Federal Government Provides $700,000 to Fund Research on Management of Technological Change

Québec City, Quebec, April 27, 2004 – The Honourable Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of the Honourable Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced today the establishment of a Chair in e-business at Université Laval. This new Chair will be dedicated to research on e-business design. In this age of globalization, e-business, and increased sensitivity to environmental and ethical issues, businesses must cope with stiff competition and economic instability. The goal of this Chair is to help develop and test better ways of designing and reinventing businesses to ensure their prosperity in this new economy. The chair is sponsored jointly by NSERC, now also known as Science and Engineering Research Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

“Because e-business technologies are changing so rapidly, effective management of technological change is essential if Canada is to successfully meet the challenges of today’s global knowledge economy”, said Minister Robillard. “The NSERC/Bell/Cisco Chair in eBusiness Design plans to carry out an innovative research program that will help all of Canadian industry remain competitive.”

“The establishment of a new research chair for e-business design at Université Laval is excellent news for the Greater Québec Area and for the riding of Louis-Hébert. The Government of Canada is very proud to be part of this project, which is helping local businesses improve their performance and competitiveness,” said Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The federal contribution to this Chair, which was awarded under the joint NSERC/SSHRC Chairs in the Management of Technological Change initiative, will total $700,000. The Chair will conduct its research in collaboration with three partners from the private sector: Bell Canada, Cisco Systems Canada and IBM. These partners will contribute a combined total of $800,000, along with expertise and resources that will synergize research activities and ensure the dissemination of research results. The Chair plans to provide training to some 50 master’s and doctoral students each year, and to have ten of them participate in its research efforts.

As Dr. Benoit Montreuil, the Chair’s scientific director, explained: “The Chair’s program will integrate four types of research in a highly innovative fashion: empirical research among business leaders; applied research through innovative e-business design projects carried out in the field; tools-oriented research to develop a platform for designing, simulating and piloting businesses; and basic research to explore the frontiers of the discipline.” He added that “the expected results of the Chair’s research will be of particular interest to business leaders and the teams of professionals involved in planning and guiding the development of their firms.”

NSERC’s President, Dr. Tom Brzustowski, pointed to Dr. Montreuil’s exemplary track record in this field: “As a specialist in the management of change and of technological development, Dr. Montreuil is the ideal person to develop integrated, sustainable methods of managing e-business design. By combining engineering and management perspectives, the research directed by Dr. Montreuil will unquestionably revolutionize the virtual business model. Moreover, the Chair’s collaboration with its industry partners will provide a remarkable opportunity to train the students who participate in its research.”

SSHRC’s President, Dr. Marc Renaud, added: “Given Dr. Montreuil’s past successes both in the world of business and in leading-edge research, there is no doubt whatsoever that the results he achieves will have immediate spin-off benefits for Canadian business. The students and researchers who work under his supervision will acquire experience that will prove invaluable as they pursue careers in research or industry.”

This Chair is one of many funded by NSERC and SSHRC through their Research Partnerships Programs, which support high-level research with social or industrial value and the transfer of the results to Canadian organizations. The funding of the chairs is determined by a rigorous peer review process in which the merits of research proposals are carefully assessed.

NSERC is a key federal agency investing in people, discovery and innovation. It supports both basic university research through research grants, and project research through partnerships among postsecondary institutions, government and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.

For further information, please contact:

Martine Perreault
Media Relations and Public Affairs Officer
Communications Division
NSERC
Tel.: (613) 995-8824
E-mail: martine.perreault@nserc.ca

Andrea Budgell
Government and Stakeholder Relations Officer
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Tel.: (613) 944-4347
E-mail: andrea.budgell@sshrc.ca

Benoit Montreuil
Département des opérations et systèmes de décision
Université Laval
Tel.: (418) 656-3124
E-mail: benoit.montreuil@centor.ulaval.ca

Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Canadian Heritage Minister
Tel.: (819) 997-7788

Daniel Grenier
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Tel.: (613) 995-9001