Transferring Value-Infused Organizational Practices in Multinational Corporations: A Conflict Perspective

Foreign subsidiary top manager nationality and language policy: The moderating effects of subsidiary age and size

“…Third, the official language is a third language, such as France-based Schlumberger in Saudi Arabia, which uses English. Despite the possible differences in MNC-level and subsidiary-level language policies, case studies suggest that the subsidiary and MNC-level official corporate languages are often aligned (Blazejewski, 2006;Ehrenreich, 2010;Harzing et al, 2011;Marschan-Piekkari et al, 1999a). For example, a Germany-based MNC is found to require its subsidiaries to conduct all internal meetings, management training, and interunit communication in the MNC-level corporate language, English (Blazejewski, 2006).…”

“…Despite the possible differences in MNC-level and subsidiary-level language policies, case studies suggest that the subsidiary and MNC-level official corporate languages are often aligned (Blazejewski, 2006;Ehrenreich, 2010;Harzing et al, 2011;Marschan-Piekkari et al, 1999a). For example, a Germany-based MNC is found to require its subsidiaries to conduct all internal meetings, management training, and interunit communication in the MNC-level corporate language, English (Blazejewski, 2006). IB scholars have conceptualized MNC-level language policies as a part of the MNC strategic orientation and advocated top-down language standardization (Dhir & Goke-Pariola, 2002;Luo & Shenkar, 2006;Maclean, 2006;Sharp, 2010).…”

“…For scholars advocating language standardization, MNC-level language policies are underpinned by top management economic and strategic rationality. However, case studies suggest that MNC-level language policies can face considerable HCN employee resistance (Blazejewski, 2006;Peltokorpi & Vaara, 2012) and seldom provide the intended results in subsidiaries (Harzing et al, 2011;Marschan-Piekkari, Welch, & Welch, 1999b). Despite the MNClevel official language policies, case studies suggest that subsidiaries can still be managed in a linguistically constrained environment where either no shared language exists or where HCN staff has low proficiency in the MNC-level corporate language (Blazejewski, 2006;Marschan-Piekkari et al, 1999a, 1999bPeltokorpi, 2007).…”

“…Because language policies are found to affect language management practices (e.g., recruitment and training) (Blazejewski, 2006;Peltokorpi & Vaara, 2012), I targeted HCN middle managers because they have greater exposure to HRM and other organizational practices than top managers (Williams & Lee, 2011). Top managers are more familiar with HRM and organizational policies that may not influence HRM and organizational practices in lower echelons (Wright & Boswell, 2002).…”

Die Implementierung wertefundierter nordamerikanischer Verhaltenskodices in deutschen und französischen Tochtergesellschaften. Eine vergleichende Fallstudie

“…Nach Selznick (1957) sind "value infused practices" komplexer und deshalb schlechter transferierbar als andere Praktiken, die auf technischen Standards oder administrativen Prozessen basieren: Sie weisen einen höheren symbolischen und kulturellen Wert für die betroffenen Akteure auf. Obwohl generell zahlreiche Managementinstrumente als stark wertefundiert betrachtet werden können (Kostova, 1999), sind insbesondere bestimmte Instrumente wie Unternehmenswerte oder Verhaltenskodices vom Wertesystem und von sinnstiftenden Elementen des Herkunftslandes beeinflusst, was zu Missverständnissen und Widerständen bei der Implementierung in Auslandstochtergesellschaften führen kann (Palazzo, 2002;Blazejewski, 2006;d'Iribarne, 2009a (Arthurs, 2005). Häufig sind Mitarbeiter dafür verantwortlich, in ihrer Umgebung beobachtete Abweichungen und Verstöße zu melden, was als "Whistleblowing" bezeichnet wird (Hassink, de Vries & Bollen, 2007).…”