Luc Lagrandeur

Luc Lagrandeur is a seasoned academic, administrator, and marketing professional whose career bridges the gap between theoretical business strategy and practical entrepreneurial execution. Originally from French River (Alban), Ontario, Dr. Lagrandeur has spent over two decades shaping the business curriculum at Laurentian University while maintaining a robust profile in international research and community leadership.

I. Academic Leadership and University Governance

Since 2003, Dr. Lagrandeur has been a pillar of the School of Business Administration within the Faculty of Management at Laurentian University. His influence extends from the classroom to the highest levels of university governance:

• Associate Dean – Academic (2023–2024): In this senior leadership role, he provided strategic oversight for academic planning, curriculum development, and resource allocation. He was responsible for faculty appointments, performance reviews, and leading program reviews to maintain rigorous accreditation and quality assurance standards.
• University Senate: He currently serves as a Senator, representing the School of Business Administration.
• Administrative Milestones: His leadership history includes roles as Coordinator of both French (BAA) and English (BBA) business programs, Coordinator of External Student Activities, and Chair of the Ethics Committee for the Marketing and Management Department.
• Academic Integrity: He serves as the Academic Integrity Officer for the Goodman Gold Challenge, a prestigious mining investment competition at the Goodman School of Mines.

II. Pedagogical Expertise and Global Lecturing

Dr. Lagrandeur’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the transition from marketing fundamentals to the actualization of new ventures. While his early teaching covered a vast array of topics—including Consumer Behaviour, Marketing Research, B2B Marketing, and Retail Management—his recent focus has shifted toward:

• Social Entrepreneurship
• Venture Creation and Venture Launch
• Business Consulting

His reputation as an expert in these fields has led to invitations to lecture at prominent international institutions, including:

• Canada: McGill University and Bishop’s University.
• Europe: University of Lille (France), Università dell’Insubria (Italy), and Spiru Haret University (Romania).
• Latin America: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Mexico).

III. Academic Background and Research Contributions

Dr. Lagrandeur possesses a multidisciplinary educational background that informs his research on the digital economy:

• PhD: University of Lille (2021).
• Executive DBA (e-business): Sherbrooke University (2013).
• MSc (Management Information Systems): Sherbrooke University (1991).
• HBCom: Laurentian University (1989).

Research Focus:

His research explores the intersection of technology and governance; specifically, how local governments implement e-services through virtual organization models. He has investigated the "technological divide" between Francophone and Anglophone municipalities in Ontario and continues to study the impact of online services on organizational efficiency and citizen interaction. His work has been published in journals such as The International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society and presented at global conferences from Portugal to Honduras.

IV. Student Mentorship and Economic Impact

As the Faculty Advisor for Enactus Laurentian and a recipient of the 2019 John Dobson Enactus Fellow of the Year award, Dr. Lagrandeur is a dedicated mentor. He oversees the "Business Launch" courses where students move beyond theory to actually start businesses.

Under his supervision, students have provided high-level consulting for over 100 organizations, delivering market studies, financial feasibility plans, and international expansion strategies. Notable beneficiaries include:

• Public and Institutional: City of Greater Sudbury, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and the University of Sudbury.
• Corporate and Industrial: Alibaba.com, Snap-On, Muskoka Brewery, and Mining Technologies International.
• Non-Profit and Culture: The John Howard Society, La Nuit sur l’Étang, and the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury.

V. Professional Industry Experience

Before his tenure in academia, Dr. Lagrandeur spent a decade (1992–2002) in the corporate trenches of Montreal’s IT sector. Working for Canada’s second-largest IT outsourcing firm, he served as a Strategic Account Manager and Marketing Manager. His consulting portfolio from this era includes global icons and major Canadian entities such as:

• Cirque du Soleil
• General Motors of Canada
• Estée Lauder
• Agropur
• Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ)
• Guillevin International

VI. Community Engagement

Dr. Lagrandeur remains deeply committed to regional development and social equity. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Closet Share, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing clothing to those in need, embodying the principles of social entrepreneurship he teaches in the classroom.

Dr. Lagrandeur possesses a multidisciplinary educational background that informs his research on the digital economy:

• PhD: University of Lille (2021).
• Executive DBA (e-business): Sherbrooke University (2013).
• MSc (Management Information Systems): Sherbrooke University (1991).
• HBCom: Laurentian University (1989).

