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International
Conference Émile Bernheim
"Retailing Internationalisation in the XIXth
- XXIth centuries".
Université Libre de Bruxelles, (2008)
The context
For a decade, the Université Libre de Bruxelles has been showing its proficiency in the field of the History of retail & distribution, with the never-ending support of the Fondation Bernheim. Research activities are illustrated by a huge bibliography, by the organisation of two major conferences and three student seminars, by the transfer of the GIB Group archives to the ULB, or by the realisation of many student dissertations or PhD's. All this work is in direct line with the activities of the Groupe d'Histoire du Patronat.
International meeting - Émile Bernheim
International conferences will be held every two years and will gather the best experts and researchers working on Retail and Distribution worldwide. The idea is to avoid a strict historical study. In the contrary, economists, geographers, marketers,... will take part to the meetings. For each Conference, a topic will be determined and handled in an interdisciplinary and transverse way. Professionals of the sector will be invited to the sessions, and in particular to the final round table, organised at their attention.
They will notably allow to:
- Ensure a transverse and interdisciplinary approach of the Research on Retail & Distribution;
- Encourage the gathering of Sector professionals together with expert researchers from anywhere in the world;
- Pursue Emile Bernheim's wish to develop the highest scientific expertise in the field of Distribution, in order to grant it as an academic discipline.
- Contribute to the reinforcement of the corporate image of the Retail sector;
- To give an international dimension to the Research activities on Retail & Distribution developed until now in Belgium.
The first Conference will be held in 2008 (date to be determined), on the theme: "Retailing Internationalisation in the XIXth - XXIe centuries".
The topic is particularly rich and meddles with the most recent events, as the internationalisation trend is, today, one of the more characteristic of the sector evolution. The goal will be to show that, by nature, the Retail sector has always been open to the outside world, and that contacts abroad were already numerous since the XIXth century. They encouraged mutual influences on Department stores organisation.
Émile Bernheim's example can be cited here. Since 1927, he had been travelling in the United States, from where he brought back a crop of lessons that he applied at L'Innovation (studies service, staff training...) and that influenced considerably the Belgian Retail sector development. In the same way, one can also mention his action of setting up the first Belgian and European organisations for the defence of department stores. They will play a leading role in the diffusion of best practices. One can multiply examples, demonstrating that the Retail sector has always been tremendously aware of the outside world, and where international contacts were numerous and successful.
It will then be interesting to observe that the current developments (mergers and acquisitions, internationalisation of groups ...) happen in the continuation of a trend finding its roots in the XIXth century.
Of course, this analysis will not be reduced to the strict Retail sector. It will also be opened on the impacts on contiguous sectors and on the consumers practices.
Beside
the organisation Committee, a scientific committee will gather the
most famous researchers from Belgian and abroad. An international managers
committee will also imply a maximum of belgian and international retail
managers.
