IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v28y2019i1p1-11.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Facilitating intercultural negotiated practices in joint ventures: The case of a French–German railway organization

Author

Listed:
  • Barmeyer, Christoph
  • Davoine, Eric

Abstract

In this paper, we show how new work and managerial practices emerge in international joint ventures (IJVs), how they are co-constructed by cultural negotiating processes over time, and how this co-construction can provide synergistic effects. We use the case study of a binational railway organization which coordinates activities of its parent companies, DB and SNCF, between France and Germany, to focus on emerging practices, and use the framework of Brannen and Salk (2000) to categorize these practices. Our study centres on factors that facilitate the development of synergistic practices: organizational and communication structures, individual skills and socialization of IJV actors, and interpersonal relationships and learning processes in “boundary spanning dyads”. Where previous studies typically insist on boundary spanners as individuals, we specifically highlight the important role of boundary spanning dyads and relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Barmeyer, Christoph & Davoine, Eric, 2019. "Facilitating intercultural negotiated practices in joint ventures: The case of a French–German railway organization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 1-11.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:28:y:2019:i:1:p:1-11
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2018.06.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593116301275
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2018.06.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emmanuel, Bougna Tchofo & Crozet, Yves, 2014. "Beyond the “bundling vs unbundling” controversy: What is at stake for the French railway?," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 393-400.
    2. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    3. J Michael Geringer & Louis Hebert, 1989. "Control and Performance of International Joint Ventures," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 20(2), pages 235-254, June.
    4. Meschi, Pierre-Xavier & Wassmer, Ulrich, 2013. "The effect of foreign partner network embeddedness on international joint venture failure: Evidence from European firms’ investments in emerging economies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 713-724.
    5. Stahl, Günter K. & Miska, Christof & Lee, Hyun-Jung & De Luque, Mary Sully, 2017. "The upside of cultural differences: towards a more balanced treatment of culture in cross-cultural management research," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 68277, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Shige Makino & Paul W Beamish, 1998. "Performance and Survival of Joint Ventures with Non-Conventional Ownership Structures," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(4), pages 797-818, December.
    7. Davoine, Eric & Ravasi, Claudio, 2013. "The relative stability of national career patterns in European top management careers in the age of globalisation: A comparative study in France/Germany/Great Britain and Switzerland," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 152-163.
    8. Jean-François Chanlat & Eduardo Davel & Jean-Pierre Dupuis, 2013. "Cross-cultural management: culture and management across the world," Post-Print hal-01656490, HAL.
    9. Arvind Parkhe, 1991. "Interfirm Diversity, Organizational Learning, and Longevity in Global Strategic Alliances," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 22(4), pages 579-601, December.
    10. Makela, Kristiina & Kalla, Hanna K. & Piekkari, Rebecca, 2007. "Interpersonal similarity as a driver of knowledge sharing within multinational corporations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, February.
    11. Christoph Barmeyer & Ulrike Mayrhofer, 2014. "How has the French cultural and institutional context shaped the organization of the Airbus Group?," Post-Print hal-01071390, HAL.
    12. Lichtenberger, Bianka & Naulleau, Gerard, 1993. "French-German joint ventures: Cultural conflicts and synergies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 297-307.
    13. Michael Gibbert & Winfried Ruigrok & Barbara Wicki, 2008. "What passes as a rigorous case study?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(13), pages 1465-1474, December.
    14. Yadong Luo, 2002. "Stimulating Exchange in International Joint Ventures: An Attachment-based View," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(1), pages 169-181, March.
    15. Fiona Moore, 2011. "Holistic ethnography: Studying the impact of multiple national identities on post-acquisition organizations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 654-671, June.
    16. Taco H. Reus & Daniel Rottig, 2009. "Meta-analyses of International Joint Venture Performance Determinants," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(5), pages 607-640, October.
    17. Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen & Mats Ehrnrooth & Alexei Koveshnikov & Kristiina Mä;kelä, 2014. "Cultural and language skills as resources for boundary spanning within the MNC," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(7), pages 886-905, September.
    18. Lee, Sung-Jun & Kim, Joongwha & Park, Byung Il, 2015. "Culture clashes in cross-border mergers and acquisitions: A case study of Sweden's Volvo and South Korea's Samsung," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 580-593.
