Leadership et création d'institution. Les actions, intentions et perceptions d'un dirigeant : Pierre Lefaucheux, PDG de la régie Renault

Leadership and institution's creation. The actions, intentions and perceptions of a top manager : Pierre Lefaucheux, CEO of Renault

• Auteur / Autrice : Cyrille Sardais
• Direction : Bernard Ramanantsoa, Patrick Fridenson
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Sciences de gestion
• Date : Soutenance en 2005
• Etablissement(s) : Jouy-en Josas, HEC

Mots clés

Mots clés contrôlés

Administrateurs de sociétés

Leadership

Mots clés libres

Leadership

Renault

Dirigeant

Rationalité

Histoire

Résumé

Comment un dirigeant contribue-t-il à métamorphoser une entreprise et à créer une institution ? En suivant le premier PDG de la Régie Renault, Pierre Lefaucheux, pendant dix ans et demi de sa présidence, cette thèse tente de retracer les actions, les intentions et perceptions d'un dirigeant, et leur évolution, dans un processus de création d'institution. Sont utilisés, à l'aide de la méthode critique de l'histoire, les très riches archives de ce PDG, notamment sa correspondance, les minutes des réunions et des notes personnelles. Il est proposé de considérer le leadership d'abord comme acte, en ce sens où le leadership ne s'inscrit pas dans une relation pré-établie entre un ''lieder'' et des ''suiveurs'' : le cercle de ses suiveurs est mouvant et dépasse largement la sphère d'autorité formelle du dirigeant ; ce dernier lui-même n'est pas leader en permanence mais, selon les actes considérés, leader ou suiveur. La question de la rationalité du dirigeant est également posée. Il n'est vu ni comme un être omnipotent et omniscient qui réalise des plans ou une vision stratégique, ni comme un '' bouchon sur la mer '' qui ne fait que réagir aux événements. Il est proposé de considérer son comportement comme rationnel en valeur, au sens wébérien, c'est-à-dire fondée non pas sur une finalité mais sur une conformité à des convictions

How can a top manager change his company, create an institution infused with values for both the group itself and on the entire society ? Focusing on Pierre Lefaucheux's time as first CEO of the Régie Renault for almost eleven years, we try to give an idea of the actions, intentions and perceptions of a top-manager as they changed and evolved during the whole process of creation of this institution. In order to convey these, we went through the very complete and comprehensive archives of Mr. Lefaucheux, including his mails, the minutes of the meetings he led and even his personal notes. We exploited this rich fund using a historian's methodology. The notion of leadership and his time aspects are being questioned. We here considered leadership being primarily an act, meaning that it does not only result from the pre-established relationship between a “leader” and his “followers”. The notion of act of leadership is here defined as an action that creates a precedent, and by which an individual transforms what other individuals previously thought changeable or unchangeable. This act of leadership, with that precise meaning, is the one which creates, at a given moment and in a given situation, a relationship between a “leader” and his “followers”. This means that, depending on the chosen situation, the CEO can be considered either a leader or a follower. It also means that his followers are not to be found only among his formal sphere of authority, but also among his peers, and even his own superiors. The rationality of the CEO is also at stakes here. He is perceived neither as a know-all being that would follow plans and a strategic vision, nor as just an individual letting himself float on the stream and only reacting to events beyond his control. We would rather consider his behaviour as rational in terms of values – to use the words of Max Weber – i. E. Not based on a final goal but following a set of convictions