Sophie Bollinger’s HDR defense

Event details :

Ms Sophie Bollinger will present her work for the Diplôme d’Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) on the following topic :

‘Strategic management of organisational tensions in an uncertain environment: issues and levers for innovation’

This HDR was supervised by Ms Bérangère L. Szostak, Professor, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

The jury was composed of:

Ms Gulsun Altintas, Professor, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Valenciennes (Rapporteur)

Mr Guy Parmentier, Professor, Grenoble IAE Graduate School of Management (Rapporteur)

Ms Fanny Simon, Professor, University of Caen Normandie (Rapporteur)

Mr Mathias Béjean, Professor, University Paris-Est Créteil (Examiner)

Mr Thierry Burger-Helmchen, Professor, University of Strasbourg (Examiner)

Ms Stela Raytcheva, Professor, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Examiner)

Abstract: In a world marked by rapid transformations and unprecedented global challenges such as climate change, social inequalities, regulatory pressures, and technological acceleration, organizations are facing increasingly complex organizational tensions and must reinvent their strategies—especially to meet growing expectations for innovation and social responsibility. Navigating this context often requires balancing seemingly contradictory objectives, such as control versus creativity, profitability versus social values, or economic performance versus societal responsibility.

Although these organizational tensions are often seen as obstacles, our research shows that they can become critical resources and catalysts for organizational innovation. Our work is built around a central question: How do organizations navigate between conflicting objectives—such as control and creativity, or commitment, profitability, and innovation—while leveraging innovation as a strategic driver?

We offer an in-depth reexamination of our research through the lens of dynamic capabilities. This framework helps explain how organizations manage tensions between control and creativity, embed values into their strategies, and use Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a lever for innovation. It also highlights the theoretical and managerial contributions of our work, taking into account global issues such as climate change, the energy transition, and rising societal expectations.

Our research program is structured into three main parts that reflect and organize our reflections:
1 – Innovation and creativity: the delicate balance of management. This section explores how organizations handle the tension between control and creativity. Based on qualitative, quantitative, and multi-sectoral studies (industry, social and solidarity economy, healthcare), our work shows that by combining formal control tools with informal practices, organizations can turn complex challenges into innovation opportunities.
2 – Innovation and values: a new strategic framework. Focusing on the central role of organizational values—particularly in the social and solidarity economy or sustainable entrepreneurship—this research demonstrates that authentically integrating values into strategy supports social innovation while reconciling societal impact with economic viability.
3 – Innovation and CSR: a strategy to address global challenges. This axis investigates how CSR, when strategically embedded, becomes a driver of innovation. It activates dynamic capabilities to transform global challenges into opportunities for both economic and societal performance.

This work argues that organizational tensions, far from being obstacles, can be harnessed as drivers of innovation and transformation. It calls for a rethinking of strategic management frameworks in light of contemporary uncertainties.

The defence will take place at the LAREQUOI laboratory at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

A zoom link is also available:  https://cnrs.zoom.us/j/91342567110?pwd=KkCYOq87n145JvqV8bqkoy0n034scC.1