Intermediate units in multinational corporations: A resource dependency view on coordinative versus entrepreneurial roles

Due to the dispersion of headquarters’ activities across organizational and geographical boundaries, intermediate units (IUs) are emerging as a key actor of international business. IUs are intermediate structural layers between headquarters (HQ) and local subsidiaries with specific HQ responsibilities. Our study relies on original data of 67 IUs and, taking on a Resource Dependence approach, explores empirically the two HQ roles attributed to IUs: coordinative versus entrepreneurial. According to our results, the main differences between both roles relate to external network embeddedness, internal network position and autonomy. We argue that these differences arise from the dominant sources of power in each role. These findings have signi?cant relevance for theory development and managerial practice as we provide a starting point for understanding the dispersion of complex HQ systems as well as how those systems are discharged and add value.     

基于扎根理论的产业集群嵌入对创业的影响研究

产业集群对创业活动具有明显的促进,但现有研究并没有揭示产业集群对创业活动的影响机制。使用嵌入理论可以将产业集群这种宏观抽象的环境因素对创业的影响分解为创业者及其新创企业与集群内其他机构主体的嵌入关系。采用扎根理论方法研究发现,产业集群对创业绩效的影响,即产业集群嵌入,可以分解成三种不同层次的嵌入:制度嵌入、网络嵌入和个人关系嵌入。     

Entrepreneurial leadership and MNE subsidiary performance: The moderating role of subsidiary context

Managers of international subsidiaries, especially subsidiary CEOs, operate at critical interfaces within multinational enterprises (MNEs) and hold strategic responsibility for the operations in their country. Yet, their impact on subsidiary performance has received scant research attention. Building on the subsidiary entrepreneurship and strategic leadership literatures, we develop a model of how subsidiary CEOs’ entrepreneurial leadership affects subsidiary performance, and how this relationship is moderated by the subsidiary context that determines managerial discretion. We combine survey data of 291 international subsidiaries in South Korea with archival data to test our hypotheses. Our results show that subsidiary CEOs’ entrepreneurial leadership enhances subsidiary performance and that this relationship is strengthened by managerial discretion. Our study highlights the pivotal role of subsidiary CEOs within MNEs and contributes to a microfoundational understanding of international subsidiary management.     

Dual embeddedness,influence and performance of innovating subsidiaries in the multinational corporation

This study adopts a business network view to study the effects of subsidiary embeddedness on both subsidiary influence within the MNC and innovation-related business performance. Through Structural Equation Modeling we analyze subsidiary relationships connected to 85 innovation projects. The results show that external and corporate embeddedness are complementary contexts, although they affect subsidiary influence and performance differently. Whereas external embeddedness directly affects innovation-related business performance, corporate embeddedness strengthens the subsidiary's influence within the MNC, which in turn positively relates to performance. Moreover, as the study also finds that external and corporate embeddedness are positively associated, it stresses the issue of simultaneously balancing both external and corporate relationships (i.e., dual embeddedness) to nurture innovation projects.     

Subsidiary autonomy and performance in Japanese multinationals in Europe

Notwithstanding the growing body of research on headquarters–subsidiary relationships, the conditions under which subsidiary autonomy leads to enhanced subsidiary performance is still a subject of debate. This study adopts a contingency approach and investigates the effects of external uncertainties and intra-MNE coordination on the performance benefits of subsidiary autonomy. The empirical analysis is based upon cross-sectional data collected from 88 European subsidiaries of Japanese MNEs. Our findings show that subsidiary autonomy has a greater impact upon performance (a) under conditions of technological uncertainty; and (b) when expatriate involvement is high, as the subsidiary can reap the full benefits of entrepreneurial capabilities and enjoy resource interdependencies through interactions with the parent simultaneously. MNC executives should aim for an appropriate balance between subsidiary autonomy and these internal and external factors so that the subsidiaries achieve superior performance.     

