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Doctoral Course - Communication and Writing Skills
Description
5 ECTS
Prof. Valérie SWAEN & Manuel KOLP
See the full course description here
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objective of the course is to help young researchers in management get a better understanding of the peer reviewed publication process and develop their academic writing skills. This course provides transversal competences to doctoral students and future researchers – i.e. competences that are useful regardless of their specific topic and discipline. During this seminar, students will learn how to write a literature review, an academic paper; how to get published and how to present a research paper.
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
- prepare a research plan and an academic paper;
- write a paper following the academic standards;
- review an academic paper;
- pitch his/her research;
- present a research seminar ;
- build online profiles and web presence
COURSE CONTENT
The different topics that will be covered in this course are the following ones:
- Defining what makes a good research idea?
- Designing your literature review (Searching for literature; Quality of journals; Writing the literature review…)
- Developing your research design (Conceptual model, hypotheses, methodology…)
- Writing your paper: what and how? (Structure of an academic paper; Writing an abstract; Writing the basic sections: data collection, findings, discussion, conclusion, limitations and future research; Positioning a research and defining contributions; Common mistakes of novice writers…)
- Publishing process (Soliciting for feedback; Developing research papers; Selecting an appropriate journal; Order of authors; Making the paper ready for submission; …)
- Reviewing your paper
- Presenting your research in a research seminar
- Pitching your research to a non-expert audience
- Becoming an impactful academic
- Using Web Tools and establishing web presence and visibility
COURSE ORGANIZATION
Students are expected to prepare the writing/reading assignment and think about the topics before each session. They are also expected to contribute in an informed, critical and innovative manner during the sessions.
EVALUATION METHODS
Different assignments will be asked from students:
- writing a working paper following the academic standards (see specific guidelines posted on Moodle);
- presenting this working paper (see specific guidelines given in class);
- reviewing a paper written by another student and discussing it after the oral presentation/poster.
The assessment of your performance will be composed of the following elements:
- Quality of the written working paper (65%)
- Quality of the oral presentation of your working paper (20%)
- Quality of your review and discussion of a classmate paper (15%)
Schedule
| Date | Time | Location |
| Tuesday, February 03, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, February 04, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, February 11, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Tuesday, March 3, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Tuesday, March 10, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
| Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 8.30 - 11.30 am | DOYEN 21 |
Doctoral Course - Epistemology of Management
Description
This course should allow the students to access to a critical theory of knowledge applied to management and, in a wider sense, to all disciplines that belong to management studies. Such a goal is at the same time theoretical and practical: firstly, it should help students understand how a "management science" has been progressively invented, what are the challenges and limitations of such a project; secondly, it will introduce the participants to the main debates in the epistemological field, mixing fundamental and applied epistemologies; thirdly, it will give them reflexive roots to fulfill their research in management studies.
5 ECTS
Prof. Matthieu de Nanteuil
See the full course description here
Schedule
| Friday, February 6, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
| Friday, February 13, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
| Friday, February 20, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
| Friday, March 06, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
| Friday, March 13, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.30 pm 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 74 |
Doctoral Course - Theories of Organizations in Management
LLSMA2006 - Theories of Organizations in Management – 5 ECTS
Prof. Régis Coeurderoy
Description
See the full course description here
Why do firms exist? And why markets and other arrangements among individual or collective actors exist? How can we explain the causes and consequences of interactions and collaborations between actors? How can we assess (and give sense to) performance evaluations (profit, efficiency, legitimacy...) at individual or organizational levels? Here are some of the core questions supporting a sizeable chunk of research works in management. To tackle seriously such issues, researchers need to develop intellectual frameworks that we call theories. Theories provide lens to analyse people actions and behaviors and to draw causal relations. Furthermore, theories create the common grammar that a community of researchers shares.
