized’ (Pinte, 2006).
The concept of a university of knowledge is not new, and was used for the first time
by Peter Drucker in 1969. Many authors who are interested in the knowledge-based
society have identified the university system as the focal point for knowledgecreation for passing on this knowledge (Kerr, 1963 Foray, 2000 Delanty, 2001,
Franck and Meyer, 2007, Jameux, 2007).
In 2005 Unesco produced a report on knowledge-based societies. In this report,
knowledge is seen as public property, available to everyone and created as a result
of individual differences: ‘A knowledge-based society is one which thrives on its
diversity and its abilities’. Higher education is a foundation for the ‘production and
use of original knowledge in the cultural, social and economic spheres of society’.
Unfortunately, it often gets deprived of its responsibilities for research, discovery and
innovation and is then reduced to a ‘higher education’ establishment, as simple
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extension of primary and secondary education. The current challenge therefore lies
in this differentiation of the university.
Some go even further: ‘The university is more than an institution of knowledge
production, but has also nurtured the dominant and emergent cultural models of
society’ (Delanty, 2001). The university has a duty to publish its productions: ‘this
conception of knowledge suggests a communicative concept of the university as a
site of interconnectivity’ (Delanty, 2001) (Delanty, 2002 Habermas, 1981).
A collective approach.
Work on knowledge management emphasizes the importance of the collaborative
aspect. Indeed, it is the complementarity of information sharing and its interaction
which are the source of the knowledge. Prax (2000) advocates a ‘process of
creation, enrichment, capitalization and distribution of knowledge which involves all
the stakeholders in the organization as either consumers or producers, the KM
assumes that knowledge is captured at the point where it is created and then shared
between people’.
We could consider the TIL as an exploded structure (as opposed to a concentrated
structure), which would refer back to Guechtouli’s (2009) work, advocating in this
case that the system must be organized around a group of part-time workers with a
full-time leader who will collate the information. Everybody is expected to contribute
according to their skills and expertise. The network in question may ultimately be
very widespread.
Let’s consider initially the ATL and TIL network. This consists of fifty members: public
bodies, very small companies, project leaders and a few large companies. They are
all interested in a collective approach, distinct from the cluster’s ideas and from ATL.
They are all aware of their environment and sensitive to innovation. The ESTHUA
network includes 3 sub-divisions:
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-
The core network made up of faculty members, teachers, PAST, administrative
staff, students
-
A closely-linked secondary network set up by the university, by the guest
lecturers involved, by regional establishments
-
A peripheral network made up of those companies accepting trainees, by former
students, by ESTHUA’s university links and international partners.
The idea of collective strength is well established. Lesca (2001) emphasizes that
collective economic intelligence is a better incentive than the rest of the sector
(particularly in tourism where the sector is very segmented) so that:
- weak or early warning signals can be detected,
- the collective itself is flexible so as to adapt to emerging changes.
Of course, only a small number of stakeholders will be active participants (at least
initially). We then need to consider them as correspondents (following Adventurer et
al. 2012 who made reference to technological correspondents) capable of providing
regular information, especially in relation to their areas of expertise. For them the
economic intelligence activity is or will become a daily reflex which happens
alongside all their other activities. As such, interesting information can be detected
and sent on at any time (Adventurer et al. 2012). Similarly, they can send all their
output in real time.
We must not forget that business and economic intelligence are proactive processes
(Lesca and Rouibah 1997). We must increase awareness among the community to
get them to participate in this movement, and initiate an overall dynamic which will
evolve into collective intelligence. Here we can draw inspiration from the knowledgebases of management which seek to identify, combine and enhance the intellectual
capital of the company (or the network) by involving all the stakeholders (North,
Kumta, 2014).
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The ‘common’ distribution.
The system introduced is everybody’s combined responsibility (students, teachers,
AITOS, external partners, professionals). It produces the ‘community’ to the extent
that it creates a ‘commonality’ of knowledge that the stakeholders jointly accept and
which is based on collective intelligence.
During the distribution of knowledge the question of property often crops up. All too
often we see students not wanting to exchange information due to possessiveness,
the fear of sharing confidential data, for competition reasons etc. What is true among
our students, and which we also deplore, is the behaviour of many researchers who
believe they work in their own private domains and are jealous, demonstrate
professional selfishness or have numerous private reasons (‘why should I give my
class-notes to this young teacher who has just arrived when nobody helped me?’).
And what is true for students, teachers and researchers is unfortunately confirmed
in public bodies and within (or between) companies.
Nevertheless, ‘knowledge is the only material that increases when shared,’
according to Socrates. Fortunately, today the culture is changing and as shown by
Godet et al. (2010), people are now questioning the link between possession and
use.
