In the early 1980’s, the Swiss watch industry faced a near collapse after failing to conform to Japanese rivalry from battery-powered quartz technology. After successfully reviving Blancpain, Biver sold the company to Nicolas G. Hayek (Chairman of the Swatch Group) for $43 million a decade later. Hayek gave him duty to renovate the once venerable, but ailing, watch business Omega and agreed to have Biver stay on. Between 1995 and 1999, Biver led another turnaround effort that increased Omega's sales from $350 million to $900 million.
Jean-Claude Biver (A) The Re-Emergence of the Swiss Watch Industry Case Study Solution
In early 2000 Biver began to feel that Biver might not get the top place when Hayek retired while it was presumed from the other side of the business that he would be the following CEO of Swatch Group. At the ending of case, Biver must determine if he retire himself, or possibly start over yet again and take the reins of a modest but struggling watch company, Hublot and should leave the Swatch Group. The case analyzes the actions the way Biver's comprehensive vision ultimately transformed the whole Swiss watch industry, and that he took to transform Blancpain and Omega. It presents Biver as a complicated leader who at times could be very cruel on his employees, but whose passion and vision bring about fierce loyalty from people who worked with him.
PUBLICATION DATE: October 30, 2014 PRODUCT #: 415031-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE
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