Abstract
How does distance between MNC headquarters and their subsidiaries affect the value added generated by headquarters? Integrating theories on spatial transaction costs with the headquarter view of the MNC, we link two types of distances, geographic distance and contextual distance, with headquarters value added. We test our hypotheses on an original dataset of 124 manufacturing subsidiaries in Europe. We find that the relation between distance and headquarters value added is conditional on the degree of subsidiaries’ external embeddedness. We find no direct effect of distance. The value added of headquarters is highest for subsidiaries that are not externally embedded in the host country and that operate at a large distance. It is lowest for locally responsive subsidiaries with high external embeddedness operating at a large distance. We discuss implications for the literature on headquarters-subsidiaries relations and distance research.
Original language | English |
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Publication date | 2014 |
Number of pages | 26 |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Event | AIB 2014 Annual Meeting : Local Context in Global Business - Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, Canada Duration: 23 Jun 2014 → 26 Jun 2014 Conference number: 56 http://aib.msu.edu/events/2014/ |
Conference
Conference | AIB 2014 Annual Meeting |
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Number | 56 |
Location | Westin Bayshore |
Country/Territory | Canada |
City | Vancouver |
Period | 23/06/2014 → 26/06/2014 |
Internet address |