Subject category:
Strategy and General Management
Published by:
University of St Gallen
Length: 18 pages
Data source: Field research
Abstract
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA (Richemont) is the world's second-largest luxury goods company, after LVMH (Louis Vuitton – Moet Hennessy SA). Offering a wide selection of brands, Richemont faces typical group company challenges. On the one hand, the autonomy of its individual brands (called Maisons) is crucial for the brands' success and, thus, the group's success. On the other hand, despite its diversified brand portfolio, each Maison carries out several more or less similar tasks that offer group-level centralization and standardization potential. In 2000, the Richemont group's management introduced a multidimensional organization that put corporate functions, offering Central Support Services (CSS) at the same level as the Maisons. Furthermore, also at group level, there are four regional Shared Services Platforms (SSPs) (formerly Regional Support Platforms) that provide support to the Maisons' local activities. This means that the interaction style between the corporate level and the business level changed. Previously, the group had been completely decentralized. The new corporate functions were supposed to add value to the Maisons, which the latter could not achieve as stand-alone business divisions. This case focuses on Richemont's group HR function and its functional strategy. The case study reveals how this group HR function seeks to add corporate value. This case can be used in Master of Art/Science, MBA and EMBA curricula as well as in executive education programs as part of a course or module on strategic management and human resources management. It is specifically recommended for application on corporate strategy, parenting theory, and corporate function leadership. The case provides insights into the success factors of corporate-level functional strategies and a corporate function's value creation levers. It can be used to discuss the following questions concerning the fundamental issues of corporate strategy: 1) How to decide about whether or not to centralize? 2) How do group functions' strategy relate to the overall corporate strategy? 3) How can group functions avoid bureaucracy, empire-building, and interference? 4) How can group functions measure added value? 5) How can group functions decide which skills are needed at the corporate level? By covering these questions, the case deals with how heads of corporate functions can develop strategies for their functions.
Location:
Industry:
Size:
28,000 employees
Other setting(s):
2000-2013
About
Abstract
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA (Richemont) is the world's second-largest luxury goods company, after LVMH (Louis Vuitton – Moet Hennessy SA). Offering a wide selection of brands, Richemont faces typical group company challenges. On the one hand, the autonomy of its individual brands (called Maisons) is crucial for the brands' success and, thus, the group's success. On the other hand, despite its diversified brand portfolio, each Maison carries out several more or less similar tasks that offer group-level centralization and standardization potential. In 2000, the Richemont group's management introduced a multidimensional organization that put corporate functions, offering Central Support Services (CSS) at the same level as the Maisons. Furthermore, also at group level, there are four regional Shared Services Platforms (SSPs) (formerly Regional Support Platforms) that provide support to the Maisons' local activities. This means that the interaction style between the corporate level and the business level changed. Previously, the group had been completely decentralized. The new corporate functions were supposed to add value to the Maisons, which the latter could not achieve as stand-alone business divisions. This case focuses on Richemont's group HR function and its functional strategy. The case study reveals how this group HR function seeks to add corporate value. This case can be used in Master of Art/Science, MBA and EMBA curricula as well as in executive education programs as part of a course or module on strategic management and human resources management. It is specifically recommended for application on corporate strategy, parenting theory, and corporate function leadership. The case provides insights into the success factors of corporate-level functional strategies and a corporate function's value creation levers. It can be used to discuss the following questions concerning the fundamental issues of corporate strategy: 1) How to decide about whether or not to centralize? 2) How do group functions' strategy relate to the overall corporate strategy? 3) How can group functions avoid bureaucracy, empire-building, and interference? 4) How can group functions measure added value? 5) How can group functions decide which skills are needed at the corporate level? By covering these questions, the case deals with how heads of corporate functions can develop strategies for their functions.
Settings
Location:
Industry:
Size:
28,000 employees
Other setting(s):
2000-2013