“TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER”
– A CASE STUDY OF CARLSBERG’S STRATEGIC CONCEPT
“WINNING BEHAVIOURS” IN THE WAKE OF A SERIES OF
INTERNATIONAL ACQUISITIONS
Martine Cardel Gertsen & Anne-Marie Søderberg
Copenhagen Business School
EconPR 2010 International Conference
Poznan, April 15-18
Carlsberg’s history – very briefly
• 1847: Carlsberg is founded in Copenhagen, Denmark,
where it is still headquartered.
• 1960es and 70es: International success, Carlsberg’s
products are sold world-wide, business is satisfactory.
• 1990es: International competition becomes tougher.
• 2000es: Carlsberg becomes a real “global player”.
Acquisition of breweries in Russia, the Baltic countries,
Poland, France, Greece, China and Vietnam.
• Now: The Carlsberg Group is the world’s 4th largest
brewery group. Leading in Western Europe, a big player
in Eastern Europe, and strong focus on the emerging
markets in Asia. Around 45,000 employees and more
than 500 different brands of beer.
Research questions
• How was Carlsberg’s new strategic concept of “winning
behaviours” developed and which role did the
company’s ongoing international acquisitions play in
the process?
• How was the concept integrated into the company’s HR
and line functions?
• How was the concept communicated to the global
organization, and how was it received and given sense?
• What are the advantages of a strategic concept
formulated in terms of behaviours rather than values?
Core values in Carlsberg’s
”winning culture”
•
•
•
•
Innovative
Ambitious
Responsible
Honest
“What sets us apart from our competitors
is that we strive to find the right balance
between working closely together at a
global level whilst allowing local brands
and initiatives to flourish.”
Communication and integration into
different functions
• Distribution of brochures, posters, DVDs, etc.
• Workshops and seminars on “Winning behaviours”.
• Intranet site with contributions from the entire Carlsberg Group,
featuring stories and presentations describing the practice of
“winning behaviours” in a wide variety of contexts.
• Appointment of “ambassadors”: employees from different
functions who have volunteered to take on the responsibility for
the practice of “winning behaviours” in specific areas.
• Ten “leadership competencies” derived from the “winning
behaviours” are evaluated in the company’s performance
management system.
• “Winning behaviours” are part of the company’s internal
management training programmes.
Office interior from Carlsberg Malaysia
Carlsberg Malaysia’s
management team
Advantages of a strategic concept based
on behaviours rather than values
• Behaviours are easier to combine with a ”glocal”
approach
– They are more external in nature
– They are easier to adjust to changing contexts
– They are easier to explain and relate to specific
business goals
Carlsberg’s ” winning behaviours”
• Together we are stronger
• We want to win
• Our customers and consumers are at the heart
of every decision we make
• We are each empowered to make a difference
• We are engaged with society