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Regional Management as a System

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca Piekkari

    (Aalto University)

  • Phillip C. Nell

    (Copenhagen Business School)

  • Pervez N. Ghauri

    (King’s College London)

Abstract

We apply information processing theory to investigate the evolution of regional management. Based on a longitudinal case study of a European multinational we capture the overall structural development of the firm and within this context, we conduct an in-depth analysis of two regions and their regional management centres. We conceptualise regional management as a system of differentiated centres. The notion that headquarters can be found in a single location is replaced by the view that headquarters’ activities are spatially distributed within a system. Over time, this multi-level system adapts to changing information processing requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca Piekkari & Phillip C. Nell & Pervez N. Ghauri, 2010. "Regional Management as a System," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 513-532, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:manint:v:50:y:2010:i:4:d:10.1007_s11575-010-0044-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11575-010-0044-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Benoit Decreton & Henrik Dellestrand & Philip Kappen & Phillip C. Nell, 2017. "Beyond Simple Configurations: The Dual Involvement of Divisional and Corporate Headquarters in Subsidiary Innovation Activities in Multibusiness Firms," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 855-878, December.
    2. Bruno Amann & Jacques Jaussaud & Johannes Schaaper, 2020. "The bridging role of regional headquarters.Multinational companies in theAsia-Pacific region," Post-Print hal-03282204, HAL.
    3. Tomi Laamanen, 2019. "Dynamic attention-based view of corporate headquarters in MNCs," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Alain Verbeke & Christian Geisler Asmussen, 2016. "Global, Local, or Regional? The Locus of MNE Strategies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 1051-1075, September.
    5. Chakravarty, Dwarka & Hsieh, Ying-Ying & Schotter, Andreas P.J. & Beamish, Paul W., 2017. "Multinational enterprise regional management centres: Characteristics and performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 296-311.
    6. Conroy, Kieran & Gammelgaard, Jens & Jooss, Stefan, 2023. "Operating in the middle-power position: Conceptualising the role of regional headquarters through loaned and owned power," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    7. Xufei Ma & Andrew Delios & Shu Yu, 2020. "Innovation in MNC’S strategy and structure: the (re) emergence of host country headquarters in large emerging markets," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 609-632, September.
    8. Christine Holmström Lind & Olivia H. Kang, 2017. "The Value-Adding Role of the Corporate Headquarters in Innovation Transfer Processes: The Issue of Headquarters Knowledge Situation," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 571-602, August.
    9. Suder, Gabriele & Liesch, Peter W. & Inomata, Satoshi & Mihailova, Irina & Meng, Bo, 2015. "The evolving geography of production hubs and regional value chains across East Asia: Trade in value-added," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 404-416.
    10. Bruno Amann & Jacques Jaussaud & Johannes Schaaper, 2014. "Clusters and Regional Management Structures by Western MNCs in Asia: Overcoming the Distance Challenge," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(6), pages 879-906, December.
    11. Verbeke, Alain & Kano, Liena, 2016. "An internalization theory perspective on the global and regional strategies of multinational enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 83-92.
    12. Wolf, Joachim & Egelhoff, William G., 2013. "An empirical evaluation of conflict in MNC matrix structure firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 591-601.
    13. Tang, Qingqing & Gu, Flora F. & Xie, En & Wu, Zhan, 2020. "Exploratory and exploitative OFDI from emerging markets: Impacts on firm performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    14. Kazuhiro Asakawa, 2020. "Disaggregating the headquarters: implications for overseas R&D subsidiaries’ reporting and the subsidiaries’ knowledge-sharing patterns," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 9(1), pages 1-30, December.
    15. Arregle, Jean-Luc & Miller, Toyah L. & Hitt, Michael A. & Beamish, Paul W., 2018. "The role of MNEs’ internationalization patterns in their regional integration of FDI locations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(6), pages 896-910.
    16. Randi Lunnan & Youzhen Zhao, 2014. "Regional headquarters in China: Role in MNE knowledge transfer," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 397-422, June.

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