Thanks to the DSCE Chair's SPOC, ESCP renews the teaching of industrial relations.

ESCP's Industrial Relations and Firms' Competitiveness Chair, signed with Airbus, Groupe Renault, Sodexo and Solvay, has created the first-ever SPOC (Small Private Online Course) dedicated to social dialogue.

SPOC screenshot

Promoting proactive, innovative industrial relations to support business performance

Industrial relations cannot be confined to theoretical instruction, delivered by specialists made up of Human Resources managers and social partners. ESCP's aim was to offer 50% academic content and 50% operational insight. By blending lectures, case studies and video testimonials, the "Labour Relations: stretching preconceived ideas" SPOC creates a dialogue between the course and businesses.
This online private course designed for students in the MiM and MBA in International Management programs allows them to build new knowledge, in keeping with ESCP's mission to train and prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

This SPOC represents one 15-hour ECTS credit and includes the following modules:

  1. Definitions, challenges and context of industrial relations
  2. Corporate industrial relations: stakeholders, overview and realities
  3. Facilitating industrial relations in firms: collective bargaining
  4. International industrial relations and current outlook
  5. Facilitating industrial relations in firms: from the local to the global level

The Chair's corporate partners appear in video testimonials for the SPOC, along with partners from other chairs, such as Safran (partner for the Factory for the Future Chair), providing operational insight and discussing examples of national or international situations.
Many thanks to:

  • Albert Kruft Vice Chairman of the Works Council Bad Hönningen; Chairman of the Central Works Council Solvay Germany; Secretary of the European Works Council Solvay; Coordinator of the Solvay Global Forum.
  • Jean-Christophe Sciberras Head of Group Industrial Relations & Social Innovation - HRD France.
  • Catherine Buche-Andrieux Plant Manager - Villaroche site at Safran Aircraft Engines.
  • Philippe Pezet Head of Group Social Policy & Industrial Relations / Human Resources Director France at Airbus Group.
  • Marc Ambiaux Chairman of the European Works Council Airbus Group.
  • Miguel Valcarcel, Director of Human Resources, Europe Region, Renault Group.
    ... For their great generosity, which has made it possible to enrich the SPOC with materials that are very relevant to our students.

The SPOC also draws on international professors who present the major challenges facing industrial relations today and offer a forward-looking view, along with the Chair team, made up of Jean-François Pilliard, President of the Chair, Maria Koutsovoulou, Scientific Director and Patrice Laroche, Chairman of the Scientific Committee. As they describe it, "the SPOC allows students to build a common basis of knowledge in industrial relations and explore the topic through a variety of approaches and testimonies from a wide range of stakeholders in order to stimulate debate on this issue."

The digital revolution as an opportunity to rethink teaching methods and change the way students learn about key management topics

This SPOC is the latest addition to ESCP's digital course offerings, expanding the already wide range of course formats. Our catalogue includes online certificates such as the one dedicated to the digital transformation of companies, refresher courses for its initial training program, an 100% online Executive Master in International Business (EMIB) available in Spanish, English and French and 4 MOOCs:

Browse ESCP's online courses here.

Supported by a research programme that brings together seven international teams, the Chair organizes seminars and workshops to connect research with the various stakeholders in industrial relations.
Learn more
here.

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