A belle epoque for fast foods?

Article Abstract:

Brothers Albert and Michel Roux are introducing to Great Britain a chain of chic, high-tech cafe-restaurants that serve pre-cooked gourmet food. A food preparation factory near London's Heathrow Airport opened this spring, with a capacity to produce 4,000 of the 'sous-vide' dishes daily. Benefits of serving pre-made meals in the gourmet setting include: keeping labor costs to a bare minimum, and the fact that chefless kitchens can be run by semi-skilled help. The Roux brothers have opened two of these 'Rouxl Britannia' restaurants so far in London, and plan a dozen more. Rouxl Britannia has made several changes in response to customer feedback, cutting salt content in its dishes by 25 percent, dropping several menu items, thickening soups, and reducing the amount of curry in Indian dishes.

Eating places, Management, Restaurants, Restaurant management, Roux, Albert, Roux, Michel

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Norsk Hydro's buffer strategy to reduce its fragile dependence on gas and oil

Article Abstract:

Contrary to predictions, pre-tax profits for Norsk Hydro A-S, the Norwegian offshore oil company, dropped an alarming 64 percent in 1986. Other setbacks included large oil inventory write-downs, foreign exchange losses, an one-month strike in the North Sea, and lower fertilizer prices. In spite of all these setbacks, optimism prevails among Hydro's management, and the company's shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange in June. A rapid recovery is expected in 1987, and particularly impressive has been Hydro's agricultural division which has been engaged in acquisitions of fertilizer producers all over Europe, along with restructuring and modernization of the acquired companies. Even more impressive has been Hydro's involvement in the light metals industry, especially aluminum.

Crude petroleum and natural gas, Gas Production and Distribution, Economic aspects, Finance, Petroleum, Norway, Natural gas exploration, Norsk Hydro ASA, Oil and gas exploration, Petroleum exploration

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Plodding toward fitness

Article Abstract:

Company-sponsored fitness programs are beginning to gain acceptance in Europe despite resistance caused by cultural attitudes toward exercise and health. Scandinavian companies such as Volvo, Atlas Copco, and Saab-Scania lead this trend and offer corporate fitness programs as extensive as those found in the US. Elf Acquitaine, Rank Xerox International, and Nixdorf are also among European corporations which recognize that performance in the workplace can be enhanced through physical fitness, and are promoting in-house employee fitness programs. Companies in France, Italy, and Belgium remain least interested in promoting fitness among their employees. European corporations have been slow to react to the fitness boom, but health clubs and hotels have been fully exploiting it.

Analysis, Usage, Human resource management, Physical fitness, Employee benefits, AB Volvo, Saab AB, Elf Aquitaine Oil and Gas Co., Atlas Copco AB, Nixdorf Computer AG, Rank Xerox Ltd.

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