IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/manint/v49y2009i1d10.1007_s11575-008-0124-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technology Sourcing and Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries in Greece: The Impact of MNE and Local Environmental Contexts

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitris Manolopoulos

    (The American College of Greece)

  • Pavlos Dimitratos

    (Athens University of Economics and Business)

  • Stephen Young

    (University of Glasgow)

  • Spyros Lioukas

    (Athens University of Economics & Business)

Abstract

and Key Results The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of two categories of sources of technology on subsidiary performance. These technology sources can be associated either with the internal Multinational Enterprise (MNE) system; or, the local environment in which the subsidiary is based. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out on 88 subsidiaries located in Greece and results were derived through the use of ordered probit analysis. Internal MNE technology sourcing has a positive impact on subsidiary performance, which is stronger than that of local (Greek) technology sourcing. Contrary to our expectations, technology sourcing linked to the local context primarily has a negative influence on subsidiary performance.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:manint:v:49:y:2009:i:1:d:10.1007_s11575-008-0124-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11575-008-0124-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11575-008-0124-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11575-008-0124-7?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. 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. Gupta, Anil K. & Govindarajan, V., 1994. "Organizing for knowledge flows within MNCs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 443-457, December.
    3. Anil K. Gupta & Vijay Govindarajan, 2000. "Knowledge flows within multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 473-496, April.
    4. Paul Almeida & Anupama Phene, 2004. "Subsidiaries and knowledge creation: the influence of the MNC and host country on innovation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8‐9), pages 847-864, August.
    5. Yamin, Mo. & Otto, Juliet, 2004. "Patterns of knowledge flows and MNE innovative performance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 239-258.
    6. Ivarsson, Inge & Jonsson, Thommy, 2003. "Local technological competence and asset-seeking FDI: an empirical study of manufacturing and wholesale affiliates in Sweden," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 369-386, June.
    7. Susan C Borkowski, 1999. "International Managerial Performance Evaluation: A Five Country Comparison," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(3), pages 533-555, September.
    8. Masaaki Kotabe & Janet Y Murray, 1990. "Linking Product and Process Innovations and Modes of International Sourcing in Global Competition: A Case of Foreign Multinational Firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(3), pages 383-408, September.
    9. G R G Benito & B Grøgaard & R Narula, 2003. "Environmental influences on MNE subsidiary roles: economic integration and the Nordic countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(5), pages 443-456, September.
    10. Raymond Vernon, 1966. "International Investment and International Trade in the Product Cycle," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 80(2), pages 190-207.
    11. Julian M Birkinshaw & Allen J Morrison, 1995. "Configurations of Strategy and Structure in Subsidiaries of Multinational Structure," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(4), pages 729-753, December.
    12. Davis, Lee N. & Meyer, Klaus E., 2004. "Subsidiary research and development, and the local environment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 359-382, June.
    13. Harzing, Anne-Wil, 1997. "Response rates in international mail surveys: Results of a 22-country study," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 6(6), pages 641-665, December.
    14. Eckhardt Bode, 2004. "The spatial pattern of localized R&D spillovers: an empirical investigation for Germany," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 43-64, January.
    15. Birkinshaw, Julian & Hood, Neil & Young, Stephen, 2005. "Subsidiary entrepreneurship, internal and external competitive forces, and subsidiary performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 227-248, April.
    16. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1996. "What Firms Do? Coordination, Identity, and Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(5), pages 502-518, October.
    17. Julian Birkinshaw & Neil Hood, 2000. "Characteristics of Foreign Subsidiaries in Industry Clusters," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(1), pages 141-154, March.
    18. Guest Editors & Ana Teresa Tavares & Stephen Young, 2005. "FDI and multinationals: patterns, impacts and policies," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 3-16.
    19. Dimitris Manolopoulos & Marina Papanastassiou & Robert Pearce, 2007. "Knowledge-related competitiveness and the roles of multinationals’ R&D in a peripheral European economy: Survey analysis of Greece," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 661-682, September.
    20. Gary S. Hansen & Birger Wernerfelt, 1989. "Determinants of firm performance: The relative importance of economic and organizational factors," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(5), pages 399-411, September.
    21. Allred, Brent B. & Swan, K. Scott, 2004. "Contextual influences on international subsidiaries' product technology strategy," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 259-286.
    22. Björn Alecke & Christoph Alsleben & Frank Scharr & Gerhard Untiedt, 2006. "Are there really high-tech clusters? The geographic concentration of German manufacturing industries and its determinants," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 40(1), pages 19-42, March.
    23. Peter J. Buckley & Mark Casson, 1991. "The Future of the Multinational Enterprise," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 0, number 978-1-349-21204-0, October.
    24. Stewart Johnston & Angela Paladino, 2007. "Knowledge management and involvement in innovations in MNC subsidiaries," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 281-302, March.
    25. Ambos, Tina C. & Ambos, Björn & Schlegelmilch, Bodo B., 2006. "Learning from foreign subsidiaries: An empirical investigation of headquarters' benefits from reverse knowledge transfers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 294-312, June.
    26. Zander, Ivo, 1997. "Technological diversification in the multinational corporation--historical evolution and future prospects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 209-227, May.
    27. Granstrand, Ove & Hakanson, Lars & Sjolander, Soren, 1993. "Internationalization of R&D -- a survey of some recent research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(5-6), pages 413-430, November.
    28. Scott Keating, A., 1997. "Determinants of divisional performance evaluation practices," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 243-273, December.
    29. Andersson, Ulf & Forsgren, Mats & Pedersen, Torben, 2001. "Subsidiary performance in multinational corporations: the importance of technology embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 3-23, February.
    30. Paterson, S. L. & Brock, D. M., 2002. "The development of subsidiary-management research: review and theoretical analysis," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 139-163, April.
    31. Suresh Kotha & Anil Nair, 1995. "Strategy and environment as determinants of performance: Evidence from the Japanese machine tool industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(7), pages 497-518.
    32. repec:bla:jecsur:v:12:y:1998:i:3:p:247-77 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Andersson, Ulf & Björkman, Ingmar & Forsgren, Mats, 2005. "Managing subsidiary knowledge creation: The effect of control mechanisms on subsidiary local embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 521-538, October.
    34. 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.
    35. Sanjeev Agarwal & Sridhar N Ramaswami, 1992. "Choice of Foreign Market Entry Mode: Impact of Ownership, Location and Internationalization Factors," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(1), pages 1-27, March.
    36. Y Luo, 2003. "Market-seeking MNEs in an emerging market: How parent–subsidiary links shape overseas success," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(3), pages 290-309, May.
    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. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Chatzopoulou, Erifili & Kottaridi, Constantina, 2018. "Resources, home institutional context and SMEs’ exporting: Direct relationships and contingency effects," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 993-1006.
    2. Shameen Prashantham & Julian Birkinshaw, 2022. "The local roots of global entrepreneurship: Insights from Stephen Young," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(5), pages 950-961, July.
    3. Hsu, Sean Tsu-Hsiang & Iriyama, Akie & Prescott, John E., 2016. "Lost in Translation or Lost in Your Neighbor's Yard: The Moderating Role of Leverage and Protection Mechanisms for the MNC Subsidiary Technology Sourcing–Performance Relationship," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 84-99.
    4. Liu, Ting & Li, Xizhuo, 2022. "How Do MNCs Conduct Local Technological Innovation in a Host Country? An Examination From Subsidiaries' Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).

