IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v30y2021i3s0969593121000147.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Agency controls and subsidiary strategic initiatives: The mediating role of subsidiary autonomy

Author

Listed:
  • Chatzopoulou, Erifili-Christina
  • Dimitratos, Pavlos
  • Lioukas, Spyros

Abstract

Prior studies examining the impact of organizational controls on subsidiaries’ strategic initiatives have to a large extent failed to find a significant direct association between the two. We argue that this lack of direct association may be due to the fact that the control mechanisms used exert their influence on subsidiaries’ strategic initiatives indirectly by suppressing subsidiaries’ decision-making autonomy. Drawing upon agency theory we consider the effects of two types of controls, monitoring and incentive alignment, as mediated by subsidiaries’ decision-making autonomy. We test this effect on data from 115 subsidiaries of foreign multinationals operating in Greece. The results of our analyses empirically validate this assertion for both mechanisms. Our findings further show that, when both mechanisms are present, one may accentuate the effect of the other, highlighting the value of employing a contingency approach to fully capture the effects of organizational controls on the pursuit of subsidiaries’ strategic initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Chatzopoulou, Erifili-Christina & Dimitratos, Pavlos & Lioukas, Spyros, 2021. "Agency controls and subsidiary strategic initiatives: The mediating role of subsidiary autonomy," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:30:y:2021:i:3:s0969593121000147
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2021.101807
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593121000147
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2021.101807?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sargent, John & Matthews, Linda, 2006. "The drivers of evolution/upgrading in Mexico's maquiladoras: How important is subsidiary initiative?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 233-246, September.
    2. Julian Birkinshaw, 1996. "How Multinational Subsidiary Mandates are Gained and Lost," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(3), pages 467-495, September.
    3. Alan M. Rugman & Alain Verbeke, 2005. "Subsidiary Specific Advantages in Multinational Enterprises," Chapters, in: Analysis of Multinational Strategic Management, chapter 6, pages 77-90, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Harzing, Anne-Wil, 2001. "Of bears, bumble-bees, and spiders: the role of expatriates in controlling foreign subsidiaries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 366-379, January.
    5. G Tomas M Hult & David J Ketchen & David A Griffith & Carol A Finnegan & Tracy Gonzalez-Padron & Nukhet Harmancioglu & Ying Huang & M Berk Talay & S Tamer Cavusgil, 2008. "Data equivalence in cross-cultural international business research: assessment and guidelines," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(6), pages 1027-1044, September.
    6. Justin J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2006. "Exploratory Innovation, Exploitative Innovation, and Performance: Effects of Organizational Antecedents and Environmental Moderators," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(11), pages 1661-1674, November.
    7. Peng, George Z. & Beamish, Paul W., 2014. "MNC subsidiary size and expatriate control: Resource-dependence and learning perspectives," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 51-62.
    8. Uma Sekaren & Harry J Martin, 1982. "An Examination of the Psychometric, Properties of Some Commonly Researched Individual Differences, job, and Organization Variables in two Cultures," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 13(1), pages 51-65, March.
    9. John Antonakis & Samuel Bendahan & Philippe Jacquart & Rafael Lalive, 2010. "On making causal claims : A review and recommendations," Post-Print hal-02313119, HAL.
    10. Anne Kristin Hoenen & Tatiana Kostova, 2015. "Utilizing the broader agency perspective for studying headquarters–subsidiary relations in multinational companies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(1), pages 104-113, January.
    11. Schmid, Stefan & Dzedek, Lars R. & Lehrer, Mark, 2014. "From Rocking the Boat to Wagging the Dog: A Literature Review of Subsidiary Initiative Research and Integrative Framework," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 201-218.
    12. Roberts, Michael R. & Whited, Toni M., 2013. "Endogeneity in Empirical Corporate Finance1," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 493-572, Elsevier.
    13. William G. Ouchi, 1979. "A Conceptual Framework for the Design of Organizational Control Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(9), pages 833-848, September.
