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The purpose of this study is to investigate how French business schools managed the change to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 lockdown and to propose a rudimentary framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model.

This paper uses exploratory in-depth case studies in four French business schools to analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching and whether it may lead to long-term Online Learning.

Results of this study show that, despite several constraints, French business schools efficiently managed the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching. The findings also suggest that schools may provide Online Learning as way to increase their course offerings.

This paper contributes to the extant literature on COVID-19 and organizational management by being one of the first studies to explore how French business schools made the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching and its potential long-term impact. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to apply the Technology Acceptance Model to the digital transformation of the French business schools during COVID-19.

Whereas belongingness and its proximate constructs have been explored in various contexts, an understanding of what it actually is in organisational contexts remains elusive. This paper aims to explore employees’ experiences of belongingness at work to better understand what belongingness means in a work context.

Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 12 participants in the United States and New Zealand over two time periods. Grounded theory methodology was used to develop themes and categories to understand the structure of the data.

The data revealed an overarching theme of “self” represented by three categories: identified as the “unveiled-self,” the “relational-self” and “the seen-self.” The data further reveals how employees covertly survey the organisational environment for cues of belongingness and moderate their behaviour accordingly.

This study’s small, culturally homogenous sample may limit generalisability. Future research could explore cross-cultural differences in belongingness at work using diverse samples. Examining belongingness and self-concept could provide further insights into authenticity and fitting in at work.

Organisations should promote authentic interactions, meaningful recognition and psychological safety for self-expression. Informal conversations strengthen relationships, but efforts must feel genuine. Encouraging authenticity, recognising contributions sincerely and creating opportunities for organic social interaction can cultivate a culture of belonging.

The three dimensions of “self” illuminate the importance of authenticity, meaningful workplace relationships and recognition as unique components of belongingness at work.