As close as a group can get to global
From the Financial Times
Most of us would look at Brazil, Belgium and Bangladesh and see three different cultures. Al Zeien, chief executive of Gillette, the U.S. razor maker, simply sees a lot of people in need of a shave. He believes Gillette is a "global" company in the way few corporations are.
"A multinational has operations in different countries," he says. "A global company views the world as a single country. We know Argentina and France are different, but we treat them the same. We sell them the same products, we use the same production methods, we have the same corporate policies. We even use the same advertising, in a different language, of course."
The company's one-size-fits-all strategy has been effective. The group makes items almost everyone in the world buys at one time or another, including shavers, batteries and pens. It aims to dominate the markets it operates in: its share of the worldwide shavers market, for example, is 70 per cent, which the company hopes to increase by the launch next week of a new razor for men.
To make sure managers worldwide are on the same wavelength, Mr Zeien insists they move from country to country and division to division. Being moved around places them in the role of "idea ambassadors" who can transfer concepts. "I believe in diagonal promotions," he says. "You don't move up in a nice progression through one area or country."
Managers joining Gillette should expect to be geographically relocated three or four times in their first dozen years. During the last few years, Mr Zeien has concentrated on increasing the number of Americans in overseas posts, and the time foreign managers spend in the US.
There are problems with his approach, he admits. Being transferred from country to country can be hard on staff. People in dual-career marriages, he says, probably should not work for Gillette. The company's commitment to standardisation, moreover, costs it customers in niche markets within countries.
Mr Zeien long ago decided the drawbacks were worth suffering. "I tell my workers all the time that we'll only be in markets where we can be number one," he says. "Focus is what gives us bang for the buck."
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العربية) 1:
[نسخ]نسخ!
أقرب ما يمكن الحصول على مجموعة عالمية إلىمن صحيفة فاينانشال تايمز معظمنا أن ننظر في البرازيل، وبلجيكا، وبنغلاديش، ونرى ثلاث ثقافات مختلفة. ويرى بن زين، الرئيس تنفيذي جيليت، صانع أسلاك شائكة في الولايات المتحدة، ببساطة كثير من الناس الذين يحتاجون إلى حلاقة. ويعتقد أنه جيليت هي شركة "عالمية" في الطريقة التي عدد قليل من الشركات. ويقول "متعددة الجنسيات لديها عمليات في بلدان مختلفة". "شركة عالمية وجهات النظر العالم كبلد واحد. ونحن نعلم الأرجنتين وفرنسا مختلفة، ولكن نحن نعاملهم نفسه. نبيع لهم نفس المنتجات، ونستخدم نفس أساليب الإنتاج، ولدينا نفس سياسات الشركات. حتى نستخدمها في نفس الإعلان، بلغة مختلفة، بالطبع. " استراتيجية حجم واحد يناسب الجميع للشركة كانت فعالة. ويجعل من المجموعة عناصر الجميع تقريبا في العالم وتشتري في وقت واحد أو آخر، بما في ذلك ماكينات الحلاقة والبطاريات والأقلام. وهو يهدف إلى السيطرة على الأسواق وهو يعمل في: نصيبها سوق الحلاقة في جميع أنحاء العالم، على سبيل المثال، هو 70 في المائة، وتأمل الشركة زيادة إطلاق الأسبوع القادم للشفرة الجديدة للرجال. للتأكد من أن المديرين في جميع أنحاء العالم في وافيلينجث نفسه، يصر السيد زين ينتقلون من بلد إلى بلد وشعبة إلى شعبة. نقله أماكن لهم في دور "فكرة" السفراء الذين يمكن نقل المفاهيم. ويقول "أنني أعتقد في الترقيات قطري". "أنت لا تتحرك في تطور لطيفة من خلال المنطقة أو البلد". Managers joining Gillette should expect to be geographically relocated three or four times in their first dozen years. During the last few years, Mr Zeien has concentrated on increasing the number of Americans in overseas posts, and the time foreign managers spend in the US. There are problems with his approach, he admits. Being transferred from country to country can be hard on staff. People in dual-career marriages, he says, probably should not work for Gillette. The company's commitment to standardisation, moreover, costs it customers in niche markets within countries. Mr Zeien long ago decided the drawbacks were worth suffering. "I tell my workers all the time that we'll only be in markets where we can be number one," he says. "Focus is what gives us bang for the buck."
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