Case Study

L'Oréal: The beauty of supply chain digitalization

16 pages
December 2021
Reference: IMD-7-2296

L’Oréal, the world leader in beauty products, began to rethink its vision for the industry. The world was on the cusp of a digital future full of possibilities. For a company known for its consumer-pleasing beauty products and owner of some the world’s most iconic brands, this meant thinking about innovation in a different way. It would no longer mean only providing the best products but also continuously adapting the industry to market needs. Through a combination of goal setting, training and communication, the digital transformation began, first with efforts in marketing, sales and consumer outreach, but supply chain quickly moved to a prominent role in helping address questions about how digitalization would affect the company’s products and consumer expectations. Starting with a vision of the CEO, Jean-Paul Agon, the company found itself on a journey to challenge its culture, its approach and even what its value proposition was. Along the way, the supply chain became a force for bringing together the different functions of a large, complex organization to identify and implement new business models in the digital age that cut to the heart of the company’s operations.

Learning Objective
  • Illustrate an effective, successful digital transformation and link this to Industry 4.0/supply chain digitalization capabilities by focusing on L’Oréal’s success
  • Examine the challenges of supply chain digitalization, the role of senior leadership in agenda setting, global digital governance, linking the supply chain digital strategy to the company-wide digital strategy, planning for scale from pilot to deployment, and the external/internal development choice
Keywords
Supply Chain, Digital Transformation, Digitalization, Industry 4.0, Business to Consumer, Consumer Goods, Digital
Settings
World/global, France
L'Oréal, Consumer Goods, Consumer Goods, Cosmetics and Perfumes
2010-2020
Type
Field Research
Copyright
© 2021
Available Languages
English
Related material
Teaching note, Video
Case clearing houses
IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Best-selling Case Study
Discover our latest research
IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics