New PhD student at MGMT - Cyprien Christian Vittoz

Hello dear friends,

First, I would like to thank everyone I have met so far for your warm welcome and kind words. For those who don’t know me yet, I am Cyprien, a 25-year-old Savoyard who just started his PhD. My project sits at the crossroads of multiple fields within organization studies, including organizational behavior, politics, and theory. More specifically, I am working on coalition dynamics within organizations, under the supervision of Ann-Kristina Løkke Møller and Christian Waldstrøm.

I aim to address the long-standing question of how coalitions form and grow in organizations, as well as what motivates third-party individuals to join them. My approach involves comparing different theoretical perspectives—social psychology, network theory, and game theory—and deepen my research through a case study of Reddit’s r/Place, followed by a controlled experiment.

My academic background includes a double BSc in Finance and Management Control from ESGF Business School in Paris, followed by a third BSc and an MSc in Industrial Management at the University of Savoy. It was during this last experience that I first encountered organization studies and fell in love with the field. Since then, I have written an extensive master’s thesis on organizational resilience and complex systems (another passion of mine, as I also co-write articles on the topic as a hobby late at night).

When I’m not working (I swear it happens sometimes), I enjoy a calm and happy solitary life in Risskov. I have a deep appreciation for books and records, love playing video games (particularly 4X strategy games), cooking (my French cuisine skills are improving by the day), going out for a cocktail, and simply enjoying life’s small pleasures.

If you ever come across a young, short guy in a long coat, glasses, and a hat (looking like he stepped out of the early 20th century) that’s me! Feel free to say hi! As a bon vivant, I can give you great cheese and wine recommendations. Or just drop by my small office in the attic (2628-408), and we can philosophize about life. In any case, I’m very excited to meet everyone!