IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nms/mamere/1861-9908_mrev_2009_4_doerrenbaecher.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Micro-political Games in the Multinational Corporation: The Case of Mandate Change

Author

Listed:
  • Christoph Doerrenbaecher
  • Mike Geppert

Abstract

Micro-political conflicts associated with corporate internationalization have been neglected by and large in the literature so far. Despite early consideration by the behavioral theory of internationalization, the specific strength of a micro-political approach, i.e. combining actors’ idiosyncratic action with structural and institutional constraints, remained more or less unused in studies on corporate internationalization. Screening the relevant literature, discussing the strengths of micro-political approaches and proposing mandate changes in multinational corporations as an particularly interesting empirical field, the paper also outlines for some directions for further research into the micro-politics of multinational corporations.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Doerrenbaecher & Mike Geppert, 2009. "Micro-political Games in the Multinational Corporation: The Case of Mandate Change," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(4), pages 373-391.
    • Handle: RePEc:nms:mamere:1861-9908_mrev_2009_4_doerrenbaecher
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/0935-9915-2009-4-373
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julian Birkinshaw, 1996. "How Multinational Subsidiary Mandates are Gained and Lost," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(3), pages 467-495, September.
    2. Sumantra Ghoshal & Nitin Nohria, 1989. "Internal differentiation within multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(4), pages 323-337, July.
    3. Gupta, Anil K. & Govindarajan, V., 1994. "Organizing for knowledge flows within MNCs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 443-457, December.
    4. Jacques Bélanger & Paul Edwards, 2006. "Towards a Political Economy Framework: TNCs as National and Global Players," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Anthony Ferner & Javier Quintanilla & Carlos Sánchez-Runde (ed.), Multinationals, Institutions and the Construction of Transnational Practices, chapter 2, pages 24-52, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. Michailova, Snejina, 2002. "When common sense becomes uncommon: participation and empowerment in Russian companies with Western participation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 180-187, October.
    6. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 1977. "The Internationalization Process of the Firm—A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 8(1), pages 23-32, March.
    7. Mats Forsgren & Ulf Holm & Jan Johanson, 1995. "Division Headquarters Go Abroad ‐ A Step In The Internationalization Of The Multinational Corporation," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 475-491, July.
    8. 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.
    9. Mike Geppert & Karen Williams & Dirk Matten, 2003. "The Social Construction of Contextual Rationalities in MNCs: An Anglo‐German Comparison of Subsidiary Choice," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 617-641, May.
    10. Stahl, Günter K. & Miller, Edwin L. & Tung, Rosalie L., 2002. "Toward the boundaryless career: a closer look at the expatriate career concept and the perceived implications of an international assignment," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 216-227, October.
    11. D. Eleanor Westney, 1993. "Institutionalization Theory and the Multinational Corporation," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Sumantra Ghoshal & D. Eleanor Westney (ed.), Organization Theory and the Multinational Corporation, chapter 3, pages 53-76, Palgrave Macmillan.
    12. Birkinshaw, Julian & Ridderstråle, Jonas, 1999. "Fighting the corporate immune system: a process study of subsidiary initiatives in multinational corporations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 149-180, April.
    13. Florian Becker-Ritterspach & Knut Lange & Karin Lohr, 2002. "Control Mechanisms and Patterns of Reorganization in MNCs," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mike Geppert & Dirk Matten & Karen Williams (ed.), Challenges for European Management in a Global Context — Experiences from Britain and Germany, chapter 3, pages 68-95, Palgrave Macmillan.
    14. Pearce, Robert, 1999. "The evolution of technology in multinational enterprises: the role of creative subsidiaries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 125-148, April.
    15. W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne, 1993. "Procedural Justice Theory and the Multinational Corporation," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Sumantra Ghoshal & D. Eleanor Westney (ed.), Organization Theory and the Multinational Corporation, chapter 10, pages 237-255, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. Dunning, John H, 1979. "Explaining Changing Patterns of International Production: In Defence of the Eclectic Theory," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 41(4), pages 269-295, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Dellestrand, Henrik & Kappen, Philip, 2011. "Headquarters Allocation of Resources to Innovation Transfer Projects within the Multinational Enterprise," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 263-277.
