In description
Pillar 3 of the five pillars of the 3rd AI Action Summit: "Innovation and Culture"This theme aims to “boost technological excellence in the service of innovation and artistic creation”. In this line of idea, the Summit will entice participants to discuss the sharing of “value and systems likely to facilitate access to the resources that are critical for the development of AI”. However, “while AI has already made it possible to speed up the creation and distribution of cultural goods, it sometimes calls into question the economic model for creation and the remuneration of intellectual property”. HEC Associate Professor Thomas Paris explores the uneasy relationship between creative industries and Artificial Intelligence.
“I just make the time to read a book and it gives me this burst of fire in the belly to give me another two or three hours of creativity or productivity.” This cry of passion by author Robin Sharma is a call to arms four HEC researchers have heard throughout their respective careers. Gilles Deleuze, Norbert Elias, Sherry Turkle and E.O. Wilson are so many references inspiring our academics in their devotion to further their disciplines. They share their passion for books in this first Breakthroughs podcast of 2025.
At the end of this year, marked by crucial elections in France and around the world, I would like to draw on recent research to shed light on the overlooked links between finance and politics. It has become a widely accepted idea that rising political polarization causes people with differing affiliations to view the world through distinct lenses and even to believe in different facts. Recent research shows that the financial industry is not immune to partisan biases; finance professionals, too, carry their political identities into their work. Let me take you on a tour of this research!
HEC research professor Craig Anderson has been exploring the impact of “awe” on well-being for over a decade. The specialist in affective science recently published a paper on culture and awe, comparing the emotional approach of Americans and Chinese to this phenomenon. Anderson’s research was at the heart of a 2023 National Geographic documentary “Operation Arctic Cure” which traces the use of awe to alleviate PTSD in veteran soldiers. The American academic shares his insights into a new science reshaping policies in sustainability, marketing and health.
Marc Beretta’s RESKILL Masterclass focused on what he terms the "experience-based qualities for leadership development." These qualities were gathered from over 20 years of coaching top executives around the world. Drawing on over 20,000 hours of experience and real-life examples, Beretta identifies six core leadership qualities: awareness, agility, eco-friendliness, high standards, kindness, and co-visionary thinking. Beretta argues that such assets help leaders not only develop themselves but also foster healthier, more productive environments in their organizations. Extracts.
Despite advances in workplace equality, the gender gap in leadership persists. Women continue to be underrepresented in management positions, particularly in male-dominated sectors. This gap is not just a result of discrimination or lack of opportunity but is partly rooted in how societal expectations influence leadership aspirations. Ekaterina Netchaeva, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources at HEC Paris, is a leading researcher on gender dynamics in the workplace. Her extensive work, relayed by Bloomberg and Forbes, delves into the complexities behind why women aspire less to leadership roles than men. During her HEC RESKILL masterclass, Netchaeva explored the underlying causes of this leadership gap.
This business case was written by Associate Professor Luc Paugam, Forvis Mazars Chair for Purposeful Governance at HEC Paris, and Professor Florian Hoos, Professor of Sustainability and ESG Accounting at IMD, it has been published in the Case Centre.
A new business case written by Nils Plambeck, Associate Professor of Strategy & Business Policy at HEC Paris, has been published recently on The Case Centre. The fictional case study is conceptualized on two levels, by exploring the concept of power and influence through an example of Obama’s presidency, and by describing an EMBA student’s power basis.
Our podcast series, Breakthroughs, dedicates a special episode to the launch of a new elective on sports and commerce for students. Titled “Sport & Business,” this six-month program includes theoretical work followed by fieldwork in partnership with the French professional football club Racing Club de Lens. Professor Luc Arrondel oversees the academic content of the elective. This researcher shares his pedagogical approach centered on the economics of football. In the second part of the podcast, we follow the first gathering of the Sports Economy Summit titled Sport Definition. HEC leaders, students, and alumni attended sessions dedicated to the school's research, teaching, and actions in this flourishing sector.
June 20 is World Refugee Day, designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe and to celebrate the strength and courage of those forced to flee their home countries to escape conflict or persecution. By the end of 2023, UNHCR estimated that over 117 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and climate shocks, often a combination of these factors. Notably, nearly 32 million new internal displacements were due to climate-related hazards, highlighting the urgent need to address this issue. It is high noon for us to step up, reach out, engage with this diverse talent pool, and unlock their true potential.
