On November 17 last year, Etam lingerie opened its first Shanghai store. Thus the Etam Group, supported by a team made up of Chinese and French employees, embarked on a road in search of a new multi-cultural management model. While introducing French management philosophy, the team has exhibited great ambitions on the global market and managed to maintain the initiative of high-caliber staff. This has also shed light on the purpose of Etam’s personnel development program jointly launched with HEC Paris—to scout potential leaders. The Group has established over 3000 stores in China, interpreted the brand from multiple aspects and has been dedicated to promoting its ready-to-wear products.
The first Shanghai lingerie store, however, changed the Group’s original management strategy in China. Odile Bonhomme , director of the HR department at Etam, said at the beginning, people in China bought lingerie simply for its function. But gradually, they are more likely to buy it for fun and for its alluring effect. Due to such a shift, we expected to set up the first French style lingerie store in China and this idea was put into action with the arrival of Ms. Xavière Zimmermann, Etam Lingerie Brand Director, in Shanghai. Assisted by her French colleagues, Xavière formed a team which included Chinese employees. According to her:
This international team illustrates the coordination policy between China and Europe and Etam’s internalization strategy.
On the basis of these management adjustments, the Etam Group joined hands with HEC Paris to initiate the personnel development program aiming at promoting the career development of the staff. Under the program, 30 employees including 15 Europeans and 15 Chinese will get promotion each year. The program consists of four modules:
- Transversality & innovation
- Management, how to create initiative?
- Change - how and why?
- Customer experience - improvement of customer experience
This customized entreprise training program is conducive to innovation in the field of career planning. Such kind of innovation will enhance the complementarity between the European management and it Chinese counterpart in managerial experience, build a bridge that serves to facilitate internal communication between employees and establish endurable connections.
