This document discusses emotional capital as an important type of capital in organizations and human resources management. It defines emotional capital as the set of emotional competencies that reside within a person and are useful for personal, professional, and organizational development. Emotional capital has sources like components of human capital and effects on learning processes, health, work performance, and social cohesion. It acts as a "booster capital" that enhances the development and optimal use of other forms of capital like human, social, and cultural capital. Managing emotional capital is important for organizations to fully develop the hearts, hands, and heads of their human resources.

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WHY EMOTIONAL CAPITAL© IS A CRUCIAL
CAPITAL IN ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT?
Prof. Dr. Bénédicte GENDRON
University of Montpellier, South of France
benedicte.gendron@univ-montp3.fr
CAR-Céreq-Ile-de-France, University of Sorbonne
Emotional Intelligence Consortium, The State University of New Jersey, Rutger, USA
Post-Doc. Economics of HRD, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Ph’D in Economics of HRD, University of Sorbonne, France
Ms. Psychology “Learning and Behaviour Management”, UMSF, France
Emotional Capital©, Bénédicte Gendron
REFERENCE : GENDRON B. (2008), Why Emotional Capital© is a crucial capital in
Organizations and Human Resources Management, Emonet VI conference, INSEAD, July
18th, Fontainebleau, France

2. Prize and References
Gendron B., (2008), « Capital
émotionnel et éducation »,
Dictionnaire de l’éducation, Van
Zanten A. (dir.), Paris : PUF.
Gendron B. (dir.) (2007),
Emotions, compétences
émotionnelles et capital
émotionnel, Cahiers du Cerfee,
n°23, Montpellier : PULM.
AWARD: Louis Cros National
Prize, Institut des Sciences Morales
et Politiques, Académie Française,
Paris, November 2006
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1. An approach through competencies: some theoretical references
1.1 Economics of education: Investment in education according Becker’s
human capital theory
Economic of education: Impact and return of education, Becker Human Capital
Theory (1964)
• Investment in human capital is defined as all activities which increase the
individual productivity of the labour force.
Measuring the Human Capital (Becker,1964) : knowledge and technical skills
• refering to « Savoirs » and « Savoir-faire », formal education, measures : nb of
years of education, diploma, nb of years of expercience…
What about the other skills and competencies ? dealing with and manageing
conflict, handling hir or her emotions, understanding other’s emotions,
empathy…
Gendron (2006) : « Being Competent » = 3S
= « Savoir + Savoir-Faire + Savoir-Faire »

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Personal Competencies
(intrapersonal)
Social Competencies
(interpersonal)
Self-Awareness
- Emotional self-awareness
- Accurate self-assessment
- Self-confidence
Social Awareness
- Empathy
- Service orientation
- Organizational awareness
Self-Management
- Emotional self-control
- Trustworthiness
- Conscientiousness
- Adaptability
- Achievement drive
- Initiative
Social Skills
- Developing others
- Influence
- Communication
- Conflict management
- Visionary leadership
- Catalyzing change
- Building bonds
- Teamwork and collaboration
1.2.1 Emotional Intelligence (IE) : Salovey & Mayer, Bar-On, Boyatzis, Goleman…
1.2.2 Emotional Competencies : Cherniss & Goleman (2001): « By itself EI
probably is not a strong predictor …Rather, competencies that are. » :
1.2 Savoir-Etre and Emotional Intelligence and Competencies
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2 Emotional Capital: An Interdisciplinary Framework
1.3.1 Definition of Emotional Capital:
“is the set of resources (emotional competencies) that
inhere to the person, useful for personal, professional and
organizational development, and participates to social
cohesion and has personal, economic and social returns”
(Gendron, 2004:2007).
1.3.2 Emotional Capital –EC- : a Capital ?
Its characteristics : “Capital” refers to a stock of capital
identified by its sources and its effects on performance and
socio-economic situations.

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Emotional Capital Sources:
• components of the human capital in a broader sense
• process of production different from Becker’s models: conative
versus cognitive skills
• unformal versus formal education, produced in divers contexts
since the early age …
Emotional Capital Effects :
• in learning process: emotion-brain-learning interplays
researches conative and cognitive dimensions of the learning
process (Neuro-sciences research on “emotion-brain-learning
process” Damasio, Oecd);
• at school: class climate, social interaction: lower probability of
violence or deviant behaviour (Heckman et al.) :
• in health: (lower probability of addictive behaviour (under drugs,
alcohol, better resilience…)(Heckman et al., Network of Health
School)
• at work: better performance at work in all emotional work
(leadership..) (IE Consortium, Goleman, Boyatzis…): effects on
productivity

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Personal Development
Emotional Capital, Human Capital (Beckerdefinition), Social and
Cultural Capital (Bourdieu, Putman…): Which links?
EC: a special place between the Human and Social & Cultural Capital: a
Booster capital
 Without a balance EC, the process of production of HC will not be optimal
(drops out, stress, violence in class impede or slowdown the learning process and thus, the knowledge
constitution, see Neurosciences outcomes)
At the opposite, when this EC is balance, it boosts or potentializes more
optimally HC and SCC. (job announcement & interview…: social network (Coleman, Putman)).
EC is an essential capital for a better use of the other capitals and…. it becomes
obvious when it is missing, or lacking or unbalanced…
GENDRON (2004)

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GENDRON (2004)
A Human Resource in Full : The 3 H:Heart&Hands&Head (Gendron, 2004)
or the Added Value of Companies’ Emotional Capital
Reference: Gendron B. (2004), “Why Emotional Capital Matters in Education and in Labour? Toward an Optimal
Exploitation of Human Capital and Knowledge Management », Les Cahiers de la Maison des Sciences
Economiques, série rouge, n° 113, Paris : Université Panthéon-Sorbonne, 37 p.
http://ideas.repec.org/p/mse/wpsorb/r04113.html

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