2003 - Assistant Professor

2023 - Associate Professor

CURRENT RESEARCH

His research explores the intersection of technology and governance; specifically, how local governments implement e-services through virtual organization models. He has investigated the "technological divide" between Francophone and Anglophone municipalities in Ontario and continues to study the impact of online services on organizational efficiency and citizen interaction. His work has been published in journals such as The International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society and presented at global conferences from Portugal to Honduras.

RESEARCH GOALS / PROJECTS

• His long-term goals and objectives regarding research functions revolve around actively contributing through knowledge dissemination and fostering institutional outreach on an international scale.

• To this end, he prioritizes participating in world-class academic conferences focused on forward-thinking, critical themes for the future of organizations. These include entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility (CSR), marketing, and advancing research in university-level management education. Special emphasis is placed on the management of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and its socio-economic impacts. Acquiring this cutting-edge knowledge allows him to directly enrich his teaching, thereby passing on the latest advances in global research to his students to stimulate their critical thinking and prepare them for changing market realities.

• Concurrently, he intends to leverage his sector-specific expertise and the advanced knowledge gained from his international scholarly monitoring to enrich his contributions to governance and administrative functions. He views his commitments within the business school, the faculty, and the university as an opportunity to infuse contemporary management best practices into institutional structures. Furthermore, he places absolute priority on strategic initiatives related to student success, translating global trends in management pedagogy to tangibly optimize academic success policies. This ensures that his scholarship has a direct, positive impact on the development of the university community.

• He plans to extract publications and/or conference presentations from his dissertation, depending on available opportunities. With this in mind, he is aiming for one or two additional presentations at academic conferences covering two (2) themes of his dissertation. Additionally, he would like, as much as possible, to submit one (1) article to a practitioner journal so that his research findings are accessible to local community managers. In this regard, the Ontario-based online journal Municipal Monitor appears to be a highly relevant option.

• Finally, it is with great enthusiasm that he plans to write a user guide for the project management software "ProjectLibreAI" during his upcoming sabbatical leave in 2027–2028. This meaningful project will be developed exclusively within the framework of this 2027–2028 leave.

• 2019: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
  
• 2018: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
  
• 2017: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
  
• 2016: John Dobson Enactus Advisor of the Year Award
  
• 2015: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
  
• 2014: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
  
• 2013: John Dobson Enactus Fellowship
• 2006: Institutional bursary from Université de Sherbrooke for doctoral studies

BOOKS AUTHORED

• Cachon, Jean-Charles and Luc Lagrandeur. 2016. West Nipissing Leakage and Feasibility Analysis. Sturgeon Falls, Ontario : West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce. 178 p. https://westnipissingchamber.ca/study
• Cachon, Jean-Charles et Luc Lagrandeur. 2016. Analyse de fuite économique et étude de faisabilité sur le marché de Nipissing Ouest. Sturgeon Falls, Ontario : Chambre de Commerce de Nipissing Ouest. 185 p. https://westnipissingchamber.ca/study

ARTICLES IN REFEREED JOURNALS

• Lagrandeur, Luc. (2024). The Degree of Virtuality of Local Governments Through the Lens of the Virtual Organization Model, The International Journal of Technology, Knowledge, and Society, 21(1), 1-27. doi:10.18848/1832-3669/CGP/v21i01/1-27.
• Lagrandeur, L., and Fortier, D. (2016).  Providing Government e-Services: An Extension of Applicability Check for Practitioners, Review of Contemporary Business Research, 5(1), 16-24.
• Sévigny, B., Ingham, J., Lagacé, M., Lagrandeur, L., De Serres, S., Murray, M., and Bourgeois, D. (2009).  Le Web municipal francophone au Canada : un développement axé sur le citoyen/client ou la collectivité?  Organisations et territoires, 18(3), 5-14.
• Helme-Guizon, A., Mulholland, R., Lagrandeur, L. (2004). Web et stations de ski, Organisations & territoires, 13(3), 51-56.

BOOK, JOURNAL REVIEWS

• Clow, K., Baack, D. and Peloza, J. (2013).  Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications - First Canadian Edition.  Canada: Pearson Education.

