PIERRE FABRE

QIRJAKO Frenki
GARNIER Emilienne
VIGNON Mathilde
Ibikunlé Koudy
 How does the company’s history & culture impact
strategic options?

The company is very family-

oriented: partnerships with farmers,
acquisition of local enterprises,
local recruitment


Pierre Fabre was a pharmacist:

works with laboratories ans
research centers for R&D
The company is eco-friendly: works
with farmers, looks for more
sustainable ways of doing things.
 How does the company’s history & culture impact
product development path?
Rooted in the south of France, the company was
strongly attached to its location

1. The relocation of the brand Klorane in Castres was a result of that attachment.
The company reinvented this brand by developing a new range of products
targeting young moms. 


2. Using properties of thermal water in the south of France, Pierre Fabre developed
two brands: Avène and Galenic.

3. Does not stimulate international development or cost - effective policies.

Location
Importance of partnership with the public
sector Partnerships
1. It led to the development of Navelbine an anti-cancer cure. This product was
developed closely with universities and research laboratories such as The
Canceropôle in Toulouse (other sign of regional anchorage).


Combination between Research mix
pharmaceutical research and dermo
cosmetic
1.It enabled to develop new methods of administration, Intuition
easing the life of the patients: these efforts were rewarded
by the FDA certification.

 How does the company’s history & culture impact organization and
management style ( humanistic)?
Community belonging
& employee loyalty
Employee stock purchase plan (In 2005, Mr
Fabre decided to transfer 10% of his
shares to the company’s employees),
employees remain stable (with spouses and
children also working for the company)
“does not have to go through the entire process”,
Ethical Approach
Non-profit Pierre Fabre Foundation
(Pierre Fabre donated 45% of his
share to the foundation)
they argument this ideas in front of the
Perpetual availability Culture
“belonging to a family also entails greater
commitment and greater sacrifice
“ (availability during holidays, weekends,
evenings)
Recruitment
People looking for sedate lifestyle, emotional
dimension toward the company, from
different regional cultures but almost absence
of foreign managers.
Rapidity of decision-making
try to keep the reactivity of a smaller enterprise.
Trustworthy employees: Fabre and the top
management have always promoted autonomy
in working. Middle management is free to
express and concretize their ideas, at the end
Entrepreneurship culture and
performance recognition
Autonomy and initiatives valued (“ go get it”
attitude) but high expectations toward managers:
they must be expert and they are tested and
evaluated (through annual “Senior staff
meetings for example). Also, Fabre itself relies a lot
in his intuition to make business decisions, a keen
characteristic that all entrepreneurs have.
 Personal Opinions!
Regional anchorage
The regional attachment and the family’s culture in this company are strengths compared to the rest of the
industry it puts the individual at the center. However, this regional anchorage seems to represent an obstacle in
the recruitment of foreign managers. Pierre Fabre should probably make evolve its culture towards a
multicultural one. Foreign employees should feel they are considered as much as local ones. Thus, lack of
inclusiveness can be distinguished at a certain point.

Family Culture
The community lifestyle may be too extreme since it is difficult to balance personal and professional life;
the company’s events require a strong presence even in the employees free time. Moreover, employees
can think that the company acts in its own interests and not their (promoting a family culture to justify
excessive expectations). This may come off as very controlling and stiff practises, especially to the new
generations. Millennials focus more on the balance between personal and professional life than a big
check at the end of the month.

Family or Performance Culture?

The company seems to be a green organization where the sense of social peace and cohesion is core. However,
there is a strong focus on the employees’ performance through constant individual evaluations. Thus, there is an
incoherence between the cohesion aspect seeking and the desire of performance through employees’
evaluations which can lead to high pressure and stress.

Profit goal? Even Though the the company encourages personal development, through training and flexible
change in positions and new job opportunities, it seems that these initiatives are done to support only the
necessities of the company and to fill its current experiential voids. This is a characteristic of bureaucratic
organizations.