Which structure allows for consolidation on a worldwide or regional basis and reduces inefficient duplication in multiple countries?

MNEs confront two sets of pressures:

cost reduction and local responsiveness

influence global integration

is the necessity to be responsive to different customer preferences around the world

Four strategic choices for MNEs:

- (1) home replication: international or export
- (2) localization: multi-domestic
- (3) global standardization: global
-(4) transnational

Home replication (international or export) strategy:

emphasizes the international replication of home country–based competencies such as production scales, distribution efficiencies, and brand power

Localization (multidomestic) strategy:

is an extension of the home replication strategy:
- Focuses on a number of foreign countries/regions, each of which is regarded as a stand-alone “domestic” market worthy of significant attention and adaptation
- Effective when there are clear differences among national and regional markets and low pressures for cost reductions
- Has high costs due to duplication of efforts in multiple countries

Global standardization (global) strategy

strategy is the development and distribution of standardized products worldwide in order to reap the maximum benefits from low-cost advantages:
-MNEs may designate centers of excellence or subsidiaries

MNEs subsidiaries explicitly recognized as a source of important capabilities, with the intention that these capabilities be leveraged by and/or disseminated to other subsidiaries

What does global standardization sacrifices?

Sacrifices local responsiveness

endeavors to be cost efficient, locally responsive, and learning driven simultaneously:
-Innovations flow from the home country to host countries and vice-versa and also flow among subsidiaries in multiple host countries
- It is organizationally complex and difficult to implement.

Four organizational structures that are appropriate for the four strategic choices:

-International division
-Geographical area
-Global product division
-Global matrix

Typically set up when firms initially expand abroad, often when engaging in a home replication strategy

Problems of international division:

- Foreign subsidiary managers in the international division are not given sufficient voice relative to the heads of domestic divisions
- The “silo” effect: International division activities are not coordinated with the rest of the firm, which focuses on domestic activities
- Firms often phase out this structure after their initial overseas expansion

Geographic Area Structure:

- Organizes the MNE according to different geographic areas (countries and regions)
- Is the most appropriate for a localization strategy
- Its ability to facilitate local responsiveness is both a strength and a weakness

Problems with geographic area structure:

While being locally responsive can be a virtue, it may also encourage the fragmentation of the MNE into highly autonomous, hard-to-control “fiefdoms”

Global Product Division Structure:

- Supports a global strategy in treating each product division as a stand-alone entity with full worldwide—as opposed to domestic—responsibilities for its activities
- Facilitates attention to pressures for cost efficiencies in allowing for consolidation on a worldwide (or regional) basis and reduction of inefficient duplication in multiple countries

Problems with global product division structure:

It is the opposite of the geographic area structure: Little local responsiveness

- Is often used to alleviate the disadvantages associated with both geographic area and global product division structures
-Is intended to support the goals of the transnational strategy—in practice, it is often difficult to deliver

Problems with global matrix:

- May add layers of management, slow down decision speed, and increase costs while not showing significant performance improvement:
* Front-line managers must report to two bosses: a country manager and a product division manager

Three key ideas of The Reciprocal Relationship Between Multinational Strategies and Structures:

- Strategy drives structure: a misfit, such as combining a global strategy with a geographic area structure, may have grave performance consequences
- The relationship is two-way. To the extent that certain strategies facilitate certain structures, a given structure also supports a particular strategy
- Strategies and structures are not static. It is often necessary to change strategy, structure, or both

Combining MNEs strategies and organizational structure:

Based on two dimensions – cost reduction (high vs. low) and local responsiveness (high vs. low)

The different nature of industries:

- Industrial-products firms value technological knowledge that is not location-specific: Favor global product divisions
- Consumer-goods industries require deep knowledge about consumer tastes that is location-specific: Favor geographic areas

- Interfirm rivalry:
Competitors focus on learning and innovation
- Need to increase entry barriers:
Behind some recent moves to phase out multidomestic strategy and to erect world-scale facilities to deter entrants
- Bargaining power of suppliers and buyers:
They also have to internationalize if the focal MNE goes overseas
- Threat of substitute products:
MNE R&D often generates competing substitute products

is the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes members of one organization from another

Formal and informal internal institutions - Three choices of the head of a subsidiary:

- a home-country national
- a host-country national
- a third country national

is the structures, processes, and systems that actively develop, leverage, and transfer knowledge.

What does knowledge management depends on?

Knowledge management not only depends on IT, but also on informal social relationships within the MNE

(Captured by IT)
is codifiable, it can be written down and transferred without losing much of its richness (e.g., a driving manual):

Tacit knowledge is not codifiable, hard to be written down and transmitted without losing much of its richness (e.g., knowledge about how to drive)
- Its acquisition and transfer require hands-on experience

Globalizing Research and Development:

R&D emerged as an important function to be internationalized and is often known as innovation-seeking investment:
- The intensification of competition for innovation drives the globalization of R&D

The problem of employee turnover which may lead to knowledge leakage

Solutions inKnowledge Management

- Manipulation of the formal rules of the game:
*Individual and organizational incentives
*Investing in tacit knowledge
- Informal integrating mechanisms
- Development of informal social capital

the informal benefits individuals and organizations derive from their social structure and network

Which strategy focuses on a number of foreign countries regions each of which is regarded as a standalone market worthy of significant attention and adaptation?

Localization (multidomestic) strategy is an extension of the home replication strategy focusing on a number of foreign countries/regions, each regarded as a stand-alone local market worthy of significant attention and adaptation.

What structure is often used to supply customers often other MNEs in a coordinated and consistent way across various countries?

This structure is often used to supply customers (often other MNEs) in a coordinated and consistent way across various countries. a. Global account structure.

What is a knowledge management system quizlet?

Knowledge Management System. An organized collection of people, procedures, software, databases, and devices used to create, store, share, and use the organization's knowledge and experience.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the home replication strategy quizlet?

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the home replication strategy? It lacks local responsiveness. It is organizationally complex and difficult to implement.