IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/worbus/v57y2022i3s1090951621001024.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Boundary-spanning coordination: Insights into lateral collaboration and lateral alignment in multinational enterprises

Author

Listed:
  • Santistevan, Diana

Abstract

Interorganizational boundary spanning between multinational enterprises requires substantive internal “lateral collaboration” and “lateral alignment.” However, how actors coordinate laterally between multiple nodes and across multiple boundaries for interorganizational boundary spanning is unclear. This qualitative study of a large multinational demonstrates how actors collectively build and maintain interorganizational relationships through collective boundary spanning. To coordinate this activity, actors strategize and map contributors for collective action and then synchronize their communication and problem-solving to ensure lateral collaboration and alignment. This article contributes to the extant literature by a providing a framework depicting how boundary-spanning coordination leads to lateral collaboration and lateral alignment.

Suggested Citation

  • Santistevan, Diana, 2022. "Boundary-spanning coordination: Insights into lateral collaboration and lateral alignment in multinational enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:57:y:2022:i:3:s1090951621001024
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101291
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951621001024
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101291?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. Sébastien Brion & Vincent Chauvet & Barthelemy Chollet & Caroline Danièle Mothe, 2012. "Project leaders as team boundary spanners: Relational antecedents and performance outcomes," Post-Print hal-00919228, HAL.
    2. Paul R. Carlile, 2004. "Transferring, Translating, and Transforming: An Integrative Framework for Managing Knowledge Across Boundaries," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 555-568, October.
    3. Linda Hui Shi & J Chris White & Shaoming Zou & S Tamer Cavusgil, 2010. "Global account management strategies: Drivers and outcomes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(4), pages 620-638, May.
    4. Lagerström, Katarina & Andersson, Maria, 2003. "Creating and sharing knowledge within a transnational team--the development of a global business system," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 84-95, May.
    5. Pedersen, Torben & Soda, Giuseppe & Stea, Diego, 2019. "Globally networked: Intraorganizational boundary spanning in the global organization," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 169-180.
    6. Eisenberg, Julia & Mattarelli, Elisa, 2017. "Building Bridges in Global Virtual Teams: The Role of Multicultural Brokers in Overcoming the Negative Effects of Identity Threats on Knowledge Sharing Across Subgroups," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 399-411.
    7. Goerzen, Anthony, 2018. "Small Firm Boundary-spanning via Bridging Ties: Achieving International Connectivity via Cross-border Inter-cluster Alliances," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 153-164.
    8. Esther Tippmann & Pamela Sharkey Scott & Andrew Parker, 2017. "Boundary Capabilities in MNCs: Knowledge Transformation for Creative Solution Development," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 455-482, June.
    9. Ruey‐Lin Hsiao & Dun‐Hou Tsai & Ching‐Fang Lee, 2012. "Collaborative Knowing: The Adaptive Nature of Cross‐Boundary Spanning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3), pages 463-491, May.
    10. Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2002. "Knowing in Practice: Enacting a Collective Capability in Distributed Organizing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 249-273, June.
    11. Butler, Christina L. & Zander, Lena & Mockaitis, Audra & Sutton, Ciara, 2012. "The Global Leader as Boundary Spanner, Bridge Maker, and Blender," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(2), pages 240-243, June.
    12. Ari Van Assche & Sarianna Lundan, 2020. "From the editor: COVID-19 and international business policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(3), pages 273-279, September.
    13. Julian Birkinshaw & Tina C. Ambos & Cyril Bouquet, 2017. "Boundary Spanning Activities of Corporate HQ Executives Insights from a Longitudinal Study," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 422-454, June.
    14. Andreas P. J. Schotter & Ram Mudambi & Yves L. Doz & Ajai Gaur, 2017. "Boundary Spanning in Global Organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 403-421, June.
    15. Mick Marchington & Steven Vincent, 2004. "Analysing the Influence of Institutional, Organizational and Interpersonal Forces in Shaping Inter‐Organizational Relations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(6), pages 1029-1056, September.
    16. Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen & Mats Ehrnrooth & Alexei Koveshnikov & Kristiina Mä;kelä, 2014. "Cultural and language skills as resources for boundary spanning within the MNC," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(7), pages 886-905, September.
    17. Michael Hitt & R. Michael Holmes & Jean-Luc Arregle, 2021. "The (COVID-19) Pandemic and the New World (Dis)Order," Post-Print hal-03188240, HAL.
    18. Hitt, Michael A. & Holmes, R. Michael & Arregle, Jean-Luc, 2021. "The (COVID-19) pandemic and the new world (dis)order," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    19. Liu, Yipeng & Meyer, Klaus E., 2020. "Boundary spanners, HRM practices, and reverse knowledge transfer: The case of Chinese cross-border acquisitions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    20. Klaus E. Meyer & Ram Mudambi & Rajneesh Narula, 2011. "Multinational Enterprises and Local Contexts: The Opportunities and Challenges of Multiple Embeddedness," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 235-252, March.
    21. Mudambi, Ram & Swift, Tim, 2011. "Leveraging knowledge and competencies across space: The next frontier in international business," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 186-189, September.
    22. Michael J.D. Roberts & Paul W. Beamish, 2017. "The Scaffolding Activities of International Returnee Executives: A Learning Based Perspective of Global Boundary Spanning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 511-539, 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. Conroy, Kieran M. & Jacobs, Simon & Liu, Yang, 2023. "The dual knowledge role of open innovation intermediaries: Internal weaving and external filtering for MNE subsidiaries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    2. Rong (Ratchel) Zeng & Birgitte Grøgaard & Ingmar Björkman, 2023. "Navigating MNE control and coordination: A critical review and directions for future research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(9), pages 1599-1622, December.
    3. Magnani, Giovanna & Gioia, Denny, 2023. "Using the Gioia Methodology in international business and entrepreneurship research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).