This is why Elinor Ostrom’s work is increasingly available and used. It focused on
those communities which collectively manage common property. Numerous
examples from her meetings with communities around the world underpin her work
and help to illustrate it. From the 1990s onwards, she extended her research to
include common property in relation to knowledge. This is unique as it is non-rival
property, the use of which aims to enrich the ‘commons’.
However, today the free sharing of intellectual resources is undermined by ‘explicit
or implicit rules of use, both formal or informal, current or potential, which destroy or
block its development’ (Laval, 2011). Even among academics, knowledge becomes
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a valuable commodity and is mired in all kinds of appropriations. These new
restrictions limit creativity and undermine the development of the ‘commons’ (Laval,
2011 Heller, 1998).
For Ostrom, it is the community which creates the commons’ property and which
also maintains it, preserves it and ensures its renewal.
The knowledge which comes from economic intelligence, or is produced in this case,
should be seen as 'common property', the interest of which lies precisely in the fact
that everyone can take it and redistribute it themselves. It strengthens the sense of
belonging, while letting each person determine their individual use, interpretation
and active transformation (in terms of education, advice and services).
This observation was also made in Arseneault’s (2010) work which shows that the
analysis does not lose its relevance just because competitors also have access to it.
The challenge of establishing a collective economic intelligence system within the
ATL and the TIL network with ESTHUA and its own network as a centralized
instigator is one sizable one. The stakes are high, and the potential is undeniable,
but there are some hurdles to overcome. The establishment of a dynamic
organization where everyone plays the role of a correspondent, a broadcaster and
a producer of information for a common good will take time.
In the next section we will try to define some of the conditions necessary for its
implementation, but we do not wish to discuss the various steps needed for the
economic intelligence plan (objectives, collection, analysis, distribution) presented in
all of the works connected to business and economic intelligence. We primarily want
to respond to the issue of field studies. The suggested system will be implemented
gradually over the course of the year.
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Modeling test.
Implementation in stages.
The project is inextricably linked to the idea of economic intelligence. This ‘is
identifiable due to its systemic approach and inclusive of all the logistic resources
needed when investigating increasingly complex environments. ...It is less about
planning activates and more about managing those involved.’ (Pelletier and Cuenot,
2013).
We must therefore motivate the people involved and make them value what they are
doing: so how can we encourage them? The expectations will be different for each
stakeholder that much is clear: benchmarking, best practices, decision-making
support, recognition, communication etc.
The information audit defined by Henczel (2001) as ‘a process which examines the
balance between needs and realistic information and the mission, between the
organization’s goals and objectives’ allows us to define the expectations of each
participant and target the necessary information.
The first step is mostly one of sensitization with regard to this process and is an initial
lightweight version of the organization. Certain things exist or can be easily achieved,
which allows everyone to obtain new information, to calculate its relevance and to
awake their curiosity.
These initial tools could be:
-
A ‘vulgarization’ of published scientific articles. The term vulgarization can be
defined as ‘the idea of adapting concepts and scientific or technical knowledge
to make them understandable to a layman’ (definition taken from the site
www.cnrtl.fr which references Bergson’s work in particular). The term is not
unanimously popular, and we could instead talk of ‘reformulating’ scientific
results. The work could be carried out by researchers, including for their own
studies or for those with which they are involved, but also by students who, once
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they have graduated, will have to adapt their written papers or oral speeches for
their audience. In parallel, the researchers' work could be made available in its
original version to the most informed stakeholders.
-
In the same vein, reference cards produced by students as part of their theses
could also be distributed after being approved by a teacher. They would be
summaries of books, scientific papers and articles published by the professional
press.
-
As part of lessons on economic intelligence, they could be able to produce a
scoop it web page on a variety of subjects. These would be freely chosen by the
students depending on their professional aims and their hobbies or suggested by
the stakeholders at ATL and TIL.
-
A tool as a type of hub for sharing documents and generating discussions could
emerge for teachers and guest-lecturers, primarily to allow students to discuss
course contents.
-
Positive feedback reports may also be produced during visits to professional
events (exhibitions, JPO, conferences, product launches, conferences).
-
A press review, particularly focused on regional activity, could be held by the
communications manager.
-
A follow-up study could be undertaken by the archivist on which books and
thematic reports are most frequently requested.
-
The project managers at ATL undertake a lot of research when preparing their
submission files. This information could be distributed.
-
Meetings between project partners could be organized to allow them to exchange
information (conferences, public thesis presentations etc.).
As a first step it would also seem useful to have simple distribution tools (such as a
Wordpress blog, a LinkedIn page and group, Facebook, a Twitter account etc.) which
would be added to daily.
In parallel, once the information audit has been done it is then interesting to identify
voluntary correspondents (as explained above) who, through their own economic
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intelligence network, will obtain information which they can easily redirect. These
correspondents may also be able to play the roles of ambassadors for the system in
the eyes of their colleagues, their networks, students etc.
