Bernard Galambaud, Doctor in Sociology, is Emeritus professor at ESCP Business School and a specialist of human resource management. He began his career in large state-run companies in the steel, transportation and nuclear energy sectors. Following this period of “practical learning”, Professor Galambaud joined the Institut Entreprise et Personnel, a think tank serving large French companies and specialised in issues relating to management and the management of human resources. At the Institute Bernard held the position of Academic Director for many years.
Alongside this activity, Bernard held several teaching positions, to begin with at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Paris), then at ESCP, where he created the Specialist Master programme in Management of People and Organisations. He led this programme for over 15 years. He also developed close ties with higher education in the French-speaking world, in Canada at HEC Montreal and at the University of Laval (Quebec), and in Belgium at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve.
Professor Galambaud soon developed a highly personal approach to HR issues. He objected in principle to an instrumental approach which limits HR management to the mere use of tools in the box. He also refused an ideological approach which is either too critical, making use of threats, or too orthodox, leaning on arguments from authority for its legitimacy. In the final analysis he prefers a political posture combining subtle pragmatism with clear aims.
In his teaching and research Bernard Galambaud attaches equal importance to the relevance of concepts and the strength of arguments. He believes in an “aesthetics of efficiency” and strives to be relevant and clear to both researchers and teachers, to HR professionals and experienced managers.