While traditional companies are based on the concepts of hierarchy and specialization, the mobile company has a developed skill of adaptability to the various demands of its stakeholders.

The mobile company is represented by the elimination of temporal and geographic frontiers thanks to the revolution of informational technologies. In this perspective, the mobile telephone and the lap-top are the most used tools in a mobile company. They are called nomad tools.

In his book, “Entreprise mobile. Comprendre l’impact des nouvelles technologies” (Mobile company. Understanding the impact of new technologies), Charles-Henri Besseyre des Horts highlights the idea that the bigger the company is, less nomad tools it uses. The development of nomad technologies supposes a risk of theft of these tools, as well as a problem of secure access to the information flow generated by the mobile technology.

Besides that, this trend is explained by the ability to change of the organization. This is unbelievable that nowadays users are leading the changing process of companies. Demanding and impatient, young people that represent Net generation are putting the pressure on companies to implement these modern tools.

The author considers that informational technologies in companies are often implemented with engineer logic. Consequently, the social and human factor is not considered while the development of new technologies. The effects of the use of these nomad tools on the working conditions and the stress at work should concern HR department as well.

Catherine Fournier-Montgieux
Source: Nextmodernity/ 10 March 2008

“L’entreprise mobile. Comprendre l’impact des nouvelles technologies”  (Mobile company. Understanding the impact of new technologies), by Charles-Henri Besseyre des Horts, is a book which proposes a debate on the advantages and consequences of the implementation of new technologies in organizations.

The author states that nomad technologies are facilitating the management and the work of virtual teams. Nowadays, there are many virtual Research & Development teams split in different parts of the world and cooperating together according to the network management principles.

The members of these virtual groups should have a developed skill of empathy, because they have to understand the situation of their team-mates situated in different geographical, economical, political and cultural environments. The trust in the decisions and actions of their team-mates is a key factor of the good functioning of virtual teams.

On the other hand, the network is not based on hierarchy principals. There are some decision and control centres within the mobile organization, but there is no subordination link between them as in traditional pyramidal corporations.

The role of nomad technologies in the communication of virtual teams is crucial. Thus, the author affirms that these technologies aren’t socially neutral and the creation of human and organizational conditions is needed before the implementation of virtual teams and network management. 

Catherine Fournier-Montgieux
Source: Nextmodernity/ 10 March 2008

Autocrats incapable to recognize the credits of their employees…These are the characteristics of French leaders, less appreciated by employees than Anglo-Saxon managers.

Recent international surveys reveal a denigrating portrait of French manager: authoritarian, bad communicator and indifferent towards the activity of their colleagues. While granting rewards and deciding career advancements, French managers are influenced by personal relationships, social origins and affective reasons.

A questioned consultant from an important consulting company considers that the psychological distance between the top management and the employees is bigger in France than in other countries. The majority of French managers don’t have active listening skills. They are paid for their knowledge and their diplomas. They decide independently and think they do not have the right to error. On the other hand, American managers involve as many employees as possible and make their decisions taking into account their feedback.

A study effectuated by the company Development Dimensions International (DDI) emphasis three types of leadership models: autocratic in France, meritocratic in UK and democratic in Germany.

Besides that, the French higher education system engenders elite people. The consequence of that is the development of the individualism and difficulties in team work. Though, the management “à la française” is improving, by implementing the Anglo-saxon receipts of success.

Eric Béal
Source: Liaisons sociales magazine/may 2008

Professor Michel Kalika of Paris-Dauphine University has analysed the communication channels within enterprises in a prize-winning paper (“La théorie du mille feuilles, le rôle du contexte”, Michel Kalika, Nabila Boukef Charki) published in a French computer science journal. His so-called “mille feuilles theory” describes how communications are structured within enterprises and suggests how companies can reduce information overload.

In the last ten years, we have seen a revolution in enterprise communications, which has been fuelled by the advent of new technologies. These technologies were supposed to enhance communications and save time for managers. However, in reality, we have found that in the majority of companies, electronic communications have supplemented traditional communications tools rather than replacing them. As a result, managers’ schedules are often full and they are pressed for time. The “mille feuilles” effect describes the way in which these technologies are layered on top of each other.

The real reason for the “mille feuilles” effect is that companies tend to adopt new communication tools without thinking about how to structure the organisation in relation to those tools. The proliferation of communications channels rapidly becomes overwhelming and is a key source of stress for managers.

The author states that managers must raise their awareness of this phenomenon in order to tackle the roadblocks within their organisations. The resolution of this problem should start by profiling and mapping the organisation and then examining how managers are spending their communication.

CSC and Paris-Dauphine University have signed a partnership agreement establishing the first master’s degree in consulting and ERP.

“This is the result of a joint project and joint efforts to provide a training programme which meets the growing needs for skilled ERP professionals. As a partner to Paris-Dauphine University, CSC is making a key investment in recruiting and training the students and has agreed to hire students to work on ERP projects once they graduate,” says Marc Bensoussan, a senior vice-president at CSC.

“The master’s programme was born out of a series of discussions with CSC. We saw a gap in the provision of training in terms of ERP consulting and solutions which this international, bilingual, degree programme is designed to fill. The first class will graduate in 2008. CSC hires a lot of new graduates and was extremely responsive in establishing the degree programme with us. For its part, Paris-Dauphine University has a strong track record of collaborating with business. So, it’s a win-win partnership. My ambition is for us to extend our collaboration in training to include the field of research,” says Michel Kalika, professor at Paris-Dauphine University.

The creation of a Consulting & ERP master’s programme which is designed for today’s market represents a new era of collaboration at a time when the need for linkage between graduate qualifications and job market requirements has never been greater.