    14. Lazarova, Mila & Peretz, Hilla & Fried, Yitzhak, 2017. "Locals know best? Subsidiary HR autonomy and subsidiary performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 83-96.
    15. John Cantwell & Ram Mudambi, 2005. "MNE competence‐creating subsidiary mandates," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(12), pages 1109-1128, December.
    16. Kiran Ismail & David Ford & Qingsheng Wu & Mike Peng, 2013. "Managerial ties, strategic initiatives, and firm performance in Central Asia and the Caucasus," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 433-446, June.
    17. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 1985. "Control: Organizational and Economic Approaches," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 134-149, February.
    18. J. Carlos Jarillo & Jon I. Martíanez, 1990. "Different roles for subsidiaries: The case of multinational corporations in spain," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(7), pages 501-512, November.
    19. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    20. Jagdip Singh, 1995. "Measurement in Cross-National Research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 597-619, September.
    21. Nitin Nohria & Sumantra Ghoshal, 1994. "Differentiated fit and shared values: Alternatives for managing headquarters‐subsidiary relations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 491-502, July.
    22. Laura B. Cardinal, 2001. "Technological Innovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry: The Use of Organizational Control in Managing Research and Development," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(1), pages 19-36, February.
    23. Julian M Birkinshaw & Allen J Morrison, 1995. "Configurations of Strategy and Structure in Subsidiaries of Multinational Structure," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(4), pages 729-753, December.
    24. Peter J. Lane & Michael Lubatkin, 1998. "Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning," Post-Print hal-02311860, HAL.
    25. Birkinshaw, Julian & Hood, Neil & Young, Stephen, 2005. "Subsidiary entrepreneurship, internal and external competitive forces, and subsidiary performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 227-248, April.
    26. Y. L. Doz & C. K. Prahalad, 1991. "Managing DMNCs: A search for a new paradigm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(S1), pages 145-164, June.
    27. Nakiye Boyacigiller, 1990. "The Role of Expatriates in the Management of Interdependence Complexity and Risk in Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(3), pages 357-381, September.
    28. Lau, Chung-Ming, 2011. "Team and organizational resources, strategic orientations, and firm performance in a transitional economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(12), pages 1344-1351.
    29. Stephanie Lu Wang & Yadong Luo & Xiongwen Lu & Jinyun Sun & Vladislav Maksimov, 2014. "Autonomy delegation to foreign subsidiaries: An enabling mechanism for emerging-market multinationals," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(2), pages 111-130, February.
    30. Tian, Xiaowen & Slocum, John W., 2014. "What determines MNC subsidiary performance? Evidence from China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 421-430.
    31. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    32. David Reeb & Mariko Sakakibara & Ishtiaq P Mahmood, 2012. "From the Editors: Endogeneity in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(3), pages 211-218, April.
    33. Carl F. Fey & Patrick Furu, 2008. "Top management incentive compensation and knowledge sharing in multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(12), pages 1301-1323, December.
    34. Tina C Ambos & Ulf Andersson & Julian Birkinshaw, 2010. "What are the consequences of initiative-taking in multinational subsidiaries?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(7), pages 1099-1118, September.
    35. Johnson, William H.A. & Medcof, John W., 2007. "Motivating proactive subsidiary innovation: Agent-based theory and socialization models in global R&D," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 472-487, December.
    36. Laura B. Cardinal & Sim B. Sitkin & Chris P. Long, 2004. "Balancing and Rebalancing in the Creation and Evolution of Organizational Control," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 411-431, August.
    37. Tom J. M. Mom & Frans A. J. van den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2009. "Understanding Variation in Managers' Ambidexterity: Investigating Direct and Interaction Effects of Formal Structural and Personal Coordination Mechanisms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 812-828, August.
    38. Julian Birkinshaw, 1999. "The Determinants and Consequences of Subsidiary Initiative in Multinational Corporations," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 24(1), pages 9-36, October.
    39. Fuller, Christie M. & Simmering, Marcia J. & Atinc, Guclu & Atinc, Yasemin & Babin, Barry J., 2016. "Common methods variance detection in business research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 3192-3198.
