The School of Human Resource Management was honoured to host Denise Rousseau as part of the 2026 Monica Belcourt HR Talks series. Rousseau, the H.J. Heinz II University professor of Organizational Behaviour and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, visited 91ÑÇÉ« to share her research on self-promises and their implications for human resource management.
Held in a hybrid format, the event attracted strong engagement both in person and online. Faculty, students and alumni from the 91ÑÇÉ« community attended on campus, alongside a global virtual audience. The event welcomed over 160 registrants from around the world, including participants based in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and China, underscoring the international reach of Rousseau's work and the Monica Belcourt HR Talks series.
Rousseau’s talk examined how self-promises – commitments individuals make to themselves – shape motivation, behaviour and employment relationships. She discussed the relevance of this concept for contemporary human resource management practices, particularly in work contexts characterized by autonomy, flexibility and evolving psychological contracts. The audience included graduate students, researchers and practitioners, creating a dynamic and interdisciplinary exchange.
An internationally respected scholar, Rousseau is widely known for her foundational contributions to the study of employment relationships and psychological contracts. She has authored more than 230 journal articles and monographs in leading management and psychology journals and has served as president of the Academy of Management and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Organizational Behaviour.
The 2026 Monica Belcourt HR Talk featuring Rousseau exemplified the School of Human Resource Management’s commitment to globally engaged research-informed dialogue on pressing issues in the world of work.