ABSTRACT
This case is about La Vie en Rose, a Canadian-headquartered firm selling lingerie, swimwear, and sleepwear in over 275 boutiques in 18 countries. The case describes the international human resources management (HRM) challenges raised by the firm's expansion following its acquisition by François Roberge in 1996. It describes the operating modes of the fashion industry and presents a series of five challenges created by the firm's growth. By studying this case, students will learn about the labor context in Canada and Quebec and gain HRM-relevant knowledge about the challenges of the lingerie industry. Students will also be able to implement HRM selection and retention strategies in a labor shortage context, design an appropriate work organization to control the quality of globalized production, and come up with international HRM practices for franchisees.
