The thesis project aims to study the narratives expressed by business leaders regarding their circular economy practices, analysing their environmental and social impacts (employee well-being, community respect, etc.) and their access to financing. The first phase will involve constructing a typology of the narratives associated with these environmental practices based on the leaders’ discourses, using qualitative analyses and text analysis methods. In the second phase, these narratives will be compared with secondary data on the environmental and social performance of companies. Finally, an experimental study will be conducted with potential financiers to evaluate which types of narratives are most attractive for financing. This research will contribute to a better understanding of the links between leaders’ narratives, their societal and environmental performance, and their access to financing, all within the context of recent European regulatory advances on circular economy.
The selected candidate will be working under the supervision of Prof. Marion DUPIRE. The selected Ph.D. candidate will be part of Finance department at IESEG and will benefit from continuous interactions with its members.