and 4 th in France, after Elf-Aquitaine, EDB, and Renault. Alcatel’s main activity is telecommunications. In 1994, 67.3% of Alcatel’s business was in for efficient data exchange between international firms and their markets has greattly increased global demand for information processing within the telecommunications

but rather by informal influence. Teamwork is important, and is used to arrive at compromises acceptable to the subsidiary managers. However, that management style hasn’t been very effective in achieving integration between foreign subsidiaries, decentralization of power has been a key element in the history of Alcatel’s high- potential management policy.

1995-present Polytechniquegraduates hold highly responsible positions at Alcatel, 60 top executives are gradu-

situational and personal cues, the true power structure. In most cases, of course, they must also learn to work within this informal power network.