Mobility of headquarters in multinational corporations
by Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen, Rebecca Piekkari, Ingmar Bjorkman
European J. of International Management (EJIM), Vol. 1, No. 3, 2007

Abstract: In the present paper, we aim to explain the dynamic phenomenon of Headquarters (HQ) relocation. The relocation of sales, marketing and production activities has been widely studied, but the strategic decision to relocate a HQ unit across borders has attracted far less attention. Drawing on a multiple case study of Finnish multinationals we conceptualise HQ relocation as an outcome of six key drivers each involving pragmatic and symbolic dimensions. Moreover, we identify a diversity of relocation patterns such as direct, hidden, full, partial and virtual. Based on evidence of extreme mobility in terms of repeated relocations and virtual HQ, we argue that under particular circumstances HQ may be highly mobile.

Online publication date: Wed, 25-Jul-2007

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