Organisation (ORG)

Creating Responsible Business


ERIM’s Organisation (ORG) programme actively pushes for novel research in the areas of management and organization, as well as business and society. The primary objective is to develop and test fundamental theory in applied organisational research. The common thread always concerns itself with people: the way they shape and interact within and via organisations and with society as a whole. The programme is organised around two main themes, OB (Organisational Behaviour) and VbO (Values-based Organising). The former deals with analysis at the management and organisation level, while the latter primarily concerns itself with organisations and their interaction with their institutional and ecological environment.
This focus allows higher quality research to be produced in order to increase academic and practical recognition. Researchers constantly strive to integrate both areas as a way to achieve interdisciplinary research. There is also ample opportunity for researchers to investigate new questions and topics not necessarily encompassed within the two main core themes.

The programme has undertaken notable research initiatives, whose societal relevance is, in part, reflected by its consistent award of grants from national and EU funding agencies. The effectiveness with which societal challenges are addressed can be seen in two prominent examples: the PrC (Partnerships Resource Centre) and CESAM (Centre of Excellence on Public Safety Management). The PrC concentrates on connecting research with effective partnering in order to address complex societal issues in a sustainable way. CESAM, on the other hand, creates a neutral platform that brings management perspective into discussions in the area of public safety and security. The programme as a whole ensures societal relevance by always directing its research and discourse into a practical application of its findings.

What follows is an elaboration on the work of these two research centres. The PrC is currently involved in several projects in which companies figure prominently. First, there is a PPP Lab that provides a learning and research environment for Public-Private Partnerships addressing the themes of food and water security. The accumulated knowledge aids successful partnership development and is disseminated amongst the participants. Furthermore, the PrC has worked on an innovative phase-model tool that supports organizations in their path towards sustainability. Rabobank is currently using this tool. The final case tackles health through a collective effort with Royal Philips by researching crucial partnerships with the aid of Partnership Portfolio Management in order to achieve maximum reach in the provision of adequate healthcare in Africa. CESAM has been active in the area of public safety and security, contributing their knowhow in management. Major projects include their work in collaborating with police forces and the public, as well as a thorough and much-covered evaluation of the Dutch National Police force. Their work has generated a number of important collaborations and regularly supports the development of educational materials and technologies vital to public safety.


Source: ERIM Self Assessment Report 2010 – 2015, January 2017