Introduction

Nathalie Crutzen, PhD, is Associate Professor in Strategy and Sustainability at HEC-Management School of the University of Liege (HEC-ULg). Nathalie Crutzen holds the Accenture Chair in Sustainable Strategy and is Director of the Smart City Institute.

Under the lead of Associate Professor Nathalie Crutzen, the Accenture Chair in Sustainable Strategy at HEC-ULg develops scientific activities (research, teaching, training, etc.) in the field of sustainability, strategy and performance management. In this context, Nathalie Crutzen has developed, over the last 6 years, several research projects on sustainability, strategy and related management (control); on sustainability innovations as well as on sustainable and smart cities.

Launched in January 2015, the Smart City Institute (SCI) is an academic institute dedicated to the thematic of smart cities. It is founded on an original partnership between private companies (Accenture, Belfius & Proximus), public actors (Walloon Region, City of Liege) and a University and its Management School (HEC-ULg). This academic institute aims at stimulating research, teaching, innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of the “smart city”. The SCI proposes to approach this thematic from a managerial angle (not a technical one) while collaborating with other disciplines (necessary multidisciplinary approach). For more details: www.smartcityinstitute.be

Nathalie Crutzen is also responsible for the coordination of a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to sustainability management that gathers together professors and researchers from various areas in management (human resource management, marketing, social entrepreneurship, supply chain management, etc.) as well as from other disciplines (economy, geography, architecture, environmental sciences, etc.).