    19. Park, Jeong-Yang & Harris, Simon, 2014. "Microfoundations for learning within international joint ventures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 490-503.
    20. Chapman, Malcolm & Gajewska-De Mattos, Hanna & Clegg, Jeremy & Jennings Buckley, Peter, 2008. "Close neighbours and distant friends--perceptions of cultural distance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 217-234, June.
    21. Anne Bartel-Radic, 2006. "Intercultural Learning in Global Teams," Post-Print hal-03566013, HAL.
    22. Mayrhofer, Ulrike, 2004. "The influence of national origin and uncertainty on the choice between cooperation and merger-acquisition: an analysis of French and German firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 83-99, February.
    23. Child, John & Faulkner, David & Tallman, Stephen, 2005. "Cooperative Strategy: Managing Alliances, Networks, and Joint Ventures," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, edition 2, number 9780199266258.
    24. John Child & Yanni Yan, 2003. "Predicting the Performance of International Joint Ventures: An Investigation in China," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 283-320, March.
    25. Anne Bartel-Radic, 2006. "Intercultural learning in global teams," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 647-678, December.
    26. Günter K Stahl & Rosalie L Tung, 2015. "Towards a more balanced treatment of culture in international business studies: The need for positive cross-cultural scholarship," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(4), pages 391-414, May.
    27. Shige Makino & Christine M. Chan & Takehiko Isobe & Paul W. Beamish, 2007. "Intended and unintended termination of international joint ventures," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(11), pages 1113-1132, November.
    28. Barmeyer, Christoph & Mayrhofer, Ulrike, 2008. "The contribution of intercultural management to the success of international mergers and acquisitions: An analysis of the EADS group," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 28-38, February.
    29. Brock, David M., 2005. "Multinational acquisition integration: the role of national culture in creating synergies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 269-288, June.
    30. Le Nguyen, Huu & Larimo, Jorma & Ali, Tahir, 2016. "How do ownership control position and national culture influence conflict resolution strategies in international joint ventures?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 559-568.
    31. Pierre-Xavier Meschi & Ulrich Wassmer, 2013. "The effect of foreign partner network embeddedness on international joint venture failure: Evidence from European firms’ investments in emerging economies," Post-Print hal-01839628, HAL.
    32. repec:dau:papers:123456789/13483 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Demir, Robert & Söderman, Sten, 2007. "Skills and complexity in management of IJVs: Exploring Swedish managers' experiences in China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 229-250, April.
    34. Noriko Yagi & Jill Kleinberg, 2011. "Boundary work: An interpretive ethnographic perspective on negotiating and leveraging cross-cultural identity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 629-653, June.
    35. Mary Yoko Brannen & Mark F Peterson, 2009. "Merging without alienating: interventions promoting cross-cultural organizational integration and their limitations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(3), pages 468-489, April.
    36. Jia, Fu & Rutherford, Christine & Lamming, Richard, 2016. "Cultural adaptation and socialisation between Western buyers and Chinese suppliers: The formation of a hybrid culture," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 1246-1261.
    37. Christoph Barmeyer & Ulrike Mayrhofer, 2008. "The contribution of intercultural management to the success of international mergers and acquisitions: an analysis of the EADS group," Post-Print hal-00567737, HAL.
    38. Larimo, Jorma & Le Nguyen, Huu & Ali, Tahir, 2016. "Performance measurement choices in international joint ventures: What factors drive them?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 877-887.
    39. Taco H Reus & Bruce T Lamont, 2009. "The double-edged sword of cultural distance in international acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(8), pages 1298-1316, October.
    40. Koveshnikov, Alexei & Barner-Rasmussen, Wilhelm & Ehrnrooth, Mats & Mäkelä, Kristiina, 2012. "A framework of successful organizational practices in Western multinational companies operating in Russia," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 371-382.
    41. Bodo B. Schlegelmilch, 2016. "Global Marketing Strategy," Management for Professionals, Springer, edition 1, number 978-3-319-26279-6, June.
    42. Yaping Gong & Oded Shenkar & Yadong Luo & Mee‐Kau Nyaw, 2007. "Do multiple parents help or hinder international joint venture performance? The mediating roles of contract completeness and partner cooperation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(10), pages 1021-1034, October.
