Fragment of a retrospective, strategic, and cultural analysis of a failure in the sporting goods industry: The case of Quiksilver’s failed takeover of Rossignol

The sporting goods and equipment industry is an important aspect to understand within the system of sports practices and representations, but especially in the study of how these representations spread throughout society via what is commonly referred to as sportswear. Based on written press sources, internal documents, and unpublished oral sources, this study offers an approach to the connections between two major groups in this sector, Rossignol and Quiksilver, during a merger attempt. More specifically, beyond a strategic approach and theories of technological or structural contingency, this work advocates for the value of the principle of cultural contingency. The results show that following a period of success in the 1990s, the Rossignol group faced a challenging situation in the early 2000s (with the aging image of alpine skiing, the economic crisis, etc.), which led to the consideration of integration into the Quiksilver group––then in full growth (in the context of the “surf generation” and the “fun years,” as defined by Loret [1995])––as a relevant means of rejuvenation and a “winning repositioning.” But the venture went awry and quickly turned into a “failed marriage.” This retrospective analysis discusses the economic, strategic, and above all cultural factors behind this story.