PUBLISHED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, REFEREED

• Lagrandeur, L. (2024, July 3-5). “The Degree of Virtuality of Local Governments Through the Lens of the Virtual Organization Model”, [Paper presentation]. Twenty-fourth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations, Lisbon, Portugal.
• Lagrandeur, L. (2023, July 3-4). « The Virtual Organization Model as an Assessment Tool for Local Governments Offering E-Services: An Analysis by Region » [Paper presentation]. 4th International Conference on Digital, Innovation, Financing & Entrepreneurship, Montreal, Canada.
• Lagrandeur, L. and M. D. Moreau (2014). « Factors Favouring Adoption of e-Services by Municipal Governments: A Framework » In Proceedings of the 14th European Conference on e-Government, pp. 154-162, Brasov, Romania.
• Lagrandeur, L. and D. Fortier (2013). « Providing Government e-Services: An Extension of Applicability Check for Practitioners » In Proceedings of the 13th European Conference on e-Government, Volume 1, pp. 283-291, Como, Italy.
• Legendre, S., Lagrandeur, L. and J. Jean-Jules (2006).  « Stratégies de changement organisationnel : Le cas Desjardins » In Actes du Xe Séminaire annuel du Réseau des universités des Amériques en études sur les coopératives et associations, Copán, Honduras.

ACTIVITIES AT CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Date. Meeting/Conference. Title/Contribution.

• June 24-26, 2026. European Business Research Conference (EBRC-2026): Reimaging Business for a Sustainable Future, June 24-26, 2026, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Attended as a participant.
• July 8-10, 2025. Thirty-second International Conference on Learning: Human Learning and Machine Learning, Challenges and Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Education, July 8-10, 2025, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.  Attended as a participant.
• July 3-5, 2024. Twenty-fourth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations, Lisbon, Portugal. The Degree of Virtuality of Local Governments Through the Lens of the Virtual Organization Model.
• July 3-4, 2023. 4th International Conference on Digital, Innovation, Financing & Entrepreneurship, Montreal, Canada. The Virtual Organization Model as an Assessment Tool for Local Governments Offering E-Services: An Analysis by Region.
• October 12, 2022. Invited guest speaker at Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. Becoming a Student-Consultant.
• October 5, 2020. Invited guest speaker at the « Future of Education Conference » www.futureofeducationconference.com. Providing hands-on experiential learning experiences to post-secondary business students.
• October 15, 2019. Invited guest speaker at Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Québec. The Student-Consultant: Building the Client-Consultant Relationship.
• September 28, 2019. Experience Your Life Expo 2019, Mississauga, Ontario. Inspirational leader at one of the 10 round tables; sharing and discussing the career path of a University Professor.
• October 11, 2018. Invited guest speaker at Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Québec. The Student-Consultant: Building the Client-Consultant Relationship
• September 28, 2018. Experience Your Life Expo 2018, Mississauga, Ontario. Inspirational leader at one of the 10 round tables; sharing and discussing the career path of a University Professor.
• October 13, 2017. Invited guest speaker at Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of the Student-Consultant in the business consulting industry.
• April 27, 2016. Research day of the Faculty of Management, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario. Providing Government e-Services: An Extension of the Applicability Check for Practitioners. 
• June 12-14, 2014. 14th European Conference on e-Government – ECEG 2014, Brasov, Romania. Factors Favouring Adoption of e-Services by Municipal Governments: A Framework.
• February 26, 2014 Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• December 9, 2013. Essay defense for the executive DBA (D3C), Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec. Motivations and Factors Favouring Adoption of e-Services by Municipal Governments: A Multiple Cases Study of Successful Municipalities.
• October 21, 2013. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec.The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• June 13-14, 2013. 13th European Conference on e-Government – ECEG 2013, Como, Italy. Providing Government e-Services: An Extension of the Applicability Check for Practitioners. 
• February 28, 2013. Le regroupement des gens d’affaires francophones et le Centre régional des affaires, Sudbury, Ontario. Le marketing social: une approche stratégique. 
• February 18, 2013. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• October 22, 2012. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• February 20, 2012. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• October 24, 2011. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• February 21, 2011. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• October 21, 2010. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• March 10, 2010. Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, Quebec. The Role of Information Technology in Organizations.
• May 12, 2009. 77e congrès de l’ACFAS, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario. Le Web municipal et l’Association française des muncipalités de l’Ontario.
• March 7, 2008. Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada, Brandon, Manitoba. Portrait du Web municpal en Ontario: Résultats préliminaires.
• May 17, 2006. 74e congrès de l’ACFAS, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. Stratégies de changement et de transformation organisationnelle : le cas Desjardins
• June 30, 2005. 2005 Summer Academic Program – Mexico, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico. Exploring Cross Cultural Differences in Consumers: A Comparison of NAFTA-based Cultures

RESEARCH CONTRACTS

Year(s). Title of Report/Project. Funding Agency. Amount of Contract.