As such, the network of "analysts4" will take shape. After this phase, a more
structured system can be developed, implemented and tested. It needs to be
dynamic so that each new analyst can easily join the team and get involved. Figure
1 shows the different stages in the development of this system.
Figure 1. The steps involved in the system
generating
awareness
among
stakeholders
and
requesting
corresponden
ts
information
audit
(available/r
equired
information
s)
working
with
correspond
ents
defining
the
system
implement
ing the
system
evaluating
and adapting
Source: Own elaboration.
The role of the coordinator and the facilitator administrator.
The cornerstone of the success of an economic intelligence system is the
coordinator (Pelletier and Cuenot, 2013). A fortiori, when the system is not restricted
to only the redirection of information but also brings together different forms of it as
here, the coordinator will have a much more important role. It is this person who will
bring the system to life, allowing it to take shape and develop. The person will also
have a the role of leading and motivating the networks.
This role will arouse envy, the involvement of the teams and their coordination,
sweeping aside questions of ego, the culture of secrecy and competition between
those involved.
4
With the term ‘analyst’ we mean the individuals who will collect information, those who will analyze it and
those who will produce it.
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The coordinator will not be a content creator and in the majority of cases will not be
required to judge the relevance or otherwise of any information, because that is not
his/her role.
In their 2003 article, Lesca and Kriaa explain that the coordinator’s main role is to
stimulate the activity of the members of the economic intelligence team and to set
up a system which favors the development of ‘creativity’. Individuals will then feel
confident in producing knowledge which represents their individual opinions. The
leader or coordinator should therefore provide fertile ground for collective work and
provide a sense of meaning for the system. He/She will have a constructive view of
the evolution of the economic intelligence process and continually adapt it to suit the
team members. They may also have a coordination role for virtual communities and
social networks.
The coordinator will therefore have to ... coordinate. For McCarthy and al. (1971),
‘Leadership means maintaining order and boosting the activities of a group of men.
Coordination is the activity, the ideal way to get people involved.’
However, as we have stated in the previous chapters, the system will be based on
voluntary processes (Lesca and Rouibah 1997). The analysts, and at first the
correspondents, are ‘volunteers’, so you have to apply volunteering management
styles so as to better understand how to manage them. Pujol (2009) points out that
‘the management of volunteers is done primarily on a case by case basis’. To
manage volunteers correctly, and therefore in our case the analysts, he
recommends:
-
taking into account the constraints and motivations of volunteers. They lack time
and availability for the project. One must not forget that a unmotivated volunteer
may discourage the whole team.
-
defining the role of each person in the association. Each member must have a
specific role. If we take the case of correspondents, Aventurier et al. (2012)
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explain that each (technical) correspondent has specific expertise, providing real
added value.
-
communicating internally to create team spirit: you have to strengthen its
cohesion.
-
thanking volunteers and valuing their results: as shown in the Maslow pyramid,
recognition is a part of what every human needs. You therefore need to ensure
the personal satisfaction of each participant and everyone should recognize their
involvement.
The coordinator should take into account these individual characteristics present
within a group. They must maintain both collective and transparent relationships and
also individual and confidential relationships. Saint-Arnaud (1989) indicates that
group energy is based on solidarity, which is to say on mutual cooperation in which
everyone feels involved in a mission which is their own and which is complementary
to those of the others. But this energy is also based on the collective production
efficiency.
In group dynamics, physical meetings are necessary from time to time. Neglecting
this aspect, which creates sympathy and empathy, can eventually drain the group
dynamics and damage relationships.
The facilitator should avoid unbalanced relationships. There is nothing more
frustrating than doing your job while others beside you are doing nothing. We must
therefore limit the loss of motivation. One of the characteristics of a good leader is
that he/she knows how to remain humble, and must not appropriate other people’s
work, or destroy it. Control is also to be avoided, and the relationship must be
established in the best interests of the approach, the willingness to participate and
the interest in building a common good.
To summarize, let’s go back to Lesca and Kriaa (2003) who specify three roles for
the economic intelligence network leader:
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Memorias / Volumen 14 / Número 26 / octubre 2016 (Artículo sin editar)
-
be a pedagogue: they must educate, train, communicate and encourage.
-
be a coordinator: they seek to make sense of things and ensure there is a sense
of belonging.
-
be a mediator: they must collate the information gathered into a coherent
package.
Distribution by blocks.
In the case studied, the distribution is a key issue for the success of the project.
Indeed, the objective of gaining recognition for ESTHUA depends on a broad
distribution but one which is also attractive.
Of course, the method of distribution and the accessibility of the information
distributed will use various tools such as direct-mailing, managing a blog or via a
website.
The distribution must not result in saturation and lead to the problem of information
overload. So we need to avoid systematically sending out information and instead if
possible characterize the information received, by for example personalizing
netvibes. We need to avoid, wherever possible, sending unnecessary information in
relation to the individuals’ needs.
