Managing internal competition in multinational corporations: the role of home bases Online publication date: Sat, 18-Apr-2015
by Kiyohiro Oki
International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management (IJPQM), Vol. 15, No. 2, 2015
Abstract: This paper investigates the role of home bases in the management of internal competition. Prior research has not focussed on the possibility that the headquarters of multinational corporations can encourage internal competition and cooperation by making home bases participate in both or either of these activities. To verify this possibility, this paper first classifies home bases into three categories: home competitor, home coordinator, and home coopetitor. Next, case studies were conducted to clarify the role of home bases in each category. As a result, this paper finds that home bases can encourage internal competition by serving as competitors who have accumulated unique knowledge of improving their performance. This paper also finds that home bases can encourage knowledge sharing among subunits by serving as coordinators who exploit knowledge about activities of foreign units and trusting relationships with foreign units. Lastly, the characteristics of each category are examined.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management (IJPQM):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook