authorizations for the different countries on the

tour. Relocating meant moving personnel, their baggage, and the Cirque$$s equipment from

town to town. It also meant lodging all these people and ensuring they obtained the required

visas and work permits in order to be able to practise their art in the countries the tour was

visiting.

To attain the level of excellence set by Cirque du Soleil, talent scouts and recruiters travelled

the globe in search of artists, creators, coaches, musicians, etc. Consequently, the Cirque$$s

performers and personnel came from more than thirty countries and spoke many languages.

Also, while the average age of employees was relatively young at thirty$-$two, the age of the

performers and employees ranged from three to sixty$-$two.

In short, Cirque du Soleil was an international company that reflected the level of excellence it

had achieved in the past and its constant desire to push the limits$.$

Development Project

As well as continuing to create and produce new shows, Cirque du Soleil wanted to diversify its

commercial activities. Indeed, it wanted to see itself develop the production of audiovisual

works such as the soundtracks of the different shows, explore the field of publishing, and

continue to promote some strategic agreements with partners in the hotel business. Cirque du

Soleil had also set itself the objective of adding two or three tours within five years, which

would have the effect of bringing the number of employees required to achieve such an

objective to about $2000.$

Management

Cirque du Soleil had adopted a management style in its own image, that is$,$ dynamic, vibrant,

and imaginative. The organic nature of how it operated put each employee in a position that

allowed him or her to contribute to a common work. Cirque du Soleil firmly believed that, by

appealing to everyone$$s intelligence, all objectives are achievable. Also, communications were

extremely open and the authority that certain hierarchical titles could impose was practically

nonexistent. And a Cirque du Soleil core value was respect for cultural diversity.

In spite of the continuous growth the company had experienced, it had always known how to

ensure cohesion among employees and maintain a strong sense of belonging.

Challenges to Be Met

Given its growth plans, in relation to both the number of shows presented and the

establishment of new commercial activities, Cirque du Soleil needed to apply itself to adapting

its structure and, above all, to ensuring that its managers have the ability to support such

development. In this respect, several managers who had grown up with Cirque du Soleil and

who had thus acquired broad operating experience were having some difficulty moving to a

strategic management mode. Given their extensive knowledge of how the Cirque operated,

they too often remained occupied or preoccupied with operating questions, rather than

investing their energy more in strategic planning.

Also, given the increased number of tours planned, another problem that already existed was

likely to get bigger. Due to the difficult touring conditions, such as the frequent relocations, the

increased number of shows per week, and the challenging working conditions in general, the

turnover rate among employees was very high. On average, they worked for the Cirque

between nineteen and twenty$-$four months, which created a turnover rate of $18$ to $22$ percent.

In spite of the efforts made to reduce the inconveniences inherent in touring, problems still

remained. For example, the Cirque offered the services of a tutor to child performers and the

children of performers. However, because of the costs this would have entailed, this service

could not be offered to all the children of its personnel. Despite the attractive salaries, Cirque

du Soleil was experiencing some difficulties in retaining its touring personnel.

Finally, it is important to note that, both in the touring shows and in International Headquarters

in Montreal, the presence of many people of different nationalities, speaking different

languages, was a challenge. Indeed, while the presence of Quebec and Canadian performers at

International Headquarters and on tours was often secondary$,$ dealing with several nationalities

greatly influenced the quality of communications. And, depending on the cultural baggage of

each person, the perception of the message communicated could differ greatly. Since cultural

references are very divergent, what are innocuous gestures to some have unexpected

implications for others. However, despite these difficulties in perception, Cirque du Soleil had

always greatly valued cultural diversity and had always emphasized the richness it brought,

rather than the differences it created. Nonetheless, the Cirque du Soleil had to constantly

manage stereotypes and prejudices. This situation was even more palpable at International

Headquarters in Montreal since the performe