Developing knowledge on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship
The IPE’s scientific project adopts a qualitative approach to entrepreneurial issues in organisations, networks and clusters. The main fields of research are structured as follows:
Theme “Entrepreneurship, innovation, and territory”
An international colloquium organised at Audencia in 2009 launched this research agenda. A post-doctoral researcher is currently conducting a comparative and qualitative study to measure the effects of cluster policies on company innovation capacity in Europe’s ICT industry. The IPE is also involved in a national research project (ANR) with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure (ENS) of Cachan and the University of Toulouse. This project deals with the social elements that underpin entrepreneurship.
Theme “Relations between entrepreneurs and investors”
In partnership with the CIC Ouest bank and the engineering school Ecole des Mines of Nantes, researchers are conducting a qualitative study on the relationship between entrepreneurs and investors in the specific market of regional SMEs. The goal is to understand the modes of governance supporting regional family businesses, and the motives of cooperation between entrepreneurs and investors. In addition, over the past few years a professor has been working on the practices and specificities of ‘business angels’.
Theme “Intrapreneurship and creativity management”
In partnership with the Banque Postale, researchers are studying the key organisational and managerial factors that help creative ideas and behaviour emerge. This is based on semi-structured interviews with managers and operational staff.