    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. Smita Prashant Chattopadhyay & Madhuchhanda Das Aundhe, 2021. "Vendor boundary spanning in Indian Information Technology (IT) companies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 1139-1177, September.
    2. Michael J.D. Roberts & Paul W. Beamish, 2017. "The Scaffolding Activities of International Returnee Executives: A Learning Based Perspective of Global Boundary Spanning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 511-539, June.
    3. Lacoste, Sylvie & Zidani, Kenza & Cuevas, Javier Marcos, 2022. "Lateral collaboration and boundary-spanning from a global leadership perspective: The case of global account managers," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).
    4. Julia Backmann & Rouven Kanitz & Amy Wei Tian & Patrick Hoffmann & Martin Hoegl, 2020. "Cultural gap bridging in multinational teams," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(8), pages 1283-1311, October.
    5. Anne Bartel-Radic & Fabienne Munch, 2023. "Cross-cultural boundary spanning activities in a global team," Post-Print halshs-04148890, HAL.
    6. Furusawa, Masayuki & Brewster, Chris, 2019. "The Determinants of the Boundary-spanning Functions of Japanese Self-initiated Expatriates in Japanese Subsidiaries in China: Individual Skills and Human Resource Management," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(4).
    7. Karimikia, Hadi & Bradshaw, Robert & Singh, Harminder & Ojo, Adegboyega & Donnellan, Brian & Guerin, Michael, 2022. "An emergent taxonomy of boundary spanning in the smart city context – The case of smart Dublin," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    8. Andreas P. J. Schotter & Ram Mudambi & Yves L. Doz & Ajai Gaur, 2017. "Boundary Spanning in Global Organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 403-421, June.
    9. Westney, D. Eleanor & Piekkari, Rebecca & Koskinen, Kaisa & Tietze, Susanne, 2022. "Crossing borders and boundaries: Translation ecosystems in international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    10. Liu, Yipeng & Meyer, Klaus E., 2020. "Boundary spanners, HRM practices, and reverse knowledge transfer: The case of Chinese cross-border acquisitions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    11. Tzeng, Cheng-Hua, 2018. "How foreign knowledge spillovers by returnee managers occur at domestic firms: An institutional theory perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 625-641.
    12. Pedersen, Torben & Soda, Giuseppe & Stea, Diego, 2019. "Globally networked: Intraorganizational boundary spanning in the global organization," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 169-180.
    13. Gabriela Gutierrez-Huerter O & Jeremy Moon & Stefan Gold & Wendy Chapple, 2020. "Micro-processes of translation in the transfer of practices from MNE headquarters to foreign subsidiaries: The role of subsidiary translators," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(3), pages 389-413, April.
    14. Li He & Yang Cheng & Xuejie Su, 2020. "Research on the Sustainability of the Enterprise Business Ecosystem from the Perspective of Boundary: The China Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    15. Dey, Bidit L. & Nasef, Youssef Tarek & Brown, David M & Samuel, Lalnunpuia & Singh, Pallavi & Apostolidis, Chrysostomos, 2023. "(Im)migrants’ appropriation of culture: Reciprocal influence of personal and work contexts," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    16. Aimée A. Kane & Natalia Levina, 2017. "‘Am I Still One of Them?’: Bicultural Immigrant Managers Navigating Social Identity Threats When Spanning Global Boundaries," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 540-577, June.
    17. Celo, Sokol & Lehrer, Mark, 2022. "How much lateral collaboration is optimal? Insights from computer simulations of MNEs as complex adaptive systems," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).
    18. Sato, Akiko & Panibratov, Andrei, 2023. "Causal mechanisms of COVID-19 disruptive effects on liability of foreignness and the emergence of new firm-specific advantages," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    19. Collien, Isabel, 2019. "Functions of boundary spanning in context: A postcolonial, power-sensitive perspective," Working Papers 2, Helmut Schmidt University, Research Cluster OPAL.
    20. Julija N. Mell & Daan van Knippenberg & Wendy P. van Ginkel & Pursey P. M. A. R. Heugens, 2022. "From Boundary Spanning to Intergroup Knowledge Integration: The Role of Boundary Spanners’ Metaknowledge and Proactivity," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(7), pages 1723-1755, November.

    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:worbus:v:57:y:2022:i:3:s1090951621001024. 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/620401/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.