Access to content can be achieved via different means:
-
The ‘container’ (website, blog, newsletter etc.) should be pleasant (a unique
graphic style, with coherent design, clear etc.) and intuitive (easy to access) etc.
-
The ‘content’ must also be attractive. For example, in the same way that
storytelling replaces conferences today, conversation is essential. This means
we need to create a conversational space where we regularly tell stories. In the
same vein, participating in conversations on forums and social networks allows
people to demonstrate their expertise within the economic environment and
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confirm their invaluable presence (Pelletier and Cuenot, 2013): ‘we can never
change anything if we stay in the shadows’.
Originality, without going as far as eccentricity is always noticed. ‘One of the ‘rules
of the game’ in prospective activities is to allow people to re-imagine everything, to
question everything and to rebuild everything’ (Schwartz, 1969, p. 3).
Alongside these issues of the attractiveness of the tools and distribution, it also
appears necessary, in terms of fairness, to differentiate the access to information.
This is because the expectations and contributions of each user are different. Some
people will give in to the temptation to provide information on the condition that they
get some back, but withhold that information from those who do not provide any at
all. As such, should the information always be freely available to all? As we have
seen above, that knowledge is a common good so can we nevertheless restrict its
distribution on the grounds of treating participants fairly?
At a time when the term freemium is becoming commonplace, we may question how
to distribute information at different scales. This term freemium is a contraction of
the wordS Free and Premium (suggesting quality and price). It is used to describe a
free offer reaching a large consumer base, which is then complemented by the sale
of a premium product to certain users in order to generate income. Here, this term
is not entirely appropriate. But the idea that certain information be free for some but
others need to pay is not unlike other efficient techniques. For example, on
www.oboulo.com (which is now called www.docs.school) people who contribute
documents have free access to those documents contributed by others. Those who
do not contribute documents themselves have to pay.
In the context of ESTHUA we may introduce a segmented offer based on the level
at which each network member is involved.
If we take the 3 subnets as presented above:
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-
The first could have access to all the information, with incentive and reward
schemes.
-
The second could have access to all the information, such as the ATL network,
on condition that they actively participate in the economic intelligence, otherwise
their access would be restricted and full access to the economic intelligence
would be charged for.
-
The third could have access to selected restricted information for reasons of
communication. One section would be freely available and the rest according to
the subscription level selected.
Not only would this business model (which needs to be more thoroughly studied) be
used to finance part of the system (tools, leader etc.), but it would also encourage
members to participate.
Summary and conclusions
ESTHUA could become a collective platform for knowledge based on the expertise
and resources of the various members of its network. It would aim to stimulate and
encourage economic intelligence, and centralize the information obtained. But its
real added value would be to contribute to the production of data and to distribute all
this information and knowledge. It should also not be present only on social networks
or via other web distribution channels but also be physically active by organizing
think-tanks and organizing meetings with all the stakeholders in the sector
(conferences, exhibitions, seminars etc.). ESTHUA is at the center of a broad
network of participants on whom it can count for cooperation (Figure 2.)
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Figure 2. The network of monitoring correspondents at Esthua, ATL and TIL.
Source: Own elaboration.
Today, political scientists, economists, sociologists etc. agree that we have passed
from an information society to a knowledge society. The real challenge of
development for our society lies in how we manage this knowledge, its accessibility
and production. Knowledge is a source of creativity, innovation and improving
competitiveness. It therefore contributes to the creation of value and can be seen as
a ‘strategic asset’ (Amidon and Mercier- Laurent, 2001).
The university is a producer of knowledge and information through its research. It is
also a distributor of such knowledge through its teaching. Unfortunately this
distribution often stops with its academics and students. In a few cases, it can coconstruct knowledge with companies, but there is still too wide a chasm between the
theoretical knowledge and the operational results. It could, on the contrary, distribute
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its knowledge by treating them as common goods, accessible to everyone and freely
provided. Via a collective intelligence system centered on a specific sector, the
university would have access to an interesting distribution tool. It would then only
have to translate the knowledge produced into a more accessible form and
demonstrate the operational opportunities. It could therefore have a strong
prepositional role or even be a source of influence in transforming an industry or at
least allowing it to adapt to its changing environment (El Qasmi, 2006). In addition,
it is able to detect weak signals, that information which stands out from the mass
available (Aguilar 1967).
The university can have the role of futurist and even get involved in a creative
foresight approach (Rojey, 2014), which aims to reveal different possible futures,
and as such build a vision of the future including ‘the way it germinates inside today’s
events’. The creative prospective seeks to challenge preconceived schemes, and
the conformism that results. It must rely on shared values and give meaning in order
to be able to generate collective membership among stakeholders. It leads to the
reinvention of businesses and regions by harnessing energy to reach a specific goal.
This could be the future mission for the university.
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