东道国网络结构三维嵌入与零售专业技能跨国转移

从网络视角运用嵌入关系来分析零售专业技能跨国转移具有重要意义.通过对沃尔玛、家乐福和乐购在华子公司的案例分析,发现零售企业海外子公司东道国网络的关系嵌入、网络中心度、网络密度对零售专业技能跨国转移的效果有正向影响,群体中心度对零售专业技能跨国转移的效果有负向影响.     

Knowledge sharing and subsidiary R&D mandate development: A matter of dual embeddedness

Sharing knowledge across borders has proven to be especially relevant to multinational corporations (MNCs). Foreign subsidiaries have become active players in these knowledge flows. However, the network effects of interacting with multiple agents on the evolution of the R&D role played by subsidiaries are still undeveloped. The present study focuses on changes in subsidiary capabilities and on the dynamic mechanisms by which their R&D role might evolve, especially, as a consequence of their interaction with a variety of knowledge networks. We examine this issue by conducting four longitudinal case studies of subsidiaries operating in Spain. Using an inductive approach to theory building, we develop a general theoretical framework considering the subsidiary's embeddedness in the knowledge networks within the MNC (internal) and within the host country (external). We find that evolving towards a competence-creating mandate is characterised by the simultaneous growth of embeddedness in both internal and external networks; otherwise, a subsidiary may gravitate away from upgrading its R&D role. Thus, the contribution of this paper is to present a dynamic model that sheds light on how internal and external knowledge embeddedness interact in generating outcomes for subsidiary R&D roles.     

How “space” and “place” influence subsidiary host country political embeddedness

As a part of multinational corporations (MNCs), subsidiaries operate in distinct host countries and have to deal with their external context. Host country political embeddedness, in particular, helps subsidiaries to obtain knowledge and understanding of the regulatory and political context, and to get access to local networks. Moreover, they get some guidance and support from their headquarters. Distance between MNC home and host countries, however, alienates subsidiaries from the MNC and influences the extent of subsidiary host country political embeddedness. We suggest that the host country political and regulatory context moderates the effect of distance on subsidiary host country political embeddedness by reducing the need and/or value of headquarters support. Using a sample of 124 European manufacturing subsidiaries, we find that distance (space) and context (place) matter jointly: the impact of distance is stronger for subsidiaries that operate in host countries with low governance quality and low political stability in place.     

TMT社会网络、公司创业与企业绩效关系研究

拥有大量内外部信息资源的高管团队(TMT),其社会网络不但可以提供公司创业的机会来源,也是企业现在绩效和未来绩效的影响因素。TMT的社会网络只有通过公司创业机制才能转化为企业绩效的价值创造过程。中国背景下的实证研究显示:TMT社会网络、公司创业都与企业绩效正相关,对于企业而言,要高度重视通过管理手段激励整个高管团队的所有成员去构建有效的内外部社会网络;公司创业的价值增值中介作用也得到证实,公司创业发挥着重要的资源整合作用,有价值的TMT内外部社会网络只有充分融入企业的产品或服务创新,以及深层次的战略更新过程中,为企业的价值增值服务,才能转变为企业绩效。     

网络嵌入对大型复杂产品制造业供应链绩效的影响研究

网络嵌入已经成为影响大型复杂产品制造业供应链绩效的主要因素之一。本文以我国航空制造业供应链为例,在分析网络结构嵌入和关系嵌入维度的基础上,提出供应链网络嵌入与供应链绩效之间关系的研究假设,并构建相应理论模型,通过实证分析来探究供应链网络嵌入对供应链绩效的影响机理。研究结果显示,供应链网络结构嵌入（节点度和中介中心度）和关系嵌入（信任、信息共享和共同解决问题）对大型复杂产品制造业供应链绩效具有显著影响,并且结构嵌入与关系嵌入之间存在理论上的结构关系。     

Entrepreneurial orientation and international scope: The differential roles of innovativeness,proactiveness, and risk-taking

This research integrates the international business and entrepreneurship literatures by examining the independent influences of innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking on the ability of a firm to broaden its scope across international markets. For each dimension of entrepreneurial orientation, a cost–benefit framework is applied to highlight the trade-offs associated with different levels in the internationalization context. Based on a unique dataset of 500 SMEs spanning 10 industries, the results reflect the consequences of being “stuck in the middle” with respect to their strategic posture on innovativeness and proactiveness, but reveal a nuanced role for risk-taking behavior. The non-uniform and non-linear relationships from the findings contribute to a better understanding of when the individual dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation help or hinder entrepreneurial firms in the internationalization process.     

