Multinationality and performance literature: a critical review and future research agenda

The literature on the relationship between the degree of multinationality (M) and performance (P) in the context of multinational enterprises (MNEs) has attracted a large volume of research in the past 50 years. Yet, the theoretical foundations and the empirical conclusions concerning the nature of M–P relationship vary greatly, thus call for a critical review and assessment. We examine 135 articles in 39 leading scholarly journals and classic books published during the period 1960–2015. We use an inductive approach and a qualitative content analysis methodology for our comprehensive and critical review of the literature. We incorporate international business, finance, and accounting perspectives in our analysis. We review the conceptualization and measurement of M, P, the findings on M–P relationships, methodologies, and geographic focus. We identify six key inconsistencies in the existing research, which cause ambiguity in the relevant findings. We make eight recommendations for future research to address these inconsistencies. Thus, our study contributes to the central debate in this research field

Temporal dynamics of crossvergence: institionalising MNC integration strategies in post-crisis ASEAN

This study utilizes the temporal lens afforded by the unprecedented pace of the Asian financial crisis to re-conceptualize the convergence-divergence-crossvergence (CDC) framework. Grounded at the Western-headquartered ASEAN subsidiary, CDC is hypothesized as a dialectical progression comprising Western corporate culture (lsquoconvergencersquo) ASEAN societal culture (lsquodivergencersquo) and ending with the institutionalization of these forces (lsquocrossvergencersquo) as a transient re-equilibrium. Against a backdrop of increasing macro-level turbulence, the CDC dialectic is then fed through a dyadic cycle of environmental shocks and organizational responses. Managerial implications are discussed along with suggestions for future research