Danone - Key Issues
DANONE – INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Dax Foley – 10520701
Groupe Danone is a world leader in the production of diary products being one of the largest dairy food and water produces in the world. With 90,000 employees in 120 countries of the world the company is very much knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven. Growing to become one of the most successful food and beverage companies in the world has not been without its challenges, primarily for Danone this has been successful knowledge management through all levels of the business. Danone’s success lies in the company’s innovativeness when it comes to new and creative ways of transferring knowledge throughout the company coupled with a clear strategy for future growth. Frank Mougin, executive vice president of human resources, and Benedikt Benenati, organisational development manager, were given the task of developing a means of sharing knowledge between employees from around the world in a company with a highly decentralised business structure with little horizontal communication among divisions (Edmondson, Moingeon, Dessain, Jensen 2008, p6). Creating a successful way of sharing knowledge to ensure long term sustainability of the company was Danone’s key issue.
Groupe Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to a maximum number of people in an effort to create sustainable development. Danone realised that most company’s these days target only a small percentage of the world’s population when marketing their products. In order for the company to succeed in such a competitive industry, it was necessary to ensure sustainable development. As such, in 2001, the company launched the Danone Way, as a “practical and sustainable approach to building socially responsible corporate values into the company’s policies and aspirations” (Edmondson et al 2008 p.4). Through this initiative, Danone took responsibility for and assured excellence throughout the product lifecycle, from the guarantee of quality raw
Dax Foley – 10520701
Groupe Danone is a world leader in the production of diary products being one of the largest dairy food and water produces in the world. With 90,000 employees in 120 countries of the world the company is very much knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven. Growing to become one of the most successful food and beverage companies in the world has not been without its challenges, primarily for Danone this has been successful knowledge management through all levels of the business. Danone’s success lies in the company’s innovativeness when it comes to new and creative ways of transferring knowledge throughout the company coupled with a clear strategy for future growth. Frank Mougin, executive vice president of human resources, and Benedikt Benenati, organisational development manager, were given the task of developing a means of sharing knowledge between employees from around the world in a company with a highly decentralised business structure with little horizontal communication among divisions (Edmondson, Moingeon, Dessain, Jensen 2008, p6). Creating a successful way of sharing knowledge to ensure long term sustainability of the company was Danone’s key issue.
Groupe Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to a maximum number of people in an effort to create sustainable development. Danone realised that most company’s these days target only a small percentage of the world’s population when marketing their products. In order for the company to succeed in such a competitive industry, it was necessary to ensure sustainable development. As such, in 2001, the company launched the Danone Way, as a “practical and sustainable approach to building socially responsible corporate values into the company’s policies and aspirations” (Edmondson et al 2008 p.4). Through this initiative, Danone took responsibility for and assured excellence throughout the product lifecycle, from the guarantee of quality raw
References: Soo, C (2008) Organisational Learning and Innovation Lecture Notes (Week 2), UWA Business School. Edmondson, A, Moingeon, B, Dessain, V and Jensen, AD 2008, Global Knowledge Management at Danone, Harvard Business School