    40. Mudambi, Ram, 1999. "MNE internal capital markets and subsidiary strategic independence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 197-211, April.
    41. Ingmar Björkman & Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen & Li Li, 2004. "Managing knowledge transfer in MNCs: the impact of headquarters control mechanisms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 443-455, September.
    42. Markus Kreutzer & Jorge Walter & Laura B. Cardinal, 2015. "Organizational control as antidote to politics in the pursuit of strategic initiatives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1317-1337, September.
    43. Danchi Tan & J. T. Mahoney, 2006. "Why a Multinational Firm Chooses Expatriates: Integrating Resource‐Based, Agency and Transaction Costs Perspectives," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 457-484, May.
    44. Björkman, Anette & Piekkari, Rebecca, 2009. "Language and foreign subsidiary control: An empirical test," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 105-117, March.
    45. Kawai, Norifumi & Strange, Roger, 2014. "Subsidiary autonomy and performance in Japanese multinationals in Europe," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 504-515.
    46. Julian Birkinshaw, 1997. "Entrepreneurship In Multinational Corporations: The Characteristics Of Subsidiary Initiatives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 207-229, March.
    47. William H.A. Johnson, John W. Medcof, 2002. "Entrepreneurial behaviour in the MNC: an extended agency theory analysis of the parent-subsidiary relationship and subsidiary initiative," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(2/3), pages 186-203.
    48. Andersson, Ulf & Forsgren, Mats & Pedersen, Torben, 2001. "Subsidiary performance in multinational corporations: the importance of technology embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 3-23, February.
    49. Volker Mahnke & Markus Venzin & Shaker A. Zahra, 2007. "Governing Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition in MNEs: Aligning Interests and Cognition Under Uncertainty," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(7), pages 1278-1298, November.
    50. Ram Mudambi & Pietro Navarra, 2004. "Is knowledge power? Knowledge flows, subsidiary power and rent-seeking within MNCs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 385-406, September.
    51. Alain Verbeke & James J. Chrisman & Wenlong Yuan, 2007. "A Note on Strategic Renewal and Corporate Venturing in the Subsidiaries of Multinational Enterprises," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(4), pages 585-600, July.
    52. Francesco Ciabuschi & Henrik Dellestrand & Oscar Martín Martín, 2011. "Internal Embeddedness, Headquarters Involvement, and Innovation Importance in Multinational Enterprises," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(7), pages 1612-1639, November.
    53. Agnieszka Chidlow & Emmanuella Plakoyiannaki & Catherine Welch, 2014. "Translation in cross-language international business research: Beyond equivalence," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(5), pages 562-582, June.
    54. Cerrato, Daniele, 2006. "The multinational enterprise as an internal market system," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 253-277, June.
    55. Andersson, Ulf & Björkman, Ingmar & Forsgren, Mats, 2005. "Managing subsidiary knowledge creation: The effect of control mechanisms on subsidiary local embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 521-538, October.
    56. Edward J. Zajac & James D. Westphal, 1994. "The Costs and Benefits of Managerial Incentives and Monitoring in Large U.S. Corporations: When is More not Better?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S1), pages 121-142, December.
    57. Christoph Lechner & Steven W. Floyd, 2012. "Group influence activities and the performance of strategic initiatives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 478-495, May.
    58. Björn Ambos & Bodo B. Schlegelmilch, 2007. "Innovation and control in the multinational firm: A comparison of political and contingency approaches," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 473-486, May.
    59. Sophia Rabe-Hesketh & Anders Skrondal & Andrew Pickles, 2004. "Generalized multilevel structural equation modeling," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 69(2), pages 167-190, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chun-Chien Lin & Yu-Ching Chiao & Tung-Lung Chang & Yu-Chen Chang, 2023. "The determinants of the use of process control mechanisms in FDI decisions in headquarters–subsidiary relationships," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Galli Geleilate, Jose-Mauricio & Andrews, Daniel S. & Fainshmidt, Stav, 2020. "Subsidiary autonomy and subsidiary performance: A meta-analysis," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(4).
