How do digital information good characteristics influence pace and modalities of international market entry?

The paper develops theory to propose how considering digital information good characteristics modify and extends existing explanations with regard to entry mode choices (in single markets) and internationalization paths (across countries). Explanations offered relate to network and lock-in effects, complementary infrastructure investments, branding, and customer learning – factors that are particular important for understanding international market entry of digital information good providers.MNCs; entry mode; learning; digital information goods

Does knowledge sharing pay? A multinational subsidiary perspective on knowledge outflows

Empirical studies on the impact of knowledge management on the performance of MNC subsidiaries remain elusive to date. This study examines the effect of knowledge management tools on absorptive capacity and firm performance with unique data from subsidiary units in a large German MNC – HeidelbergCement. The findings suggest that knowledge management tools unfold their performance impact through their significant influence on absorptive capacity and knowledge inflows. The key contributions to the current literature on knowledge flows in the MNC include an empirically corroborated link between deployments of knowledge management tools and their impact on the subsidiary employee’s ability and motivation to learn from internal knowledge flows in the MNC as well as their impact on subsidiary business performance

How do digital information good characteristics influence pace and modalities of international market entry?

The paper develops theory to propose how considering digital information good characteristics modify and extends existing explanations with regard to entry mode choices (in single markets) and internationalization paths (across countries). Explanations offered relate to network and lock-in effects, complementary infrastructure investments, branding, and customer learning – factors that are particular important for understanding international market entry of digital information good providers

An MNC Subsidiary Perspective on Knowledge Outflows

This empirical paper explores knowledge outflow from MNC subsidiaries and its impact on the MNC performance. We develop and test hypotheses derived from literature on MNC knowledge flows integrated with the perspective of knowledge-creating, self-interested MNC subsidiaries. The hypotheses are developed using a simultaneous equation model applied to a unique dataset encompassing a German MNC, HeidelbergCement. Enablers and impediments of knowledge outflows are assessed in order to explain why subsidiaries share their knowledge with other MNC units. Implications are examined by studying the link between knowledge outflows and subsidiary performance. Our findings suggest that knowledge outflows increase a subsidiary's performance only up to a certain point and that too much knowledge sharing may be detrimental to the contributing subsidiary's performance

the role of absorptive capacity

Empirical studies on the impact of knowledge management on the performance of MNC subsidiaries remain elusive to date. This study examines the effect of knowledge management tools such as corporate university, communities of practice, group benchmarking, learning systems and rewards upon absorptive capacity and performance with unique data from subsidiary units in a large German MNC – Heidelberger Cement. The findings suggest that knowledge management tools unfold their performance impact through their significant influence on absorptive capacity and knowledge inflows. The key contributions to the current literature on knowledge flows in the MNC include an empirically corroborated link between deployments of knowledge management tools and their impact on the subsidiary employee’s ability and motivation to learn from internal knowledge flows in the MNC as well as their impact on subsidiary business performance

“Finanzkonzerne: Welche Werte schaffen Zentralen?” with , Die Bank, No. 1, January 2006, pp.48 – 53.

Konzernzentralen müssen als Steuerungs-, Service- und Controllingeinheiten für die operativen Geschäftseinheiten Mehrwert generieren. Was in der Theorie so simpel klingt, bereitet in der Praxis regelmäßig Probleme

La gestione strategica delle aziende multinazionali

Il libro analizza il ruolo della sede centrale nelle aziende multinazionali

Constructing power to drive strategy processes in multinational firms

This chapter explores the role of power in strategy processes. How does power work in strategy processes that attempt to encourage subsidiaries to develop autonomous strategic initiatives rather than following induced strategic guidelines? Many headquarters feel a need to choose between a paternalistic management style in which power is fairly static and based on expert knowledge located at the headquarters and a liberal style in which power is more dynamic and dispersed in order to find the optimal position between decentralized decision making and central control. This chapter shows that these two management styles can co-exist. Firms need to learn how to switch from one style to another depending on the desired knowledge process. Furthermore, complex firms need to manage the dilemma that results from the opposing tendencies of stability and change