International springboard as an entrepreneurial act

International springboard is an entrepreneurial act that requires international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO). An important aspect of international springboard is the establishment of a deeply localized flagship foreign subsidiary to help pursue diverse international strategic goals. We model parent-level IEO as a mediator in the relationships between diversity of international strategic goals and flagship subsidiary localization strategies (customer responsiveness, market scope, and local cooperativeness). The results from a sample of 208 Chinese MNEs demonstrate that the three dimensions of IEO (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking) play an important but differentiated mediation role. The study illustrates the connection between parent-level entrepreneurial behavior and subsidiary-level strategic actions through which MNEs capture cross-national entrepreneurial opportunities.     

Digital sport entrepreneurial ecosystems

The entrepreneurial ecosystems literature has increasingly explored network relationships between different stakeholders, as well as the role of context. This article addresses the challenge of including a sport context in the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature thereby contributing to the sport entrepreneurship literature by bringing insights from entrepreneurship ecosystem research. In‐depth interviews of football stakeholders in the sport entrepreneurship ecosystem are conducted in terms of understanding the emergence of digital sport start‐ups. The issues raised help explore the changing nature of digital entrepreneurial ecosystems to take into account new sport technological advances. Mixed embeddedness theory is used as the conceptual foundation to understand sport digital entrepreneurial ecosystems. Key management practices are identified in terms of sport start‐ups participating in entrepreneurial ecosystems. The article concludes by making suggestions for future research.     

动态网络环境下企业国际化战略转型——基于关系运作与网络演进视角的案例研究

在动态网络环境下,企业国际化行为本质上可以被看成是以跨国机遇发现和价值创造为导向的国际创业的过程,而这一过程中企业关系网络扮演着极为重要的角色.基于对关系网络影响企业国际化机制的分析,文章根据“主动性”网络结构观点和协同演进的思想,构建了关系运作、网络发展与企业国际化成长的协同演进分析框架,企业关系运作行为可以划分为“关系延伸→关系渗透→关系整合”三种演替的形式,而企业的关系网络沿着“本地社会网络-→国际商业网络→全球战略网络”的方向升级,这两者共同融入了企业国际化成长的周期中,并且实质上也是企业国际化行为的重要组成部分.最后结合株洲硬质合金集团有限公司的案例验证了文章理论框架的合理性并给出了相关的政策建议.     

网络关系嵌入对高端装备制造业供应链协同能力和绩效的影响研究

文章以航空制造业供应链为代表,利用层次回归分析法,探究网络关系嵌入对高端装备制造业供应链协同能力和绩效的影响及其作用机理。研究的结果表明,网络关系嵌入对供应链协同能力各维度均有着显著的正向促进作用。同时,供应链协同能力中同步决策、产品交付及时可靠以及激励联盟均可以显著提升供应链的运作绩效;虽然激励联盟和供应链的运作绩效对供应链的财务绩效有着直接显著的影响,但是同步决策和产品交付及时可靠则需要通过改善供应链运作绩效间接实现对供应链财务绩效的影响。     

International entrepreneurial culture—Toward a comprehensive opportunity-based operationalization of international entrepreneurship

Despite the abundance of international entrepreneurship studies, there is a need to develop valid measures of the international entrepreneurship construct. Based on prior conceptual studies, we contribute to the literature by advancing a scale of the international entrepreneurial culture (IEC) that considers opportunity-based behavior; and, aims to capture the overarching context of international entrepreneurship. We followed established scale development practices and conducted a research on UK and US medium-sized firms. Our proposed six-dimensional operationalization of IEC, which sufficiently matches the initial conceptualization, consists of international entrepreneurial orientation; international market orientation; international motivation; international learning orientation; international networking orientation with competitors; and, international networking orientation with non-competitors. The main implication from this study is that international entrepreneurship scholars can use in future research these six dimensions of the encompassing IEC context rather than a confined international entrepreneurship construct.     

