Work systems in heavy engineering: the role of national culture and national institutions in multinational corporations |
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| Institution: | 1. International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, Nottingham University Business School, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham NG8 1BB, United Kingdom;2. Centre for Business Management, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom;1. Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d''Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice Cedex 2, France;2. Laboratoire de Physiologie, Faculte de Medecine, Universite Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Nice, France;3. Université d''Aix Marseille, Service de Médecine Légale et Droit de la Santé, CHU Timone, 13005 Marseille, France;4. Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology LAT LUMTOX, 800 Avenue Marie Curie, La Voulte sur Rhône, France;1. Ondokuz Mayıs University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation, Samsun, Turkey;2. Agrobigen Research and Development Ltd. Co. Technopark, Samsun, Turkey;3. Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute, Samsun, Turkey;4. Forage and Livestock Production Research Unit, USDA-ARS-GRL, El Reno, OK, USA;1. Ariadne Labs, Boston, MA;2. Brigham and Women''s Hospital, Boston, MA;3. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA;4. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA;5. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA;6. Boston Children''s Hospital, Boston, MA;7. South Shore Hospital, South Weymouth, MA;8. North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA;9. Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA;10. Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions, Inc, Cambridge, MA;1. Department of Cardiology, Heart Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China;2. NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510080, China;3. Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China |
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| Abstract: | This paper is based on an Anglo-German research project of two research groups in both countries. It is based on data collected by qualitative research in the three largest multinational corporations (MNCs) in the lift and escalator industry. The headquarters (HQs) of the three corporations are based in the United States, Finland and Germany, respectively, and all three MNCs each have subsidiaries in Germany and Britain. Our main objects of analysis were change processes in the work systems of these three MNCs.We chose the lift and escalator industry as an example because it has been characterized by strong concentration processes during the last 10 years. Most of these corporations have grown by acquisition and there are strong tendencies in the market towards standardized, globally uniform products.National cultures and institutions, first of all play a role on the HQ level. Important areas were the standardization of products and production technology, the design of management systems and location and relocation decisions for R&D and manufacturing. Second, MNCs take differences in national cultures into account and deliberately “use” them in allocating resources and investment within the multinational group. National cultures and institutions massively shape the very formulation of manufacturing strategies within the multinational groups, as well as the R&D strategies—a particular important field in an industry still relying heavily on small-batch and unit production. National cultures also play a significant role in implementing the global strategies of MNCs in different host countries. Our data reveal striking differences on this level. |
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