    43. Peter J. Lane & Jane E. Salk & Marjorie A. Lyles, 2001. "Absorptive capacity, learning, and performance in international joint ventures," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(12), pages 1139-1161, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Dong & Fu, Ning & Wang, Guocai & Su, Lixun, 2024. "Past, present, and future of international joint ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Sina Grosskopf & Andreas Landes & Christoph Barmeyer, 2022. "A Black-Box yet To Be Opened: Multi-level Processes During Migrants’ Organizational Socialization," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1875-1902, December.
    3. Bradley J. Koch & Pamela Tremain Koch & Yiheng Deng, 2023. "China and U.S. organizational culture via value statements: an emic-etic yin-yang approach," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 1094-1130, July.
    4. Bausch, Madeleine & Barmeyer, Christoph & Mayrhofer, Ulrike, 2022. "Facilitating factors in the cross-cultural transfer of management practices: The case of a German multinational in Brazil," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2).
    5. Langinier, Hélène & Pündrich, Aline Pereira & Ariss, Akram Al, 2024. "Understanding professional migrant women’s successful career progression within the Big Four in Luxembourg," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michael Nippa & Jeffrey J Reuer, 2019. "On the future of international joint venture research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(4), pages 555-597, June.
    2. Triki, Dora & Mayrhofer, Ulrike, 2016. "Do initial characteristics influence IJV longevity? Evidence from the Mediterranean region," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 795-805.
    3. Srivastava, Saurabh & Singh, Shiwangi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2020. "Culture and International business research: A review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    4. Mohr, Alex & Wang, Chengang & Goerzen, Anthony, 2016. "The impact of partner diversity within multiparty international joint ventures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 883-894.
    5. Jin, Jason Lu & Wang, Liwen, 2021. "Resource complementarity, partner differences, and international joint venture performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 232-246.
    6. Li, Jiatao & Li, Peixin & Wang, Baolian, 2016. "Do cross-border acquisitions create value? Evidence from overseas acquisitions by Chinese firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 471-483.
    7. Cuypers, I.R.P., 2009. "Essays on equity joint ventures, uncertainty and experience," Other publications TiSEM 8dc79e86-c625-467f-a450-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Anne Bartel-Radic & Fabienne Munch, 2023. "Cross-cultural boundary spanning activities in a global team," Post-Print halshs-04148890, HAL.
    9. Konara, Palitha & Mohr, Alex, 2023. "Cultural bridging and the performance of international joint ventures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    10. Castellões, Bernardo & Silva-Rêgo, Bernardo & Dib, Luís Antônio, 2023. "Understanding divestment from an Uppsala school perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    11. Ryan W. Tang & Ying Zhu & Hongbo Cai & Jinrong Han, 2021. "De-internationalization: A Thematic Review and the Directions Forward," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 267-312, June.
    12. Taco H. Reus & Daniel Rottig, 2009. "Meta-analyses of International Joint Venture Performance Determinants," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(5), pages 607-640, October.
    13. Marius G. Gehrisch & Stefan Süß, 2023. "Organizational behavior in international strategic alliances and the relation to performance – a literature review and avenues for future research," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 1045-1107, September.
    14. Billur Akdeniz, M. & Berk Talay, M., 2022. "Happily (N)ever after: An empirical examination of the termination of IJVs across emerging versus developed markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 390-404.
    15. Yadong Luo, 2007. "Private control and collective control in international joint ventures," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 531-566, October.
    16. Jane Lu & Xufei Ma, 2015. "Partner resource asymmetry and IJV survival," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 1039-1064, December.
    17. Nguyen, Huu Le & Larimo, Jorma & Wang, Yi, 2019. "Control, innovation and international joint venture performance: The moderating role of internal and external environments," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1-1.
    18. Kolloge, Konstantin, 2009. "Die Messung des Kooperationserfolges in der empirischen Forschung: Ergebnisse einer Literaturstudie," Arbeitspapiere 76, University of Münster, Institute for Cooperatives.
    19. Cristina López-Duarte & Marta M. Vidal-Suárez & Belén González-Díaz & Nuno Rosa Reis, 2016. "Understanding the relevance of national culture in international business research: a quantitative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1553-1590, September.
    20. Dovev Lavie & Stewart R. Miller, 2008. "Alliance Portfolio Internationalization and Firm Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(4), pages 623-646, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:28:y:2019:i:1:p:1-11. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.