Title: The internet age and the role of telecommunication operators: the case of France Telecom

Authors: Alain Amintas, Thibault de Swarte

Addresses: PESOR laboratory, Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Sceaux, Universite Paris Sud, 8 Avenue Cauchy, F-92330 Sceaux, France. ICI laboratory, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications de Bretagne, Campus de Rennes, BP 78, F-35512 Cesson Sevigne Cedex, France

Abstract: In the internet era, telecommunication operators clearly appear as strategic actors. This paper focuses on some fundamental issues for both management science and FRANCE TELECOM, particularly from the point of view of techno-organisational management. On one hand, our methodology relies on a long-term in-depth inductive case study which was begun in the early 1990s and, on the other, we adopt an analytical approach using a constructivist theoretical framework. The first part deals with the three-dimensional uncertainty which characterises FRANCE TELECOM in the context of its privatisation and internationalisation. The second part shows why strategic planning can no longer be considered as the touchstone for adaptation to the external environment in the context of a coordinated strategy centred on customer processes. Our third part focuses on FRANCE TELECOM and its Information System (IS). What is the path dependency? What dilemmas are they faced with? How can FRANCE TELECOM evolve from a monopolistic network operator into a ||Net Company||?

Keywords: internet; intranet; telecommunications operators; information system; strategic planning; customer processes; strategic adaptation; France Telecom.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2001.001600

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2001 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.207-224

Published online: 10 Jul 2003 *

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