    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. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Papanastassiou, Marina & Pearce, Robert, 2005. "Technology sourcing in multinational enterprises and the roles of subsidiaries: An empirical investigation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 249-267, June.
    2. Achcaoucaou, Fariza & Miravitlles, Paloma & León-Darder, Fidel, 2014. "Knowledge sharing and subsidiary R&D mandate development: A matter of dual embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 76-90.
    3. Dimitratos, Pavlos & Liouka, Ioanna & Young, Stephen, 2009. "Regional location of multinational corporation subsidiaries and economic development contribution: Evidence from the UK," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 180-191, April.
    4. Scott-Kennel, Joanna & Giroud, Axele, 2015. "MNEs and FSAs: Network knowledge, strategic orientation and performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 94-107.
    5. Marcus Matthias Keupp & Maximilian Palmié & Oliver Gassmann, 2011. "Achieving Subsidiary Integration in International Innovation by Managerial “Tools”," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 213-239, April.
    6. 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.
    7. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 2020. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 538-576, June.
    8. Boojihawon, Dev Kumar & Dimitratos, Pavlos & Young, Stephen, 2007. "Characteristics and influences of multinational subsidiary entrepreneurial culture: The case of the advertising sector," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 549-572, October.
    9. Michailova, Snejina & Mustaffa, Zaidah, 2012. "Subsidiary knowledge flows in multinational corporations: Research accomplishments, gaps, and opportunities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 383-396.
    10. Urmas Varblane & Katrin M??nnik & Helena Hannula, 2005. "Autonomy and Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries in five Transition Countries," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp780, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    11. Zhang, Feng & Jiang, Guohua & Cantwell, John A., 2019. "Geographically Dispersed Technological Capability Building and MNC Innovative Performance: The Role of Intra-firm Flows of Newly Absorbed Knowledge," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 1-1.
    12. 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.
    13. Gammelgaard, Jens & McDonald, Frank & Stephan, Andreas & Tüselmann, Heinz & Dörrenbächer, Christoph, 2012. "The impact of increases in subsidiary autonomy and network relationships on performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 1158-1172.
    14. Wu, Yan & Strange, Roger & Shirodkar, Vikrant, 2022. "Lateral knowledge transfer and foreign affiliate performance: The importance of affiliate strategic roles," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    15. Patrick Regnér & Udo Zander, 2011. "Knowledge and Strategy Creation in Multinational Companies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 821-850, December.
    16. Scott-Kennel, Joanna & Saittakari, Iiris, 2020. "Sourcing or sharing in MNE networks? National headquarters and foreign subsidiaries as knowledge conduits in SMOPECs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1).
    17. Young, Stephen & Tavares, Ana Teresa, 2004. "Centralization and autonomy: back to the future," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 215-237, April.
    18. Urmas Varblane & Katrin Männik & Helena Hannula, 2005. "Autonomy And Performance Of Foreign Subsidiaries In Transition Countries," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 38, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    19. Ana Teresa Tavares & Stephen Young, 2006. "Sourcing patterns of foreign-owned multinational subsidiaries in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(6), pages 583-600.
    20. Jens Gammelgaard & Frank McDonald & Heinz Tüselmann & Christoph Dörrenbächer & Andreas Stephan, 2009. "Subsidiary Role and Skilled Labour Effects in Small Developed Countries," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 27-42, February.

    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:spr:manint:v:49:y:2009:i:1:d:10.1007_s11575-008-0124-7. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.