Multinational Enterprise Organizational Structures and Subsidiary Role and Capability Development: The Moderating Role of Establishment Mode

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop structural configurations for managing their geographically dispersed and disaggregated activities. These structures can be classified as (a) simple headquarters configurations (involves corporate, regional, divisional headquarters and mandated units) involving few direct reporting relationships; (b) network organizations involving no direct reporting relationships; and (c) matrix configurations involving multiple reporting relationships. While these structures are built for handling various complexities and purposes, it is unclear how they influence subsidiary role and capability development. We hypothesize how these structures influence subsidiary development and propose a moderating role of MNE establishment mode on the direct structure-subsidiary development relationship. Based on data from 429 foreign subsidiaries in New Zealand, our results show that subsidiary development varies across the structures such that simple headquarters configurations experience the least opportunities to develop. While the matrix and network structures as complex configurations offer distinct paths to subsidiary development, subsidiaries managed under the former are more likely to follow the developmental path of networking and interunit learning, and the subsidiaries managed under the latter are more likely to follow the path of autonomy and innovation. Furthermore, the positive association of network structure with subsidiary initiatives and autonomy is stronger for greenfield subsidiaries, whereas the positive association of matrix structure with subsidiary mandates is stronger for acquired subsidiaries.

“Of course, cooperation first”: the effect of subsidiary capability and perception gaps for subsidiary development

Purpose This study aims to discuss not only the relationship between performance and cooperation but also discusses whether a subsidiary should prioritize performance above cooperation or whether a subsidiary should prioritize cooperation above performance. In addition, because the headquarters-subsidiary relationship influences the subsidiaries, the perception gaps (PGs) between headquarters and subsidiaries are taken as moderators to explore when there are perception differences between headquarters and subsidiaries and the effect on the relationship between subsidiaries’ cooperation (SCO) and performance (SP). Design/methodology/approach This study obtained the data through a survey of 170 subsidiaries in China; chief executive officer or senior managers were selected as the data collection sources. AMOS analysis was used to address sophisticated data analysis issues. Findings The empirical evidence indicates that subsidiary capabilities have direct impacts on SCO and SP. In addition, SCO and performance have mediating effects. More specifically, SCO has a full mediating effect and SP has a partial mediating effect. For the moderating effects, the PG weakens the effect of SCO on SP. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on subsidiary capabilities by offering a headquarters-subsidiary relationship model. As both the conceptual and empirical research studies on this topic are still underdeveloped, the study provides fresh insights into collaborative management and offers significant theoretical and managerial implications. Specifically, this study focuses on the impacts that subsidiary capabilities and PG have on cooperation and performance.

Subsidiary country managers and subsidiary development: Upper echelons and resource-based perspectives

This article examines the relationship between subsidiary country manager-level factors and subsidiary development. As existing research on subsidiaries in multinational enterprises has focused on the organizational level, thus overlooking the individual level, it offers little insight regarding the role and importance of country managers for subsidiaries. Drawing upon upper echelons theory, resource-dependence theory, and the resource-based view, we argue that subsidiary development is contingent on country manager characteristics, and that country manager assignments are less likely when the host country is perceived as being of limited strategic importance to the multinational enterprise. Survey data from 429 foreign-owned subsidiaries in New Zealand provide support for our hypotheses. We derive some theoretical and managerial implications based on the findings.