By Olga Prin
On recommendation of her supervisor Philippe Zarlowski, professor at ESCP Europe (Paris), Isabelle Flachère spontaneously agreed to come to HEC Montréal as a visiting researcher at the invitation of Chairholder Samuel Sponem. Barely a few months away from her dissertation set up for September 21, 2015, stepping out of her natural environment for a two month stay at the Chair was a welcome change of pace for the doctoral student. Moreover, she saw it as a wonderful opportunity to integrate new dimensions to her studies on the impact of various management control tools in connection with their interpretation and use by healthcare sector stakeholders.
During her stay, Isabelle Flachère indeed got a chance to attend a good number of seminars held by HEC Montreal’s Department of Accounting Sciences and Health Pole (Pôle Santé), discuss her work with other academics and professionals, see things under a new light, acquire new knowledge on practices in use overseas, and compare the how management control systems are applied in France as opposed to Quebec within the scope of her thesis. Closing in on her experience, she enjoyed having direct contact with organizations which made her gain a more operational outlook. “Researchers and practitioners work closely together in Quebec which is not so much the case in France. In my view, this enhances research both from an operational as well as an academic standpoint.” Isabelle Flachère was admittedly fascinated by the similarity of the general context and pressures faced by French and Quebec healthcare systems. Same cost reduction views, same products, supplies, care, service and administrative structures…
Fully immerged in her thesis work during her visit, her only regret is not having had enough time to meet up with more interuniversity colleagues who share her passion for management control. She firmly believes institutional environments seeking to increase their efficiency have much to gain from the discipline.