Albeit considered as a "practice matters at first" discipline, management also needs theories, not only to be accepted as an academic discipline, but also to create sound, replicative and cumulative knowledge. So far, theoretical approaches of organizations developed in management studies have been widely inspired by more old and established disciplines in social sciences – economics, psychology and sociology. More recently, researchers in management have developed efforts to create a more specific approach.
This course is an introduction to these theories of organizations widely used in the research field of management & organizations. We will review the main theoretical approaches through their disciplinary origin: economics (day 2), sociology (day 4) and psychology (day 5). We will also review the theories more “management based”: the competence approach (day 3) and the stakeholders approach (day 6). We will start by a brief introduction and an analysis of behavioural assumptions adopted in these social science theories.
The learning objectives are twofold. The very first learning objective will be focused on the basic features of each theoretical approach. We will help students (a) to acquire a helicopter’s view and a synthetic perspective on the different theories - useful knowledge to position your research on sound foundations (internal consistency); (b) to sort out concepts and frameworks and to be able to identify specific features of each theory and overlaps/contradictions between theories - other useful knowledge to position your research on sound foundations (external consistency). The second learning objective will be more oriented towards the development of a researcher’s skills. We will help students (a) to develop analytical reading skills – useful to manage huge volumes of articles; (b) to develop synthetic writing skills – useful to orchestrate discussion between papers and develop your own way.
The course is a PhD level course.
- Introduction to the theories of the firm
- Firms, markets and other organizations: theoretical foundations for a puzzle
- Behavioural assumptions: rationality and motivation
- Theoretical foundations 1: the coordination issue
- Theoretical foundations 2: the competence issue
- Theoretical foundations 3: the institutional issue
- Theoretical foundations 4: the network issue
Temporary schedule
Please note that this schedule could be subjected to changes, do check again before the beginning of the course if you've registered
| Monday, February 2, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.45 pm & 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 71 |
| Monday, February 9, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.45 pm & 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 71 |
| Monday, February 16, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.45 pm & 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 71 |
| Monday, February 23, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.45 pm & 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 71 |
| Monday, March 9, 2026 | 9.30 am - 12.45 pm & 2.00 - 4.00 pm | MORE 71 |
Informal research seminar by Nacera Latreche and Grégory De Boe
Towards Gestural Interaction with Cubic Tangible Objects in Learning Activities
Nacera Latreche, Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organizations
Summary
Cubic tangible interfaces are a promising yet underexplored modality in educational settings that could inform their development. This paper investigates gestural interaction with cubic objects, specifically AudioCubes, in learning contexts. Using the Goal-Questions-Metrics framework as a foundation, this study employs a systematic literature review, gesture elicitation studies, and usability evaluations to determine how cubic tangible interfaces can be adapted to meet the needs of diverse users in various educational contexts. It examines how cubic tangible interfaces can support learning activities by identifying preferred gestures and movement patterns across various tasks and user contexts. This highlights the need for a structured engineering methodology that supports the creation of reusable, generalizable cubic tangible interface designs, moving away from one-off designs that are often valid only for a particular case. The study classifies core gesture types using µGlyph notation to enable consistent representation across tasks. Usability assessments reveal common issues, user preferences, and ways to enhance user immersion. Furthermore, the research emphasizes adapting interfaces for diverse users, especially younger learners and individuals with different motor or cognitive abilities.
Keywords: Cubic tangible interaction. Gesture input. Learning activities. Tangible user interfaces.
