Exploring the creation of values through waste management in poor communities as an alternative to waste externalization: 022 E Participative research examples showing collaborative learning in India, Bolivia and Brazil 2019SACL : Thèse de doctorat de l'Université Paris-Saclay préparée à l’Université d’Evry-Val-d’Essonne NNT École doctorale n°578 : Sciences de l’homme et de la société (SHS) Spécialité de doctorat : Sciences de gestion Thèse présentée et soutenue à Evry, le 18 Novembre 2019, par Marc-Antoine Diego GUIDI Composition du Jury : Marc LEMENESTREL Professeur des Universités Président Université de Pompeu Fabra, Barcelone, ESPAGNE Olivier GERMAIN Professeur des Universités Rapporteur Université du Québec à Montréâl, CANADA Ângela Cristina SALGEIRO MARQUÈS Professeure des Universités Rapporteur Universite Federale de Minas Gerais, BRESIL Pascal CORBEL Professeur des Universités Examinateur Université Jean Monnet, PARIS SUD Hugo LETICHE Professeur des Universités, Examinateur Université de Leicester, ROYAUME UNI Jean-Luc MORICEAU Professeur des Universités Directeur de thèse Institut Mines Telecom Business School (-LITEM), EVRY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Cleanliness is Holiness. Jnananand: Waste, PhD!” From Sadguru Shri. Matha Amritanandamayi Devi, Chancellor, M/s. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), as well as head and inspiration of a prominent Indian NGO, “Embrace the World”, and one of the world’s most renowned spiritual Masters, from Kerala, South India. During a darshan (spiritual embrace) in 2012. Matha Amritanandamayi (Amma) This is how my journey, linking volunteering grassroots projects and research in India, began, guided to a spiritual purpose through waste and waste management. Starting a PhD at the end of 2012 in Management, at Amrita School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), as Jnananand, the “one blessed in knowledge, knowledge as perception of the world from the heart chakra”. What a journey it has been for me! Om Amriteshwaryai Namaha. (“I bow down at your Holy Feet, in deep gratitude … of the path you inspired me to take.”) This journey took me through three continents - Europe, Asia and South America -in the course of volunteering in three countries (India, Bolivia and Brazil) and experiencing so many amazing 1 projects while meeting incredible people. Please excuse the length of this acknowledgment section, paying tribute to those who helped me in the course of seven years of my life. It would be impossible to sum up here the seven years of my journey and mention all the people who met and who touched me. All of you are in my prayers of gratitude. I would like to start by mentioning three major professors in my life, who have left us in the course of the seven years of the research journey: my father François Guidi, my life teacher and support, inspiring me to reach deeper, to give meaning to each and every step, and more importantly to always keep a humble and grateful heart. My professor of “genetics”, Pr. Giorgini Venturieri, from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, the first to host me officially in Brazil at UFSC, to give me a new perspective on the theory of evolution looking at collaboration instead of competition, new evolution theories. And my forro teacher at UFSC, Mr. Kauan Waltrick Cardoso, with whom I learned about flows, letting go, letting others express themselves, musicality and empowerment through nature. You all left us too soon, but you left so much behind. This thesis is a tribute to your presence and messages. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Jury, Jury Rapporteurs, Prof.ª Drª Angela Cristina Salgueiro Marquès, UFMG, Brazil, Prof. Olivier Germain, Université du Quebec a Montreal, Canada, director of thesis, Prof. Jean-Luc Moriceau, Institut des Mines Telecom Business School, Examiners, Prof. Marc Lemestrel, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Spain, Prof. Hugo Letiche, University of Leicester, United Kingdom, Prof. Pascal Corbel, Université Paris Sud. I would like here to express my deepest gratitude for the guidance of my thesis director Prof. Jean- Luc Moriceau, Head of Doctoral education at IMT-BS, who gave me a voice, and inspired a new confidence to tell the story of this amazing journey, the story of ten years volunteering in field projects, transforming them into academic research, and most of all finding a way to give a voice to outcast communities. Thanks to him, a corporate NGO and consultancy person became a ii researcher, finding the right methods and tools to allow this transformation of experiences into experiments, academic results and discussions. He helped me to build bridges between worlds, to learn from each of them, and to deliver messages. Jean-Luc contributed hours of volunteering work, visiting my projects in Belo Horizonte, tirelessly teaching me how to write academically, writing articles, chapters of two