Entrepreneurial orientation,entrepreneurial competencies,innovation, and performances in SMEs of Pakistan: Moderating role of social ties

The current study examines the mediating role of innovation and entrepreneurial competencies in entrepreneurial orientation’s relationship with financial, social, and environmental performance. This research also determines the role of social ties in strengthening the association between innovation and entrepreneurial competencies with social, financial, and environmental performance. Using multi-source and time-lagged studies, the data was collected from 297 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan, and structural equation modeling was used to test direct, indirect, and moderating hypotheses. The findings show that entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial competencies, and innovation positively correlate with all the types of performance under investigation and confirm the mediating role of innovation and entrepreneurial competencies. Additionally, social network ties strengthen innovation—financial performance, and entrepreneurial competencies—social performance relationship. This research proposes significant theoretical and managerial implications by determining the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on SMEs in Pakistan.     

Conceptualizing knowledge-based entrepreneurship networks: perspectives from the literature

Efforts to promote and support knowledge-based entrepreneurship as a vehicle for economic development are increasingly focused on the importance of networks to entrepreneurial success. This article reviews the extant empirical literature and finds a striking consensus among multiple disciplinary perspectives: not only are networks important, network characteristics also mediate resources important to entrepreneurial performance. Unfortunately, current conceptual frameworks do not adequately account for the unique nature of knowledge spillovers and their role in innovation and economic dynamism. The article suggests that scholars embrace the nascent knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship to guide future empirical research on entrepreneurship networks and focus intently on their impact on entrepreneurial performance—and therefore economic growth.     

Forgotten or not? Home country embeddedness and returnee entrepreneurship

Building on the social network and strategic entrepreneurship literature, we investigate the overall relationship between returnee entrepreneurs’ networks in different periods and locations, domestic resource acquisitions and firm performance. While the labor mobility literature emphasizes the “gone but not forgotten” networks in the prior location of migrants, other studies argue that returnees suffer from a lack of local networks. Our findings show that returnee entrepreneurs are different in the extent of their home country embeddedness while they are overseas, which indicates different degrees of enduring networks in the home countries. The effect of home country embeddedness improves the performance of returnee entrepreneurship via domestic resource acquisition, and this effect could be substituted by pre-overseas local ties and the presence of local top management team (TMT) members. This study extends returnee research by shedding light on the importance of network maintenance in determining whether the home country’s network endures or decays and by highlighting the interactions of ties in the different periods of pre-overseas, during overseas, and after return.     

目的国网络嵌入、本土化服务能力与跨境B2C出口企业绩效：海外仓策略的一个理论解释

为探索海外仓情境下跨境B2C出口企业绩效的提升路径，以本土化服务能力为中介解释目的国网络嵌入和企业绩效之间的关系，将目的国网络嵌入区分为知识嵌入、商业嵌入和政治嵌入三个维度，把本土化服务能力区分为本土化物流服务能力、本土化分销服务能力和本土化冲突协调能力三个维度，从而构建了“目的国网络嵌入→本土化服务能力→跨境B2C出口企业绩效”模型。基于PLS-SEM结构方程建模方法对问卷调查数据进行实证分析，研究结果表明：海外仓情境下目的国网络嵌入和本土化服务能力对跨境B2C出口企业绩效都具有显著影响；本土化服务能力在目的国网络嵌入对跨境B2C出口企业绩效的影响路径上具有完全中介作用；知识嵌入仅通过本土化物流服务能力的中介对跨境B2C出口企业绩效产生影响。