    2. Robert Pearce, 2001. "Multinationals and Industrialisation: The Bases of 'Inward Investment' Policy," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 51-73.
    3. Forsgren, Mats & Pedersen, Torben & Foss, Nicolai J., 1999. "Accounting for the strengths of MNC subsidiaries: the case of foreign-owned firms in Denmark," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 181-196, April.
    4. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 0. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-39.
    5. Iavor Marangozov, 2005. "From Practice to Theory of the International Joint Ventures," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 44-77.
    6. Sargent, John & Matthews, Linda, 2006. "The drivers of evolution/upgrading in Mexico's maquiladoras: How important is subsidiary initiative?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 233-246, September.
    7. Drogendijk, H.J., 2001. "Expansion patterns of Dutch firms in Central and Eastern Europe : Learning to internationalize," Other publications TiSEM 18571cef-0dd0-46ff-82aa-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Luo, Yadong & Tan, J. Justin, 1998. "A comparison of multinational and domestic firms in an emerging market: A strategic choice perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 21-40, July.
    9. Fan, Di & Cui, Lin & Li, Yi & Zhu, Cherrie J., 2016. "Localized learning by emerging multinational enterprises in developed host countries: A fuzzy-set analysis of Chinese foreign direct investment in Australia," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 187-203.
    10. Michael J. Enright & Venkat Subramanian, 2007. "An organizing framework for MNC subsidiary typologies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 895-924, December.
    11. Blomkvist, Katarina & Kappen, Philip & Zander, Ivo, 2017. "Gone are the creatures of yesteryear? On the diffusion of technological capabilities in the ‘modern’ MNC," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 1-16.
    12. Dimitris Manolopoulos & Pavlos Dimitratos & Stephen Young & Spyros Lioukas, 2009. "Technology Sourcing and Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries in Greece: The Impact of MNE and Local Environmental Contexts," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 43-60, February.
    13. Dörrenbächer, Christoph & Gammelgaard, Jens, 2006. "Subsidiary role development: The effect of micro-political headquarters-subsidiary negotiations on the product, market and value-added scope of foreign-owned subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 266-283, September.
    14. Holm, Ulf & Pedersen, Torben, 2000. "The Dilemma Of Centres Of Excellence - Contextual Creation Of Knowledge Versus Global Transfer Of Knowledge," Working Papers 8-2000, Copenhagen Business School, Department of International Economics and Management.
    15. Mudambi, Ram & Pedersen, Torben & Andersson, Ulf, 2014. "How subsidiaries gain power in multinational corporations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 101-113.
    16. Marina Papanastassiou & Robert Pearce & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Changing perspectives on the internationalization of R&D and innovation by multinational enterprises: A review of the literature," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 623-664, June.
    17. Ionara Costa & Howard Rush & Andrew Grantham, 2015. "Knowledge Here, Knowledge There: Multilatinas and their European Subsidiaries," Globelics Working Paper Series 2015-13, Globelics - Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems, Aalborg University, Department of Business and Management.
    18. Yamin, Mo & Andersson, Ulf, 2011. "Subsidiary importance in the MNC: What role does internal embeddedness play?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 151-162, April.
    19. Dan Li & Manuel Portugal Ferreira & Fernando Serra, 2007. "Technology transfer within MNEs: An investigation of inter-subsidiary competition and cooperation," Working Papers 1, globADVANTAGE, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria.
    20. Luo, Yadong, 2002. "Organizational dynamics and global integration: A perspective from subsidiary managers," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 189-215.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    multinational corporations; micro-political processes; game playing; mandate changes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M50 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:nms:mamere:1861-9908_mrev_2009_4_doerrenbaecher. 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: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nomos.de/ .

    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.