Commercial strategies and management policies of Lagardère

Résumé du document

Lagardère SCA is a French media and high-technology company. The Company, headquartered in Paris, operates through two business segments: Lagardère Media, which constitutes the core of its activities, and the high-technology division, EADS, in which it holds a 14.98% share. Lagardère Media is a provider of news as well as cultural and communication products in France and abroad. Its main activities comprise book publishing, distribution, and audiovisual production and distribution. EADS is a global supplier of aeronautics and defense aircraft's. It operates through its five divisions: Airbus, Military Transport Aircraft, Defense and Security Systems, Eurocopter and Space. This report is a summary of the commercial strategy and managerial policies of Lagardère group, created with the help of press articles. Four points will be examined: Human resources management, the Financial management, CSR and the corporate strategy and forecast. The main characteristic in the way Lagardère manages their human resources, is decentralization. More specific they emphasize entrepreneurial freedom and the delegation of responsibilities. The group offers a variety of jobs so that means they have to respect the specific characteristics of each and accept a diverse range of approaches, especially when it comes to talent-management. On the other hand all their practices are based on the same three values: creativity, boldness and independence.

Extraits

[...] University of Montesquieu Bordeaux IV International Trade and Business Management February 2008 summary of annexes ANNEXE I Lagardere's mains features ANNEXE II LABOUR, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATIONS BUSINESS ETHICS ANNEXE IIi lagardere buys sports marketing agency ANNEXE Iv Publishers see men ditching mags for Web ANNEXE V Lagardere Active upbeat, seeks acquisitiOnS ANNEXE Vi Moves and changes: Lagardère Annexe lagardere's mains features Extracted from the following web site: http://www.lagardere.com/289i/group/profile.html Profile Operating in more than forty countries, Lagardère is a French group and a world leader in two sectors - the media and advanced technology. Its media activities represent a stable core business for Lagardère, built on distinct and complementary operating sectors. Lagardère's strategic interest in the European company EADS underlines its presence in the high- tech market. The communications and aerospace industries fall within the scope of national sovereignty, requiring Lagardère to assume specific responsibilities. [...]

[...] The CSR committee is managed by the Group's Legal Division and comprises representatives of the Human Resources and Finance departments. Methodology, organisation and actors of Lagardère's CSR Labour and social information is collected by means of a reporting system deployed in the subsidiaries which are operationally managed by the CSR committee in charge of the implementation, coordination and improvement of the following subjects: Concrete actions set up by Lagardère in term of Corporate Social Responsibility 1. Workplace : Labour relation commitments The diversity and motivation of the group's employees are a source of creativity that is essential in business. [...]

[...] In the print media sector, they are the leading publisher in the world, publishing almost 260 titles in 40 countries. The Group is also a world leader in press distribution, and is running the biggest international network of stores selling communications, cultural and entertainment products, with more than 4,000 stores. Lastly, in the audiovisual sector, they hold a front-line position in radio, both in France and internationally and as well as in TV themed channels and new media. A clearer structure In order to offer its shareholders and the public total legibility, it has now clarified its structure. [...]

[...] On the other hand there is still room for improvement. We see for example that despite the recruitment percentage of 21, there is also a turnover rate that is equal to that 21 percent. Another remark is that where many companies have signed a HR-charter, the Lagardère group has chosen no to. They claim that they want to shape their own policies based on their strengths and weaknesses. This can be a good thing, however it can also come in as an excuse not to respect certain ground principles. [...]

[...] Everybody says that business is dead. I say it is not dead," he said. He cited the success of Lagardere's Psychologies magazine, which was relaunched about a decade ago and was enjoying rising circulation in all countries in which it was printed, including Italy, Spain, France, China, Russia and the UK. D'Asaro Biondo maintained the group's target to have Internet and mobile sales making up 5 percent to 10 percent of total Lagardere Active revenues by 2009. Lagardere shares closed 1.5 percent higher at 55.79 euros. [...]