Holding a Master in Business Administration, Valérie Monnin began her career in controlling within the watchmaking industry before steering her path towards marketing in the food sector. She is currently responsible for relationships with major retailers for an organisation active in organic agriculture and handles positioning and differentiation strategies.
In March 2025, she defended her Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) on the topic “Beyond ‘organic’: the pursuit of internal coherence as a driving force for differentiation of organic processors – The Swiss case” under the supervision of Professor Michelle Bergadaà, Emeritus Professor at the University of Geneva. Her research explores how organic food processors can maintain their coherence in the face of market changes, with particular emphasis on the influence of leadership personality in this adaptation process.
Thesis Direction
Prof Bergadaà Michelle
Thesis Title
Beyond ‘Organic’: The search for internal consistency as a differentiating factor for organic processors – The case of Switzerland
Abstract
Switzerland, a pioneer in organic agriculture, has the highest per capita organic consumption in Europe, the result of a rich history and the early commitment of major retailers. In this context, this research examines organic processing companies that play an essential role in ensuring the link between production and consumption. Despite their importance in the value chain, these actors remain little explored in scientific literature, leaving gaps regarding their organisational and managerial specificities. These companies today face a major challenge: maintaining their differentiation in a market where organic is becoming mainstream and sustainable practices are progressively becoming the norm.
The central issue questions the coherence factors allowing relevant segmentation of organic processors, in order to develop recommendations adapted to each company profile to ensure their sustainability in this changing environment. The contributions are twofold: on the theoretical side, the research enriches Bergadaà’s (2006) community models by adapting them to the context of organic processors, while mobilising the concepts of “multiple identities” (Lahire, 2012) and organisational responsibility (Carroll, 1979); on the practical side, it offers concrete strategic recommendations to help managers position themselves effectively in an ever-evolving market.
The originality of this research is based on reversing the traditional paradigm of organisational analysis by placing the identity of the manager as the focal point for understanding entrepreneurial dynamics. The methodology, qualitative and inductive, mobilising the embedded vision of the company (Polanyi, 1944) and the ethical stakeholder theory (Freeman, 1997), is based on twelve semi-structured interviews conducted with managers of organic processing companies, analysed through a combination of thematic and structural approaches.
The research identifies three community constructs structuring the sector: the integrative community (organic as the historical foundation of the company, with a protective identity), the shared-destiny community (organic integrated into a multidimensional vision of sustainability), and the opportunity network (organic as a market to exploit). The analysis reveals four groups of key determinants (purpose, collective roots, organisation and responsibility) that shape approaches in societal, environmental, managerial and commercial dimensions.
The theoretical model proposes that a dynamic balance between three dimensions—the manager’s identity, community belonging and the economic model—constitutes a determining factor for the internal coherence and sustainability of organic processors. This research proposes a three-step process (recognition, construction, reinforcement) allowing companies to identify their community positioning and redefine it in coherence with the manager’s identity.
“Shared destiny” type companies appear particularly well positioned to meet the expectations of new generations, suggesting their potentially transformative role in the evolution of the sector towards authentic and ethical social responsibility.
In an environment where societal expectations are rapidly evolving, this coherence between manager identity, community belonging and economic model becomes a crucial differentiation driver, allowing organic processors to maintain their singularity while adapting to contemporary challenges.