• 2020 to 2023. An Implementation Strategy for Local Government Offering eServices: The Virtual Organization. Laurentian University Research Fund (LURF).   $4,250.
• 2014 to 2015. West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce (2015). Report 1 - Business Procurement and Consumer Leakage Analysis and Report 2 – Market Feasibility Study. West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce. $10,000.
• 2013 to 2014. Case Studies of Effective Organizational Structures Favouring Adoption of e-Services by Municipal Governments. Faculty of Management Research Fund. $4,000.
• 2008. Three (3) research reports and one (1) integrated report for the Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada. Industry Canada, Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada. $22,200.
  • Lagrandeur, L. (2008).  Le Web municipal et l’Association française des municipalités de l’Ontario.  Rapport de recherche, Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada, Université Laurentienne.
  • Lagrandeur, L. (2008). Portrait de l’accès aux infrastructures des municipalités en Ontario.  (Rapport du 1er volet). Sherbrooke, QC : Université de Sherbrooke, Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada, 23 janvier 2008.
  • Lagrandeur, L. (2008). État des lieux du Web municipal en Ontario.  (Rapport du 2e volet). Sherbrooke, QC : Université de Sherbrooke, Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada, 19 février 2008.
  • Lagrandeur, L. (2008).  Facteurs d’adoption dans les municipalités ontariennes.  (Rapport du 3e volet). Sherbrooke, QC : Université de Sherbrooke, Carrefour virtuel des municipalités francophones du Canada, 16 avril 2008. 
• 2004 to 2007. Exploring Cross-Cultural Differences in Consumers: A Comparison of NAFTA-Based Cultures. Faculty of Management Research Fund. $6,305.

COMMUNITY / PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Date. Organization. Nature of Contribution.

• In Progress 2026. Université de Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario. Design a credit-transfer pathway bridging La Cité’s (Ottawa) 3-year advanced diploma (DEC) in project management into the University of Sudbury’s Bachelor of Commerce program (project management option), leveraging the fully virtual minor in leadership.
• February 2026. Centre for Research in Rural and Northern Ecology (CRRNE), Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario. Prepared a workshop entitled "Thesis Presentation Techniques via Zoom" for PhD students in Rural and Northern Health. The objective was to help students prepare for their thesis proposal, comprehensive exam, and dissertation defense by providing a 90-minute session on how to deliver an effective scientific presentation on Zoom.
• June 2017. Northeast Regional Partnership for Adult Education, Sudbury, Ontario. Managed the end-to-end strategic planning process by analyzing existing data for readiness and objectivity, facilitating collaborative stakeholder workshops to align strategic priorities and performance metrics, and authoring a strategic plan to guide internal execution and external stakeholder alignment.
• November 2014. Doris Beaulieu Contracting, Alban, Ontario. Conducted a pre-purchase financial feasibility analysis for a commercial property acquisition.
• September 2014. Goodman School of Mines, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario. Spearheaded a comprehensive feasibility study for an undergraduate mining investment competition, pairing a rigorous evaluation of financial opportunities with an operational blueprint detailing the event's timeline, competitive structure, judging criteria, agenda, and team recruitment strategy.
• February 2011. Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Prepared a business plan including a market study for a not-for-profit organization providing courses, performances, seminars, workshops, training and mentorship, and festivals in the performing arts.
• May 2007. B & B Convenience, St-Charles, Ontario. Evaluated the convenience store’s feasibility, giving the prospective buyer complete confidence ahead of their acquisition.
• April 2007. Chamber of Commerce of West Nipissing, Sturgeon Falls, Ontario. Designed and presented a workshop-conference titled « Marketing Tips 101: Back to Basics » for business people of the community.
• July 2004. Les Entreprises « Boréal » of Collège Boréal, Sudbury, Ontario. Designed and presented a workshop titled « Technique de la vente douce* » for the Training Consultants. *Soft Sale Approach.

OTHER SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES

• Lagrandeur, L. (2021). “Measuring the degree of virtuality of local governments offering e-services: A tool for practitioners”, Thesis for the doctorate in Sciences of Management (PhD), Université de Lille, Lille, France.
• Lagrandeur, L. (2013). “Motivations and Factors Favouring Adoption of e-Services by Municipal Governments: A Multiple Cases Study of Successful Municipalities”, Essay for the executive DBA (diplôme de 3e cycle – D3C), Université de Sherbrooke, Québec.