Created in 1979, the “Global Management Challenge” is the only event of its kind world-wide; in 2005, it attracted some 38,000 competitors from sixteen countries – business executives and students from major business-studies institutions and universities. And for the 2006-2007 vintage, PPR fully intends to be in the running. This year, the group is sponsoring 20 teams, each of them wearing the colours of the group brand for which it is competing.

 

What are the rules of the game? The contest takes place in four phases: the eliminatory heats, the semi-finals, the national final in Paris and the international final, to be held this year in Macao. At the start of each phase, the teams are given the task of managing a business that designs, manufactures and markets its products on world markets and on the Internet. After making a diagnosis of their virtual business, the five members of the team develop a detailed strategy and develop their operating skills in the key sectors of the business: research and development, production, human resources, market research, sales and marketing. Once a week, the teams e-mail their management instructions to the organisers who send back to them the same day a report detailing the consequences and interactions of their decisions and those of their competitors.

At the conclusion of each phase, the best teams qualify, ranked according to the highest stock-market value.

 

Throughout the competition, the PPR group and its constituent companies organise a number of events: one-day meetings with operating practitioners, special training workshops, visits to sites… A system of coaching is also set up.

Breaking out of the business rut, the Global Management Challenge is the opportunity for sharing experience and for striking up profitable relationships, for both the companies and the student teams. To sum up, the Global Management Challenge is a great adventure with reciprocity as its watchword…