Recap of the 2024 Cooperative and Associated Commerce Meeting
A Vision for the Future of Merchants
On October 3, 2024, more than 300 participants gathered for the 2024 Cooperative and Associated Commerce Meetings, a key event for the sector. Françoise Gatel, Minister Delegate for Rural Affairs, Commerce, and Crafts, opened the day alongside Jean Pierre Dry, President of the FCA, and Valérie Renaudin, Vice President of Université Paris Dauphine-PSL. All three emphasized the importance of innovation and cooperation in addressing the current and future challenges of commerce.
The event took an original turn with the organization of the Tribunal for Future Generations, addressing a crucial question: do merchants still have a future? Four major witnesses, including Thierry Cotillard, President of the Mousquetaires group, Paul de Billy, CEO of Alibaba France, Olivier Dauvers, a journalist specializing in mass consumption, and François Gemenne, a political scientist and climate expert, shared their perspectives on major issues such as artificial intelligence, deconsumption, and climate.
This tribunal was followed by a roundtable discussion, moderated by Julie Hermann, along with Laura Brandenberger and Alexis Gien, both students in the Distribution and Customer Relations Master’s program. Four commerce experts, namely Vincent Chabault, Sociologist and University Professor, Alain Chrétien, Mayor of Vesoul and Vice President of the Association of French Mayors, Pierre Fournier, President of Krys, and Romane Vivier, CEO of the cooperative brand Culinarion, presented their views on best practices in commerce and discussed solutions to ensure the resilience of merchants. The discussion also highlighted the importance of partnerships between universities and economic actors to prepare future generations for the sector’s transformations.
The C-Store project
An innovative, award-winning project
Review the 2018-2019 C-Store
Project préesentation
The C-Store Project engages students throughout the academic year around omnichannel scenarios proposed by one of our partner companies. Students are encouraged to consider distribution channels, digital devices, customer journeys, and a business plan. Using a brief prepared by the partners, the students have to identify, propose, develop, and present a convincing concept from strategy to execution.
In the 2020-21 academic year, students had the opportunity to work for Michelin, the number one tire manufacturer in the world. What was this year’s project? Improving the online customer experience to safeguard the brand’s leadership position in France. A huge thank you to Philippe Armand, Pierre-Loïc Petit, and Xavier Constans for their trust and their commitment!
Thank you too to Proximis, a specialist in unified commerce and our partner on this project, for their support over many years -- they make the project stronger.
Project Pedagogy
The C-Store Project takes a concrete approach to pedagogy that is characteristic of the program’s “learning by doing” approach. Students are trained in project management techniques such as framing and steering and experiment with them throughout the year. They also learn how to write and present a business plan and a digital spec sheet, and to present all aspects of a connected commerce concept, using wireframes and prototypes for the digital components.
It’s a cross-cutting, interdepartmental project that allows them to develop a wide range of skills across marketing and strategy, finance (business plan, budget, ROI, the difference between CAPEX and OPEX), logistics (supply, stock, delivery), customer relations (acquisition, loyalty), digital, and information systems (analysis, platforms).
It is a project that is very grounded in the concrete, that engages students in in-depth learning opportunities as they regularly present their progress to the partner company and engage in agile project development based on their feedback.
A pedagogical team with complementary skillsets
The students are supported by a committed faculty of teachers and consultants, who each mentor one group while serving as advisors to all in matters pertaining to their fields of specialization:
- Valérie Renaudin: partner relations and merchandising
- Joël Plat: retail strategy and finance
- Florent Miquel: project management and omnichannel customer journeys
- Aurelia Barth: e-commerce and digital spec sheets
- Eric Voltzenlogel: digital solutions and IT
- Guillaume Floquet and Grégoire Bothorel from Numberly also support the students by providing them with design thinking techniques.
La Ruche Qui Dit Oui (The Hive that says Yes)
What is La Ruche Qui Dit Oui?
La Ruche Qui Dit Oui is a platform that connects local producers and consumers, advocating for fresh, seasonal, local products, with fair remuneration for producers.
How does it work?
- Register here in two clicks
- Consult what’s on offer from farmers near you and order your fruit, vegetables, bread, and cheese online. You’ll find everything you need, with no minimum purchase.
- Your order is prepared by your hive managers for pick up every week
La Ruche Qui Dit Oui Dauphine
Every year, six students from the Master’s program transform themselves into veritable busy bees in order to manage every aspect of the Université Paris-Dauphine - PSL hive.
Throughout the year, these same students are also charged with promoting the idea of eating across campus and in the local neighborhood.
Distribution takes place between 5pm and 7pm on Thursdays at the rotunda in the center of the Université Paris Dauphine – PSL campus (at the end of the courtyard, by the staircase on the righthand side of wing A). All year round, you’ll have the opportunity to experience recipes, tastings and meet-and-greets with the farmers!
Carrefour Retailing Challenge
The Idea Behind the Carrefour Challenge
Every year, under the aegis of the partnership between Dauphine and Carrefour, Retail and Customer Management students rise to Carrefour’s challenge to develop a solution to a specific issue they are having–in just four days.
The students are divided into six teams (usually three teams to each challenge issue) and put their creativity and professionalism to the test. They are mentored throughout the process. The final showdown takes place in front of a jury of Carrefour directors and employees.
The 2020-21 Carrefour Challenge
Students this year worked on two timely challenges.
The students had just a few days to diagnose the problem, come up with a strategy, and create a deployment plan. After an intensive week of brainstorming, group meetings, and rehearsals, the students presented their responses to the two challenges.
Congratulations to the winning teams!
The students would also like to offer their sincere thanks to the members of the Challenge jury: Rami Baitieh, Efrath Zouari, Zeineb Zarrad, Nordine Hadoui, Anne Laure Poquet, Coralie Drion, Julie Barrail, Frederic Preslot, Beryl Fleur, Nathalie Jacquier, Thomas Pohu, Corentin Charrier, Tiphaine De Feraudy, Segolene Challe, Benjamin Cassinadri, Fleur Albert, Albane Roux Fouillet, Mylene Adnot, Mathilde Denouel, Jean-Charles Barbedette, Canelle Fabre, Marilyne Tual, Julie Hallyg, Agathe Groupy, Elodie Perthuisot and Severine Geoffroy. Thank you to Mathilde Renoux for hosting and organizing, and to all the Carrefour employees who attended the student presentations.
