TY - JOUR
T1 - Political Heterarchy and Dispersed Entrepreneurship in the MNC
AU - Williams, Christopher
AU - Lee, Soo Hee
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - We develop and test a new perspective on dispersed entrepreneurship within the multinational corporation (MNC). Various literatures suggest that corporate, subsidiary, and individual level factors can lead to entrepreneurial initiatives diffusing outward from a subsidiary to other MNC units. We extend this to include political heterarchy (mechanisms by which subsidiary managers enhance their power base through heterarchy) as both direct and moderating factor. Using a survey of 135 managers in a wide range of MNC subsidiaries, we find that a tolerance for local initiative (subsidiary level), subsidiary manager proactivity (individual level), and political heterarchy directly influence initiative diffusion. In terms of moderating effects, political heterarchy is seen to activate corporate level entrepreneurial strategy. We show how political heterarchy is central to dispersed entrepreneurship within the MNC and highlight the positive function of networked organizational politics in rejuvenating the international firm.
AB - We develop and test a new perspective on dispersed entrepreneurship within the multinational corporation (MNC). Various literatures suggest that corporate, subsidiary, and individual level factors can lead to entrepreneurial initiatives diffusing outward from a subsidiary to other MNC units. We extend this to include political heterarchy (mechanisms by which subsidiary managers enhance their power base through heterarchy) as both direct and moderating factor. Using a survey of 135 managers in a wide range of MNC subsidiaries, we find that a tolerance for local initiative (subsidiary level), subsidiary manager proactivity (individual level), and political heterarchy directly influence initiative diffusion. In terms of moderating effects, political heterarchy is seen to activate corporate level entrepreneurial strategy. We show how political heterarchy is central to dispersed entrepreneurship within the MNC and highlight the positive function of networked organizational politics in rejuvenating the international firm.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960731362&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00996.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00996.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79960731362
SN - 0022-2380
VL - 48
SP - 1243
EP - 1268
JO - Journal of Management Studies
JF - Journal of Management Studies
IS - 6
ER -