Human factors in the design of revenue management systems in multinational corporations

Drawing on previous works in the knowledge management literature, this paper aims at highlighting a number of human-related factors that have to be taken into consideration in the design of an efficient Revenue Management (RM) system. These factors are identified by considering the case of the design of an RM system in a local subsidiary of Multinational Corporation (MNCs). In addition to the characteristics of knowledge to be implemented in the system, it is shown that the design success will be affected by three sets of human-related factors: abilities and motivation of international staff, abilities and motivation of local employees and the relationship between local and international staff. The paper concludes with a discussion on one of the main challenges facing the researchers attempting to help companies design workable and efficient RM systems.international assignments; knowledge management; multinational corporations; MNCs; revenue management; systems design; human factors; abilities; motivation; employee relationships; local staff; international staff.

Combining interpretivism and positivism in international business research: The example of the expatriate role

We illustrated how multi-paradigm research that combines the phenomenological interpretive and the positivist paradigms in sequential studies helps problematize questionable assumptions in international business research. While observing the phenomenological principle of epoché (i.e., suspension of researchers' pre-conceived categories), we interpreted accounts of their lived experience amongst expatriates working in foreign subsidiaries. A follow-up positivist study further led us to conclude that, unlike Edström and Galbraith's (1977) reasons for an international assignment, expatriates hardly see themselves as headquarters' control agents, but as dual agents in charge of balancing both headquarters and subsidiary's interests.Juan I. Sanchez would like to acknowledge the generous support for this research of Banco de Santander's Chair of Excellence [Cátedra de Excelencia] awarded to him by Universidad Carlos III during his leave from Florida International University. Carmen Paz-Aparicio's participation funded partly by project I+D+i/PID2019-106185GB-I00 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through AEI/10.13039/501100011033/