IRENE develops research projects in nine different fields related to negotiation.

The originality in IRENE's approach to negotiation theories is to create a bond between ancient theories of negotiation and contemporary theories developed by Anglo-Saxon universities. Several key principles described in ancient theories can also be found in contemporary theories in the fields of psychology, economics and decision-making. During our research projects, we always try to link negotiation history to more recent approaches developed in social sciences.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

The contributions of the history of negotiation were too often neglected. Since the Greeks, the Venetian or through all the French school of the diplomacy, there is a great richness of texts. We thus tried to give it in value through the release and the translation of old texts, or the organization of conferences. We show as well that the theories of negotiation are inspired by the long history of negotiation. It is one of specificities of IRENE to root its research in diplomatic history.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

For our negotiation seminars, we believe in adapting the concepts and role simulations to each specific context, instead of always analyzing the same legal business cases imported from other cultures. We therefore try to adapt negotiation cases to the French and European context.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

The danger with most theories developed until now is their ethnocentrism. In their research projects, IRENE members make sure that negotiation concepts themselves are developed by and for different cultures. For example, we have recently worked on ancient Arabic publications on the role of ambassadors, or on how proverbs are used in negotiations in Africa or Vietnam.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

France has a long tradition of centralization. Training the best French high officials at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, ENA, fits into this tradition. IRENE has had a successful partnership with ENA for many years: we have developed specific research projects and training material, analyzing connexions between the public and private spheres.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

Being part of ESSEC Business School, IRENE has from the start focused on business-related negotiation topics: developing negotiation skills in sales and marketing, analyzing the impacts of creating new activities such as specialized purchasing/procurement units, or understanding the essential role of negotiation in finance (LBOs, mergers and acquisitions.). Our corporate clients have high expectations on these topics.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

France has a long tradition of collective negotiation. We have therefore early on decided to concentrate on identifying ways to improve social dialogue. We belong to a culture of struggle. Management and labor unions often find it difficult to create mutual value during collective bargaining. We offer them the space they need to debate and reflect on how to achieve mutual gains. Such was the case for the 35-hour work week negotiations, with a dedicated conference hosted by IRENE. We will keep on doing so with future social challenges.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

Negotiation is at the heart of a manager's job. Being a leader often means being a negotiator, whether it be with labor unions -social dialogue-, with suppliers and customers -business negotiation-, or with public institutions -public negotiation-. A leader IS a negotiator, and it is therefore essential to identify the inherent qualities of a leader-negotiator: handling team-work, building coalitions, promoting and managing change within the company.
This is why we have developed a specific practice on teambuilding and leadership.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]

Negotiations must take place upstream, in a contractual way, a negotiation of projects. Often, negotiation intervenes in situations of conflicts. Where there was not enough dialogue, consultation, and even if there was a contract, difficulties of implementation appear turning the conflict into the recipient of the human beings reality. Negotiation skills are important keys to succeed with better managing the conflicts, to acquire a better intelligence of the conflict. One of the roles of the leaders is to see that in the management of the conflicts, the mediator has a key role.
[ Learn more about our expertise ]