Charles Morel, constructeur à Domène (Isère) : histoire d'une entreprise de constructions mécaniques sous la Troisième république (1894-1937)
Institution:
Université Pierre Mendès France (Grenoble)Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
Mechanical engineering is a poorly known facet of the alpine economic way of life within the grenoble area, from 1870 through the 30 s. This dissertation is aimed at contributing a share to a better knowlege of this field. It is focused on the survey of a medium size company, namely the domene- based ateliers ch. Morel corporation, designers and builders of crushers, mills and miscellaneous equipments for cement and lime production and mining applications. As a very extensive literature was available on this matter, it was attempted to review the whole history of this company, thus taking into account as well its technical, financial and economic features as the environ- mental social and political areas of concern. Specific emphasis was placed upon charles morel's (1848-1914) occupational career, a company promoting self-made man, who succeeded in his undertakings owing to his natural talents and developmental capabilities. Technical development has been the keystone of his success. Through quite a variety of patent apli- cations, he contributed an efficient share to the trend towards the drastic change in production processes and facilities that was experienced in the cement producing industry after 1880, thus deriving much benefit from this booming market. Thereafter, the company's internal history and its relationship with the prevailing economic environment is exhaustively reviewed, i. E. From its establisment in 1894 throughout 1935, when it filed up a petition in bankruptcy. Our informational sources allowed us to go up to the core of this family business, not only for the purpose of surveying its institutional practices management procedures and production processes, but also with a view of assessing its economic performance and achievements and its weaknesses and shortcomings. We tried to find out the reasons on which the company's decision makers based in developing their strategies and selecting their way, along with their effects on the company's subsequent evolutionary trends. As a final step, the causative factors from which the company's failure or were searched out, whist placing specific emphasis on the prevailing effect of the merely endogenous causes.
Abstract FR:
L'industrie de la construction mecanique est un secteur mal connu de la vie economique alpine malgre son intense activite dans la region grenobloise entre 1870 et les annees 1930. Notre these est une contribution a sa connaissance. Elle est centree sur l'etude d'une moyenne entreprise, les ateliers ch. Morel de domene, specialisee dans la construction de broyeurs, concasseurs et autres equipements pour cimenteries, usines a chaux et mines. En raison d'une documentation particulierement riche, nous avons voulu elaborer une histoire globale de l'entreprise qui prend en compte aussi bien les aspects techniques, financiers, economiques que sociaux ou politiques. Nous nous sommes particulierement interesse a la trajectoire professionnelle de charles morel (1848-1914), self-made man fondateur d'entreprise, parvenu grace au talent et a ses capacites inventives. L'innovation technique est au coeur de sa reussite : par ses multiples brevets, il participe activement au mouvement de renouveau des procedes et des equipements productifs intervenu dans l'industrie des chaux et ciments apres 1880, captant a son profit un marche en essor. Nous avons ensuite longuement analyse l'histoire interne de l'entreprise et de ses relations avec le milieu economique externe depuis sa fondation en 1894 jusqu'a son depot de bilan en 1935. Nos sources nous ont permis de penetrer au coeur meme d'une affaire familiale pour en sonder les mecanismes institutionnels, les modes de gestion, les modes de production, mais aussi pour en mesurer les performances economiques et les elements de faiblesses. Nous avons recherche les raisons des choix et des strategies adoptees par les decideurs dans l'entreprise et leurs repercussions sur le destin de l'affaire. Nous avons enfin recherche et analyse les facteurs qui sont a l'origine de la faillite de l'entreprise en mettant en evidence la preponderance des causes purement endogenes.