Business life

Created in 1989, the seminar “Business Life” is the forerunner of the École de Paris. As a reaction to the inconsistency between leading theories of the day and the reality of business life, researchers and professionals met regularly once a month for three hours to make observations and discuss their ideas. A speaker talked for about an hour followed by an open debate. There was a set order for the speakers, which alternated between a researcher one month, and a professional the next. The sessions followed a set pattern such that if the speaker at one session was a researcher, then the speaker at the next would be a professional, and so on. A report of the talk and the discussion which followed at each session was written up without mentioning by name the members of the audience questioning the speaker, in order to ensure the greatest possible freedom of speech. The report was distributed to people who were interested in this field of study. It had to be precise, accurate and a pleasure to read. The reputation of the seminar quickly spread by word of mouth. In 1993, reports of the sessions were distributed to nearly four hundred people. Since its creation, this session has always kept its tone and creativity intact. The popularity and attraction of this form of seminar and the growth of its audience encouraged the creation of the École de Paris in 1993, to host sessions following on from the same principle based on ideas which shed light on important management issues, but with a more structured means of distribution.