Taxing Plastic Packaging for a More Circular Economy: National Divergences and the Case for Harmonization in Europe
Grégory De Boe, Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organizations
Marie Lamensch, Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organizations
Valérie Swaen, Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organizations & Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 9221 – LEM – Lille Economie Management, IESEG School of Management, Lille, France
Summary
Since the 1950s, the widespread use of plastic has led to significant environmental challenges. In response, the European Union launched its “Circular Economy Action Plan” in 2015, aiming to shift from a linear to a circular economic model. One of its key fiscal instruments is the EU Plastic Packaging Levy, effective from 2021, which requires Member States to contribute to the EU budget based on the weight of non-recycled plastic packaging waste. Although the revenues are not earmarked for environmental purposes, the Levy indirectly encourages national policies that promote plastic circularity. This article investigates the diverse tax strategies adopted by EU member States and the United Kingdom in response to the Levy, comparing their design and effectiveness in fostering circular practices. Three countries have introduced new plastic packaging taxes since the announcement of the Levy: the United Kingdom applies a weight-based tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content; Spain levies a proportional tax on the weight of non-recycled plastic; and Portugal imposes a fixed per-unit tax on single-use packaging, regardless of weight or material. The article further assesses the potential benefits and drawbacks of introducing a harmonized European Union plastic packaging tax, in relation to existing instruments such as Extended Producer Responsibility and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. It argues that the optimal design of such a tax would need to balance several dimensions – rate, type, scope, exemptions, liable parties, and administrative feasibility – while anticipating unintended consequences. The analysis concludes that a harmonized tax could serve fiscal objectives and reduce legal fragmentation within the internal market, but its additional environmental impact would remain limited when compared to the influence of existing regulatory and market-based mechanisms.
Keywords: EU Plastic Packaging Levy; Circular Economy; Environmental Tax; Plastic Tax; Extended Producer Responsibility; Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation; EU Harmonization
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Research Seminar by François-Régis Puyou: Objectivity, Equality, Fraternity. The alliance of maps and income statistics in the fight against poverty in France
Research seminar by François-Régis Puyou from emlyon business school
Objectivity, Equality, Fraternity. The alliance of maps and income statistics in the fight against poverty in France
Authors: Edwige Nortier (emlyon business school); Pauline Boisselier (Paris Assas), François-Régis Puyou (emlyon business school)
Abstract
Drawing on documents produced by the French government and city councils over the 2014-2022 period, we explore how the combination of maps and accounting is used to identify and act on poverty. We use the French Urban Policy as a case study of a fight against poverty. The 2014 Lamy law in France changed how the government allocated its financial aid for priority urban neighborhoods (PUNs), introducing a process presented as objective and transparent, promoting administrative simplification and resource concentration but without much consideration for local contexts and populations. The article shows how gridded maps of the national territory and statistical data of the residents’ income levels are mobilized together to discharge the expression of national solidarity. It also argues that the boundaries of PUNs are often drawn involving elected representatives promoting the notion of lived neighborhoods in an attempt to adapt the mapping of urban poverty to local contingencies. This article thus bears witness to a centralized statistical approach to the fight against poverty, but one that is at times tinged with more contextualized elements. It provides a critical illustration of how the combination of mapping and accounting data may accompany negotiations of the perimeter of public action to combat poverty.
François-Régis Puyou bio
François-Régis Puyou is a professor of management accounting at emlyon business school. After working as a management accountant, he completed his Doctoral studies in sociology at Sciences-Po Paris. He subsequently held teaching and research positions at Audencia Business School and at the University of St Andrews’ school of management. His works relate primarily with critical approaches to management accounting practices. In particular he has written, often in collaboration, on the social and organizational impacts of accounting tools and practices, on the phenomenology of management control systems and on the power of the visualization in management and society.
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Doctoral course on Open Science
What exactly is Open Science—and why should it matter to you as a doctoral student?
This training is designed to demystify open science and show how it can empower your research journey. From increasing visibility and credibility to meeting the expectations of funders and journals, open science is becoming an essential part of academic life.
Through four interactive modules, you’ll explore the key pillars of open science and learn how to apply them directly to your own work in the Human and Social Sciences:
- Introduction to Open Science: Understand the principles, motivations, and evolving landscape of open research.
- Open Access: Learn how to make your publications freely available and navigate publishing options.
- Research Data Management & Data Management Plans: Discover how to organize, document, and preserve your data effectively.