    2. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 0. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-39.
    3. Kawai, Norifumi & Strange, Roger, 2014. "Subsidiary autonomy and performance in Japanese multinationals in Europe," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 504-515.
    4. Ambos, Björn & Kunisch, Sven & Leicht-Deobald, Ulrich & Schulte Steinberg, Adrian, 2019. "Unravelling agency relations inside the MNC: The roles of socialization, goal conflicts and second principals in headquarters-subsidiary relationships," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 67-81.
    5. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 2020. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 538-576, June.
    6. Jong Min Lee, 2022. "MNCs as dispersed structures of power: Performance and management implications of power distribution in the subsidiary portfolio," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(1), pages 126-155, February.
    7. Mei, Maggie Qiuzhu & Wang, Le & Yan, Jie, 2023. "Maintaining product quality consistency when offshoring to emerging markets: The role of subsidiary control," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(1).
    8. Sarabi, Almasa & Froese, Fabian J. & Chng, Daniel H.M. & Meyer, Klaus E., 2020. "Entrepreneurial leadership and MNE subsidiary performance: The moderating role of subsidiary context," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    9. Schmid, Stefan & Dzedek, Lars R. & Lehrer, Mark, 2014. "From Rocking the Boat to Wagging the Dog: A Literature Review of Subsidiary Initiative Research and Integrative Framework," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 201-218.
    10. Tippmann, Esther & Sharkey Scott, Pamela & Reilly, Marty & O’Brien, Donal, 2018. "Subsidiary coopetition competence: Navigating subsidiary evolution in the multinational corporation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 540-554.
    11. Danchi Tan & Weichieh Su & Joseph T. Mahoney & Yasemin Kor, 2020. "A review of research on the growth of multinational enterprises: A Penrosean lens," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 498-537, June.
    12. Maximilian Palmié & Marco Zeschky & Stephan Winterhalter & Philipp Walter Sauter & Naomi Haefner & Oliver Gassmann, 2016. "Coordination mechanisms for international innovation in SMEs: effects on time-to-market and R&D task complexity as a moderator," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 273-294, February.
    13. Dixit Manjunatha Betaraya & Saboohi Nasim & Joy Mukhopadhyay, 2018. "Subsidiary Innovation in a Developing Economy: Towards a Comprehensive Model and Directions for Future Research," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 7(2), pages 109-125, June.
    14. Lunnan, Randi & Meyer, Klaus & Mudambi, Ram & Yang, Qin, 2023. "The impact of knowledge and financial resource flows for MNE strategy: A typology of subsidiary roles," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).
    15. Williams, Christopher & Colovic, Ana & Zhu, Jiqing, 2017. "Integration-responsiveness, local hires and subsidiary performance amidst turbulence: Insights from a survey of Chinese subsidiaries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(6), pages 842-853.
    16. Achcaoucaou, Fariza & Miravitlles, Paloma & León-Darder, Fidel, 2014. "Knowledge sharing and subsidiary R&D mandate development: A matter of dual embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 76-90.
    17. Lee, Hyoungjin & Chung, Chris Changwha & Beamish, Paul W., 2019. "Configurational characteristics of mandate portfolios and their impact on foreign subsidiary survival," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(5), pages 1-1.
    18. Tina C Ambos & Sebastian H Fuchs & Alexander Zimmermann, 2020. "Managing interrelated tensions in headquarters–subsidiary relationships: The case of a multinational hybrid organization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(6), pages 906-932, August.
    19. Clark, Kim & Ramachandran, Indu, 2019. "Subsidiary Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Opportunity: An Institutional Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 37-50.
    20. Jelena Cerar & Benoit Decreton & Phillip C. Nell, 2023. "What's in a Name? How Senior Managers use Name‐Based Heuristics to Allocate Financial Resources in Multinational Corporations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1147-1177, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:30:y:2021:i:3:s0969593121000147. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.