Segment and Geographic Information - Information Related to Company's Operating Segments all from Continuing Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Revenues, net:
Revenues, net	$ 475,913	$ 475,164	$ 447,304	$ 412,189	$ 529,230	$ 495,265	$ 482,652	$ 434,702	$ 1,810,570	$ 1,941,849	$ 1,916,327
Gross profit/(loss):
Gross profit	223,672	233,532	205,454	209,773	241,233	243,380	236,631	220,075	872,431	941,319	999,786
SG&A expense:
SG&A expense									857,557	888,250	882,376
Asset impairments:
Asset impairments									12,327	7,234	86,373
Operating income/ (loss):
Operating income/ (loss)									2,547	45,835	31,037
Identifiable assets:
Identifiable assets	1,620,470				1,718,240				1,620,470	1,718,240	1,764,223
Operating Segments [Member] | Americas [Member]
Revenues, net:
Revenues, net									893,333	960,719	884,814
Gross profit/(loss):
Gross profit									370,288	408,361	403,101
SG&A expense:
SG&A expense									319,736	349,350	348,333
Asset impairments:
Asset impairments									9,211	5,267	3,891
Operating income/ (loss):
Operating income/ (loss)									41,341	53,744	50,877
Identifiable assets:
Identifiable assets	581,021				576,179				581,021	576,179	577,643
Operating Segments [Member] | EMEA [Member]
Revenues, net:
Revenues, net									631,546	671,991	754,813
Gross profit/(loss):
Gross profit									358,175	376,929	452,376
SG&A expense:
SG&A expense									324,346	322,715	339,469
Asset impairments:
Asset impairments									3,004	560	1,331
Operating income/ (loss):
Operating income/ (loss)									30,825	53,654	111,576
Identifiable assets:
Identifiable assets	744,936				718,537				744,936	718,537	750,378
Operating Segments [Member] | APAC [Member]
Revenues, net:
Revenues, net									282,070	305,518	271,624
Gross profit/(loss):
Gross profit									143,874	156,328	144,624
SG&A expense:
SG&A expense									146,389	157,145	147,882
Asset impairments:
Asset impairments									112	1,407	81,151
Operating income/ (loss):
Operating income/ (loss)									(2,627)	(2,224)	(84,409)
Identifiable assets:
Identifiable assets	222,542				224,149				222,542	224,149	231,879
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate Operations [Member]
Revenues, net:
Revenues, net									3,621	3,621	5,076
Gross profit/(loss):
Gross profit									94	(299)	(315)
SG&A expense:
SG&A expense									67,086	59,040	46,692
Operating income/ (loss):
Operating income/ (loss)									(66,992)	(59,339)	(47,007)
Identifiable assets:
Identifiable assets	$ 71,971				$ 199,375				$ 71,971	$ 199,375	$ 204,323