APC 1999 Annual Report Download - page 21

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19
“Schneider Electric decided early on to accelerate its product
development processes, making this one of the priorities of the Schneider
2000+ program. Our goal was to cut time-to-market by half and reduce
delays in our project completion schedules by 75%. In 1999, we fully
achieved both objectives. Today, we are taking steps to consolidate these
gains for the long term.W hile maintaining a high level of capital
spending on development, we’re setting up an intensive training program
focused on our core competencies, along with increasingly stringent
procedures for project selection.”
An organization geared
to change
To become more responsive, a company needs to
rethink its organizational methods. In February
1999, Schneider Electric set up a Corporate
Commercial Development Department to sup-
port global customers and partners more effec-
tively in their expansion.T hanks to a matrix
structure that encourages autonomy in our
Country Organizations, we can offer a concerted,
efficient approach for our large customers, systems
integrators and distributors. Concerning acquisi-
tions, we have established shorter and quicker
decision-making chains, enabling us to take better
advantage of external growth opportunities.
A more
entrepreneurial culture
To explore innovative pathways for customer
service, Schneider Electric is fostering a spirit
of initiative at all levels of its organization.
In April 1999, the French Division created
the “1,000 Ideas Network” to encourage suggestions
from employees in a bottom-up approach.
By the end of the year, the network had produced
more than 130 ideas with a total growth potential
of several hundred million francs. Another initiative,
also in France, is the Entrepreneurs’ Club,
a small unit for selecting start-up proposals
submitted by Schneider Electric employees.
Sharing experience
For a global enterprise like Schneider Electric,
knowledge management is a critical issue.
Schneider Electric is developing an increasing
number of forums for exchanging best practices,
including several in-house think tanks. Some
enable Country Organization sales managers to
share sales methods, while others focus on inno-
vation or on the development of new services. In
the same spirit, Schneider Electric is focusing on
devising formal transfer procedures for use in a
wide range of situations, including the application
of industrial processes in new sites or successful
methodologies for listening to customers.
A more entrepreneurial culture
Jean-Paul Saas
Executive Vice-President,
Activities and Technologies