Editorial - Michel Freyssenet

The Fourth International Colloquium: an Important Step for GERPISA's Development

First of all, because of participation. Even though this year all costs were up to the participants themselves, 107 network members registered for the encounter, including 51 researchers from countries other than France. The large Japanese delegation was able to make up for last-minute American cancelations. The European delegation was complete with regards to countries already represented in GERPISA and was enlarged to Portugal and Turkey. Numerous researchers also came from Latin America.

Secondly, the Fourth Colloquium was an important one because of its communications and debates. They allowed us to elucidate more precisely, rapidly, and clearly (something we never would have imagined) the theme of the Second Program, to envision continuity with results from the First Program, and to explore different aspects. Above all, they allowed us to verify its character which is a major factor for the automobile industry in the coming years and central in understanding transformations in this branch, in the end allowing us to establish theoretical objectives. Those who were not able to come to Paris can obtain the Encounter Acts by following instructions located inside this La Lettre. In the "News from the Program" column, you may read what has thusfar been agreed upon relative to the definition of the Second Program.

Finally, the June Encounter represents an important step because of discussions on the network's orientation and work organization. During the First Program, the network expanded greatly, and new members discovered "on the field" just exactly what was GERPISA's intellectual and organizational project, even if they had been able to grasp main aspects in diverse readings. Since January 1996, this project has been presented in each Newsletter. At the beginning of the Colloquium, GERPISA's underlying research strategy was reiterated, as well as the type of scientific cooperation we are trying to develop and the process which allows researchers from different disciplines, nationalities, and theoretical orientations to nevertheless succeed in elaborating and drawing conclusions together by accepting to focus on the same research question, and to offer each other the means to work together.

In the final analysis, two main questions were raised : how to progress further in elaborating and drawing common conclusions, or if the case may be, in the explication of diverging interpretations after doing the maximum in assembling necessary elements to respond to the adopted research question? How to make the slightest investment of those who partake in the Program, and in light of personal constraints, not be an insurmountable obstacle to full participation in more general reflection? In the "Debate" column, you may read two articles relative to this last topic. GERPISA should be able to progressively find, thanks to cooperation dynamics brought on by its intellectual project, practical responses to questions without decreasing the Program's ambitions.

This dynamic demonstrated itself during discussions on the organizational schema of projects proposed at the end of the Encounter, presented as a solid base of reflection. It also demonstrated itself by our Japanese and Latin American colleagues' intention to themselves find financing in order to allow their participation in GERPISA's activities, and to constitute regional groups. Hence, GERPISA is going to continue to evolve. It will also evolve by the very need to open itself to researchers form eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.

In La Lettre 106, to come out in September, you may find a text which will explore the problematic and the organization of the Second Program as they were presented and discussed during the Fourth Colloquium.A provisional schedule for 1996-1997 was established. You'll find it on the last page of this issue. You can already retain the dates.