How do you become Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple) or Georges Eastman (founder of Kodak)? How does one become the head of a major corporation? How did managers become leaders in the investment and dynamics of large groups? What role do innovators and organizers play in innovation and the dynamics of capitalism (James Watt, Andrew Carnegie, John Rockefeller, Thomas Watson, etc.)? How do the social sciences, and history in particular, explain the trajectory of these managerial elites? How can they distinguish between real history and myths that are constructed and conveyed on these questions?
From this point of view, Joseph Schumpeter's researches deserve particular attention, but more recent works in sociology, management science and economics also question his conclusions.
This seminar offers an introduction to understanding the questions raised by the creation, organization, investment, innovation and management of companies in the history of capitalism. By studying a range of entrepreneurial figures and corporate executives throughout economic, technical and social history, the aim is to understand how the success of certain products, certain technologies and, consequently, certain companies, is constructed. It's also about seeing what can be learned from failures. From this point of view, today's major groups are often successful start-ups from the past. Very often, "old technologies" are "new technologies" which, step by step, have managed to establish themselves by modifying usage and behavior. These companies have invented routines and developed their organization.
Content
- Introduction to main issues in entrepreneurship, innovation and corporate management (large groups).
- Contributions of the social sciences to these issues (history, economics, management sciences, anthropology).
- Application to the analysis of individual trajectories and case studies.
Teaching methods
- Teacher presentations
- Report of research work by guest speakers
- Case studies
- Reading reference articles
- Conducting of a case study of a French or foreign entrepreneur, innovator or manager
Evaluation
*Individually: - Preparation of an assignment on a case study or an article
*Group work: - Presentation, in groups of 2 or 3, of a case study of an innovator, entrepreneur or manager from the past or present.
- Submission of a dossier on the same subject
*Attendance
- Teaching coordinator: Godelier Eric