books, giving a place to voices that had never been heard, never been spoken about, telling stories that do not fit in with patterns… A special thank you too Isabela and Arthur who kindly welcomed me into their lives and shared precious time with Jean-Luc … These hours, selflessly given, and his collaboration, have built true respect and a cherished friendship. I now want to give a massive hug to my friend Dr. Allen Gomes, who since the beginning of this academic adventure has shared ideas about our common passion for Social Innovation, and in the past two years has been such a teacher, providing amazing support to finish up that part of academic writing which has always been the toughest of all for me, way harder than negotiating with a “dono da droga” (the head of drug traffic in a favela). A special thank you to Virginie and Tom who patiently waited for our Skypes to be over! Heartfelt thanks go to the Vice-Chancellor of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (University), Dr Prof. Venkat Rangan, who made it possible for me to embark on this academic path, along with Prof. V.S. Somanath, Dean, Amrita School of Business. My heartfelt thanks go to the Dean of IMT-BS, Denis Guibard, and the Vice Dean, Estelle Assaf, whose kindness and friendship gave me such a boost in the final stages of the thesis! I would like to make a special mention here of Prof. Madeleine Besson, Head of the Doctoral School at IMT- BS, and Head of Research, for her endless support and trust in my work and approach. I want here to thank also the two other Professors that guided me through my PhD, at IMT-BS. Prof. Mary Carpenter, who gave me great insights into academic research and innovation, and in ASB Bangalore Prof. Amalendu Jiotishi who was the first to take me on that academic journey, teaching me for two years in India, on 12 topics as well as on economic and research reading, iii translating my environmental and humanist passions into academic work. And whom I am proud to call a friend today. Prof. Rick Miller who is hosting me in his lab in the CCA, UFSC, also guided me through academic writing and wrote two papers with me, who has also been my partner in crime, to set up recycling and community solutions: - “obrigado do fundo do coracao” Rick. Prof. Francisco de Paula Antunes Lima, Laboratório de Ergonomia e Organização do Trabalho, UFMG, for giving me the opportunity to work with Tomas Bauluino, W. “mon poto co.” doing his Master at the time and now on for his PhD, for his taking me on “his” team in Tomás Balduíno, and Prof. Mauricio Luis Sens, Departamento de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental (DESA), UFSC, who gave us his friendly support on União com Rio Doce. Prof. Raphael Tobias de Vasconcelos Barros, Departamento de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental (DESA), UFMG. I also want to thank Prof. Marc Lemenestrel for our long conversations overlooking the Canopy in Barcelona, exchanging ideas on how to add more spirituality to our business worlds, to our work, and Prof. Olivier Germain and Prof. Hugo Letiche for giving me invaluable guidance. A special mention is to be made here for Prof. Bhumika Gupta, Associate Professor at IMT-BS for providing me with the opportunity to transfer my PhD in ASB, to IMT-BS, and to transfer my research work from Bangalore, India to Paris. As well as Mr. Jay Misra ex-Dean of Amrita School of Business and Dr. Krishnashree Achuthan, head of the Amrita Technology Business Incubator (Amrita TBI) who both gave me opportunities to test social innovative projects in Amrita University, as well as teach in my fields of Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, Prof.ª Drª Ana Flavia Barros, Relações Internacionais, UnB for her friendship support and invaluable advice, Prof.ª Drª Marlene Grade, CCA, UFSC for her collaboration in the first steps of a social innovation incubator at UFSC. Thanks also to my dear friends for their tireless assistance with administrative processes: Sylvie Prehu, chargée de gestion et assistante de recherche, Fabiana Dassoler, Coordenadoria do curso de Pós-Graduação CCA UFSC, Ramesh Kalshetty, ASB Bangalore, and Daniela Rezende Riner, Assistente em Administração, Laboratório de Biotecnologia Neolítica, CCA, UFSC. iv A big thank you as well to Peter Thomas. I would also like to pay tribute to my colleagues and friends in Amritapuri ashram, from the ABC center, the Amala Bharatam campaigns, swamis and bramacharis, especially the ones that became friends through this Seva of composting and recycling, Br Gurudas, Br. Yogamrita Chaitanya, Br. Shubamrita Chaitanya; they were always kind, smiling, and guiding. My friend Matti Rajakylä, Akhilesh an exemplary sevite and a gentle giant! Peter Ash for his teachings. Unni, Mahita, Chidanand and all my friends from ASB, especially the PhD first batch! As well keeping the wonderful team of União com Rio Doce and our work in the favela of Morro Bela Vista, Belo Oriente.