The business world is central to EDHEC's research and because it gives rise to products, concepts or processes conceived for businesses, bought by businesses and really used by businesses, we call it Research for Business.

This innovative research strategy makes EDHEC Business School the European academic institution with the greatest influence on the market in certain areas considered relevant to the business world. The research carried out by the School's faculty and research teams has given rise to numerous publications, many of which are award-winning studies that have earned company funding, and all of which provide quality guidance necessary for use in the industry. EDHEC Business School professors take part in all the leading international conferences and are regularly called upon by global companies such as Air France and Auchan for consulting missions. Awareness of their expertise is quickly spreading throughout the industry, and the need for continual interaction between firms and researchers increases the benefits for both parties. These same professors then share their expertise with students in the classroom.

Thanks to the research undertaken by EDHEC's Risk and Asset Management Research Centre over the last 4 years, the school is now a key player in asset management innovation. The results from this centre are used by firms in the sector to develop new financial product offers. This was the case, among other examples, of the two alternative funds launched last May by Société Générale, and more recently, the optimal allowance funds, halfway between shares and the Long-Short Equity strategies proposed by Alteram (subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel North-Europe).

The creation of this fund was preceded, in November 2004, by the launch of the EuroPerformance-Edhec Style Rating in France, an investment fund measurement service developed from the collaboration between EDHEC and EuroPerformance. Available free of charge on the Internet (http://www.stylerating.com), the service provides a means of rating the performance of mutual funds.

Thus, in September 2004, EDHEC Alternative Investment Education became the exclusive European supplier of CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) courses, while a new M.Sc. in Risk and Asset Management was launched for the 2005-2006 academic year. In the same way, the capacity for innovation and research of the Management and Strategy department team incited Auchan and Renault to entrust their management training programmes to EDHEC.

Similarly, EDHEC's competencies in marketing research resulted in the marketing centre being chosen to create an original space optimization study model for CASTORAMA, and the expertise of the legal department in the field of e-commerce rights has made EDHEC a key player with professionals in the sector. EDHEC's research has not only resulted in the development of new products, but has also led to new courses and programmes.

Finally, management research collaboration between EDHEC and the corporate world led to partnerships with sector leaders like Renault Trucks or Redcats within the frame of the EDHEC Foundation, resulting in original research projects on knowledge management for the former and an analysis of leadership for the latter. In the same vein, a team of researchers considered the problems of risk communication with the backing of Ernst & Young.