Twenty Major French Corporations and Redeployment,
by Hugues Bertrand, Cyrille Mansuy and Michel Norotte.
Economic restrictions, which have become tighter since 1974, have had a definite influence on corporate strategy. The narrowing of prospects has thus stimulated, even provoked what can justifiably be called the redeployment of forces of these corporations.
These same corporations, after a period of formation and diversification, now seem preoccupied with general restructuration at all levels. As seen from both the quantitative and qualitative aspects (despite the inherent risks in any interpretation), the study of twenty of the most powerful French corporations affords a more accurate look at the means of redeployment.
First is redeployment of sectors, showing how the corporations gave up their most solid holdings in order to concentrate on consolidating and broadening their activity in the most profitable sectors. Second is geographic redeployment aimed at greater penetration and implantation in foreign countries, especially in the developed nations. Lastly, a more reasonable management of the labor force considering the numerous problems due to overstaffing. At stake in these great maneuvers: the survival of a limited number of corporations in each industrial sector capable of holding on to particularly solid production and trade activities at the international level.