Denis Segrestin#

RESEARCH

Denis Segrestin’s research addresses the world of work, relations of production, and the socio-historical conditions surrounding their evolution. Initially, his research focused on factors affecting the creation of an individual’s professional identity and how these impact a person’s behavior in the workplace. He saw the “phénomène corporatiste” (phenomenon of corporatism) not as a remnant, but rather as proof of the strength of working communities forged by the process of industrialization : these communities have outlived the economic conditions and techniques that created them to now exemplify the autonomy of work from capital.

From 1985 on, Denis Segrestin turned his attention to firms. He noticed that firms were regaining esteem in the collective unconscious (at a time when employment was a growing concern), and he thus sought to understand the scope of the “renaissance” taking place. In his book Sociologie de l’entreprise (The Sociology of firms), he gave an overarching view of the historical conditions in which firms – always thought to be in opposition to the accepted social order – were able to regain the status of veritable social institutions.

Recently, Denis Segrestin conducted research to understand, from the inside-out, changes taking place in large organizations. He observed that over the space of twenty years, developed societies have created new ways of depicting the rationalization of production, and thus decided to do a sociological analysis of management. He has also worked on the role of management generally in the context of the continuing evolution of capitalism. He examined the mechanisms at work in the innovation processeses of large firms.

His present project focuses on the institutional dimension of changes currently taking place, with an aim to form new conclusions (work in progress). Globalization has created a blank slate for corporate structure and governance. What level of cohesion and legitimacy do network-firms and holding companies have ? What should we call the entities that result from the international development of firms or from mergers and acquisitions? What political heritage should be linked to new issues of corporate social responsability ? What role does the management of human resources really play in industrial strategy ? Sociology does not yet fully take into account these questions; empirical analysis of these questions has become essential. This is precisely what Denis Segrestin is doing through the “Programme Entreprise” (Firms and Markets Program) at the CSO.

ACTIVITIES

Director of the doctoral program at the CSO. Member of the jury for Master's candidates majoring in Sociology of Action at Sciences Po.

Co-director, then director of the Centre de recherche Innovation socio-technique et organisations industrielles (Socio-technical innovation and industrial organizations research center) (CRISTO), Université Pierre Mendès France & CNRS, 1992-2002.

Director of the doctoral program Organisation industrielle et systèmes de production (Industrial organization and production systems) (Institut national polytechnique de Grenoble & Université Pierre Mendès France), 1999-2002.

Membership in Research Groups

Sociology specialist for the Agence d’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur (Higher education and research evaluation agency) (AERES).

Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (Institute of Human Sciences) in Brittany (MSHB, Rennes).

Member of the Laboratoire de sociologie du travail et des relations professionnelles (Industrial sociology and relations laboratory) (CNAM & CNRS), 1971-1990.

Director of the Laboratoire de sociologie du travail et des relations professionnelles (Industrial sociology and relations laboratory) (CNAM et CNRS), 1986-1989.

Chair of the Sciences de l’homme au travail dans l’entreprise (Human sciences in the working world) department, Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM), 1977-1981.

Editorial Activities

Member of the Editorial Board for the Sciences Po Press, co-director of the Gouvernances (Governance) series with Patrick Le Galès.

Member of the Editorial Board for the Revue française de sociologie (since 1986); member of the R.F.S. Association Bureau.