Foreword
By Pierre Suard on Thursday 27 May 2010, 14:55 - With Complete Impunity - Permalink
It took only 20 years from the dazzling flight of Alcatel until its disappearance without glory into the fold of Lucent. The industrial world is brutal for those who fail to adapt to its changes, with its movements and capriciousness.
The case of Alcatel is a good example. Under the successive direction of two men—one great and the other small—all the great challenges which are posed today to the management of an industrial company—growing, then in decay—have been revealed, analyzed and confronted.
The case of Alcatel is remarkable for the breath of the company’s fields of activity—the whole world, all the continents, and countries in various degrees of development, which were all passionate about the growth of their needs in energy and communications.
The case of Alcatel has been endured by its executives as a tragedy, of which the first actor, Pierre Suard, was severely and forever punished by the consequences of the calumny and mischievousness of men.
The case of Alcatel spectacularly illustrates the importance of the choice of the PERSON—“marching towards progress, if he takes the wide road in avoiding the narrow one, fails to find eternal wisdom.” Jean-Paul II, June 1, 1980.
Gilles Dupuy d’Angeac
