The curriculum vitæ of Philippe Villemus, professor at the Montpellier Business School, would be the envy of many people. Marketing Director of the 1998 Football World Cup, World President of Helena Rubinstein, European Marketing Director of Mars, Doctor of Management Science, of Marketing…

In 2003, he puts aside his role as international executive to « devote his time and energy to writing and knowledge transfer ». After around twenty publications to his credit, regular chronicles in the media, international conferences, his Montpellier Business School classes, his research, he is tackling today the maturing process of his latest book “The boss, the footballer and minimum wage employees”.

Tell us about the origins of this book…

The labour market and the value of work have interested me for a long time. This curiosity took on a different turn of mind the 18th of June 2010. I was attending a conference organised by the Montpellier Business School and the University Montpellier I. Corinne Bessieux-Ollier et Élisabeth Walliser were presenting their research work on the theme « Intangible capital : status and  perspectives ». I was particularly struck by what they said about the accounting methods applied to the value of footballers. A few days later, I heard Nicolas Sarkozy on television vigorously denouncing the salary of certain sportsmen. That was all I needed to make me want to dig into the subject.

What surprised you the most?

In the first place, that the notion of salaried staff was very recent. The work contract and the salary in the form that we know today date barely from the 19^th century. Then, when composing the salary pyramid, I became aware of its instability. Its enlarged base corresponds to the figure of the 30 % of French workers who earn the minimum legal wage or less, whereas the very narrow peak at the top of the pyramid is composed of compensations above one million euros per year. We find here about a thousand persons: large company directors, certain professional sportsmen, a dozen or so traders and singers, actors, top models or designers. There are very pronounced differences in terms of growth between the compensations. This is particularly difficult for the population to digest. All the more since the value of work is disconnected from its utility. Which is a major new event ! Today, work value is based on rareness, exchange value, cronyism…

Finally, concerning footballers, I realised that they were genuine « human objects ». They belong to their club and cannot really refuse the transfers. As for the amounts announced during these famous club exchanges, they are not paid into the player's account but to the intangible assets of the club, as would be a software or a brand.

What are the reasons that pushed you to write it?

There are three priorities in France : employment, employment, employment and, paradoxically, we have no longer heard anybody talk about the value of work for thirty years. So what I hope is that this book sets off a debate. I demand the suppression of the golden parachutes, the special company executive retirement payments and dirty money in football. Moreover, I chose my publisher as they published Irène Frachon's  Médiator. I would like this book to stimulate the organisation of a Grenelle on the subject of work compensation.

Barak Obama has just passed a law to limit the salaries of large company executive officers, Germany has imposed a maximum salary of three million euros, which is still too high as far as I am concerned. The moment is ripe to pass laws for the employees.

« Le patron, le footballeur et le smicard. Quelle est la juste valeur du travail ? »
(The boss, the footballer and the minimum wage employee. What is the fair value of work?)
ISBN : 978-29918135-24-1
19.90 €
305 p.
Editions Dialogues

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