Aurélien Colson

The Ambassador, Between Light and Shade : The Emergence of Secrecy as the Norm of International Negotiation

The aim of this research paper is to analyse to what extent secrecy emerged as the uncontested norm for international negotiations after the Renaissance. The first section (1) introduces six key negotiation practitioners in 17th century Europe, including some of the earliest writers on negotiation: Hotman, Mazarini, Wicquefort, Rousseau de Chamoy, Callieres, and Pecquet. Through an analysis of their original writings – most of which are no longer available in print – the following sections demonstrate that if an ambassador had to appear in the bright light of royal Court (2), his constant preoccupation was secrecy (3). How to protect his own secrets from third-parties (4) and uncover others’ secrets (5) were central focal points, establishing secrecy as the paradigm for modern international negotiation.

Futures studies in the European Union's new member states

Purpose – In May 2004, ten new member states joined the European Union (EU). Although these countries have experienced very different historical and political systems, they face a shared future. This paper seeks to answer the question: how do they analyze this future?Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers approaches in the new member states including forecasting, strategic planning, foresight and futures studies – and highlights the link with public policies. The second part of this paper offers a detailed presentation of the main players involved in futures studies in each of these ten countries.Findings – All of the new member states have begun to develop competencies in analyzing the future. This is particularly remarkable in the former Communist members states. Connections between the institutions of foresight are still limited, however, and fostering relations between foresight and other agencies across the EU is a significant challenge for the future.Originality/value – Provides an insigh...

Quebec confronting its future: some tools for public decision making

Purpose – This paper seeks to analyse the tools and initiatives developed in the public sector in Quebec to anticipate futures challenges.Design/methodology/approach – The paper surveys and analyses forward‐looking activities within governments, the public sector and institutes in Quebec.Findings – The paper finds that Quebec is taking care of its future, especially through sustainable development policies. Strategic planning is in widespread use, boosted by administration reforms in the 1990s; strategic intelligence is gaining ground through a network gathering the main public institutions; and a promising foresight is going on.Originality/value – The study provides an insight into the state of futures research in Quebec and its characteristics.

Employee Representatives in France: Employers’ Perceptions and Expectations Towards Improved Industrial Relations

In Part 1, this paper provides an overview of historical, legal, political and cultural factors which have shaped, to this day, the system of industrial relations in France. Drawing on the quantitative results of an on-line survey and on the qualitative analysis of a series of interviews with a sample of HR managers in France, Part 2 and 3 analyze how employers perceive Employee Representatives when it comes to social dialogue: eight factors impacting the quality of industrial relations are summarized. Building on this, Part 4 introduces eight suggestions to improve the quality of social dialogue in France.