- Open and FAIR data sharing: Gain practical skills in sharing data responsibly and in line with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
By registering, you sign up for all 4 modules
Training aims
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify and explain the key dimensions, concepts, and societal values underpinning Open Science, and articulate its relevance to your doctoral research.
- Evaluate and choose appropriate publishing models, and apply Open Access principles to disseminate your work effectively within UCLouvain’s framework.
- Develop and implement a research data management strategy, including writing a robust Data Management Plan tailored to your project.
- Prepare and share your research data in accordance with FAIR principles
Prerequisites
None
Content
Each session blends theory, meta-research findings, hands-on exercises, and peer discussions to help you build practical skills and reflect on how open science can enhance your research impact.
All modules will be delivered by:
- Yves Deville (EPL)
- Dr. Joelle Desterbecq (research data officer BIUL/ADRE)
- Aurore Wuyts (research support / Open Access / DIAL.pr BIUL)
- Prof. Simon Hazée (LRIM)
Location
Louvain-la-Neuve :
- COUB 01 for October 21 and November 4 & 18
Pl. Pierre de Coubertin 2, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve - AGOR 13 for November 25
Agora 1, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Attendance
Human and Social Sciences doctoral students
Time slots for training
21-10-2025 from 10:45 to 12:45
04-11-2025 from 10:45 to 12:45
18-11-2025 from 10:45 to 12:45
25-11-2025 from 10:45 to 12:45
More information and registration
Research Seminar: Designing AI for Learning, Not Just Answers: Experimental Evidence from University Classrooms
Research seminar by Mickael Temporão form Sciences Po Bordeaux
Designing AI for Learning, Not Just Answers: Experimental Evidence from University Classrooms
Universities face a paradox: students increasingly use AI tools for coursework, but are these interactions building skills or bypassing learning? This talk presents experimental evidence for designing and deploying strategies and AI agents that can foster competencies rather than bypass them.
Through two studies with university students, an encouragement design (N=300) exploring AI usage patterns and a controlled experiment (N=1,000) evaluating a Socratic AI agent, we demonstrate how interaction design can shape learning outcomes. Students employing AI as a task-completion Assistant show surface learning, while those engaging it as a conceptual Mentor develop deeper understanding and transferable skills.
Preliminary results of a "Socratic" agent, designed to prompt critical thinking rather than provide direct answers, achieved significant improvements in knowledge retention, problem-solving capability, and metacognitive awareness. We will discuss practical implications for educators: design principles for learning-centered AI, strategies to guide students toward productive engagement patterns, and evidence-based approaches to harnessing AI as a tool that builds rather than replaces thinking.
As AI becomes unavoidable in higher education, the question is not whether students will use these tools, but how we design and guide their use to develop the deep competencies that define university education.
Mickael Temporão bio
Mickael a complété un doctorat en science politique à l’Université Laval à l'hiver 2019. Il a été chercheur étudiant au Groupe de recherche en communication politique (GRCP), à la la Chaire sur la démocratie et les institutions parlementaire (CDIP) et au Centre pour l'étude de la citoyenneté démocratique (CECD). Mickael a été coordonnateur du GRCP de 2014 à 2017. Il détient un baccalauréat et une maîtrise en information et communication spécialisée en relations publiques de l’Université catholique de Louvain (UCL - Belgique). Il a suivi le programme d’analyse de données quantitatives de l’Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) de l’Université du Michigan.
Ses intérêts de recherche s'inscrivent dans l'étude du comportement politique et de l'opinion publique. Sa thèse étudie le recours aux grands volumes de données personnelles tirées de plateformes numériques afin de comprendre l'opinion publique. Il se spécialise dans l'utilisation de méthodes non-supervisées permettant l'analyse de données à grande échelle (Big Data) de comportements individuels dans différents contextes, à différents moments et pour différents groupes d'individus. Son directeur de recherche était Thierry Giasson.
À ce jour, il est maître de conférences en science politique à Sciences Po Bordeaux et chercheur au Centre Émile Durkheim.
Source : ULaval