Date: Friday, 28 March 2025, 14:00, online via TEAMS
Convenor: Christoph Weber, EU*Asia Institute at ESSCA School of Management
Click here to join (via TEAMS)
We are pleased to announce the second EU*Asia Institute’s Master’s Conference which will showcase the research of three ESSCA Master's students.
The aim of this conference is to provide a platform for the best Masters students to present and discuss their research. It will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, refine research and enrich collective reflection.
Discussions will cover a variety of topics, such as innovation in changing and highly competitive markets, including in times of crisis, and the management of organic waste in urban areas.
Programme
Introduction and moderation by Christoph Weber
Zhichao ZHENG (Tutor: Antonella FORGANNI)
Topic: The Role of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Accelerating Digital International Trade: A Case Study of Steam's Video Game Transactions.
Digital international trade demonstrated remarkable resilience and potential during the pandemic.
In this context, Zhichao's thesis focuses on the development of Steam, a digital gaming platform, over the past three years. It analyzes how the platform adapted to the pandemic through dynamic pricing, regional localization strategies, and data-driven operations. His study also examines the long-term implications of these innovations on the platform economy, highlighting sustainable growth pathways for digital trade in the post-pandemic era.
Léa TAROUX (Tutor: Marjorie Tendero)
Topic: Stairway to compost: A comparative study of composting policies in France and Germany
From waste to resource, composting is more than just a technical process. While composting is widely recognized as a sustainable waste management solution, its success relies not only on technical feasibility but also on governance structures, policy frameworks, and public engagement.
How do municipalities manage the interaction between policy frameworks, citizen engagement, and governance mechanisms to develop and implement effective composting strategies? The effectiveness of such strategies depends on the ability of local governments to coordinate stakeholders, implement appropriate regulatory measures, and foster citizen participation.
Léa's study adopts a comparative perspective to analyse how local policies shape composting practices in France and Germany, with a focus on urban governance mechanisms. More specifically, it examines how municipal policies, institutional dynamics, and grassroots initiatives interact to facilitate or hinder the development of composting infrastructures. By investigating the role of governance in the implementation of organic waste management strategies, this research aims to identify the key factors that influence the success or failure of composting policies in urban settings.
Baptiste LAURENT (Tutor: Antonella FORGANNI)
Topic: Les impacts à long terme de la collusion sur l’innovation. (The long-term impacts of collusion on innovation.)
When firms collude instead of competing, the dynamics of a market change, especially with respect to innovation.
While it may provide stability in the short run, it often tends to reduce competitive pressure between firms and slow down investment in research and development.
This thesis examines the impact of collusion on long-term innovation in different industries. It seeks to determine whether firms manage to regain their capacity for improvement after the end of these practices, while analysing the role of regulation and the influence of competition on technological progress.
Baptiste's presentation will be in French.
Do you have an interest in academic research and debate? Join us at this conference, a space for exchange and reflection open to all. Come and discover what could be the next generation of researchers and opinion leaders.
