Attention of top managers has an impact on future direction of an organization according to the attention-based view of the firm. In the context of multinational corporations, headquarters’ attention is likely to influence the actions and behavior of subsidiaries. Thus, in the thesis, I respond to calls for more research on this topic: enhancing the understanding about how a subsidiary’s perception of headquarters’ attention relates to its choice of communication moves when sharing business ideas with headquarters (also known as subsidiary voice). In recent research, subsidiary voice is viewed as a bottom-up tool for subsidiaries to attract headquarters’ attention to issues that they consider important for their local units and the entire organization. In line with the research purpose, the data were collected at the subsidiary level through a combination of both, survey and interviews. The findings based on empirical data point out that a subsidiary’s perception of headquarters’ attention engagement has a positive impact on its voice. This means that subsidiaries not having regular interaction with headquarters are unable to select communication moves that can attract headquarters’ attention and hence encounter challenges in adopting an initiative-taking approach to gain influence or a central position in the organization. As a result, contrary to the claims put forth in recent research, the thesis findings highlight that subsidiary voice alone is not enough to attract headquarters’ attention. Instead, subsidiaries can only use their voice when they have power (also called weight) to influence headquarters’ attention and decisions. This gives rise to an unequal playing field because subsidiaries that lack considerable weight are unable to contribute to strategy formulation and future planning done by the headquarters, with regard to their own units and the organization in general. On the contrary, subsidiaries with a considerable weight experience a high degree of attention engagement from the headquarters and thus find it easier to attract headquarters’ attention for their business ideas.

Submitted by Nara Lays Domingues Viana Oliveira (naradv) on 2015-07-06T15:55:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 veronicaerthal.pdf: 2340460 bytes, checksum: ff6754fc67036abfed42e3e7991991eb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-06T15:55:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 veronicaerthal.pdf: 2340460 bytes, checksum: ff6754fc67036abfed42e3e7991991eb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-31 / Nenhuma / O presente estudo procurou entender como se estabelece o alinhamento da estratégia definida pela multinacional brasileira em sua subsidiária no exterior, tendo como foco o estudo de caso da empresa brasileira Artecola e sua subsidiária Pegatex, na Colômbia. Esta dissertação é um estudo de caso único, onde a coleta dos dados foi realizada através de pesquisa documental, observação direta em ambas as fábricas e entrevistas semi-estruturada com membros envolvidos com a estratégia no Brasil e na Colômbia. Para tanto, foi realizada uma análise do processo de internacionalização da Artecola e em especial do contexto econômico colombiano e da aquisição da Pegatex. Sobre o tema central do alinhamento na relação matriz-subsidiária, verificou-se que a Artecola tem desenvolvido alguns métodos para alinhamento operacional com as suas unidades obtendo relativo sucesso, também foi identificado que estes métodos poderiam ser mais flexíveis e adaptados a cada realidade aplicada (país e subsidiária). Além disso, a relação entre as empresas demonstrou participação ativa de ambas, de um lado o intenso apoio da matriz a questões gerenciais, e por outro lado aprende com a subsidiária na melhoria dos processos operacionais, know-how de produto e atuações estratégicas no mercado local. Desta forma, se evidenciou que mesmo sem um planejamento estratégico, existe alinhamento estratégico entre as unidades com relação aos objetivos corporativos, bem como a execução destes pela Pegatex, visando ampliar atuação regional desta unidade para global. / The current study sought to understand how the strategic alignment defined by a Brazilian multinational company is established with its foreign-owned subsidiary. Specifically, the Brazilian headquarter Artecola and its subsidiary Pegatex, in Colombia. For this, an analysis of Artecola internationalization process was performed, in particular, in the Colombian economic context and Pegatex acquisition. The current work is a single case study where data collection was conducted through documental research, direct observation in both units and semi-structured interviews realized with members involved with the corporate strategy in Brazil and Colombia. In the discussion core of alignment between headquarter and subsidiary relationship is verified that Artecola has developed some methods for operational alignment with relative success. Yet these methods could be more flexible and adapted to each reality applied (country and subsidiary). Furthermore, the relationship between these companies demonstrated active participation of both sides. While the head-office has provided intense support to Pegatex management issues, Artecola has learned from the subsidiary on how to improve operational processes, products know-how and strategic actions in the local market. Thus, it became clear that even without a formal strategic planning, there is strategic alignment between both enterprises regarding their corporative objectives, as well as the implementation of these by Pegatex, who aims to expand regional performance of this unit to a global participation.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-20T12:32:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Klaus Peter Stolzmann_.pdf: 1291405 bytes, checksum: 8ba46b28ffcae95c2b291db9ef3d1a05 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-20T12:32:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Klaus Peter Stolzmann_.pdf: 1291405 bytes, checksum: 8ba46b28ffcae95c2b291db9ef3d1a05 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-12-17 / Nenhuma / Ainda que os gerentes tenham expectativas moderadas sobre a capacidade das suas subsidiárias de contribuir para a renovação estratégica e tecnológica de todo o grupo multinacional, várias medidas poderiam ser tomadas para possibilitar a geração de novas tecnologias nas subsidiárias. Como a geração de conhecimento numa subsidiária é um tema relativamente recente explorado no campo acadêmico, a proposta desse trabalho é trazer alguma contribuição no processo de geração de conhecimento tecnológico como fator de mudança do papel de uma subsidiária brasileira de uma multinacional de um país desenvolvido. Por meio de um estudo de caso único, os dados foram coletados em análise documental, observação in loco e entrevistas com diversos colaboradores, entre eles engenheiros, gestores, expatriados, estrangeiros e brasileiros. Após, os dados foram triangulados com a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados indicam a relevância da geração de conhecimento tecnológico pela subsidiária e reconhecido pela matriz, para a mudança de seu papel na MNC, representado por um esquema gráfico de como tal processo ocorreu. Durante o mapeamento do mesmo, percebeu-se algumas particularidades no caso estudado, como a grande importância do papel do repatriado (funcionário da subsidiária que passa um determinado tempo na matriz e retorna), pouco abordado na literatura, e no presente caso, da relevância do cliente no processo de geração de conhecimento tecnológico no país da subsidiária, assim como ficou confirmada a grande importância do papel do gerente da subsidiária como também a influência dos fatores moderadores nesse processo. Por fim, esse trabalho traz alguma contribuição prática para os gestores de subsidiárias de países emergentes, sobre os quais poderão avaliar as iniciativas da sua subsidiária, tais como o treinamento dos seus empregados na matriz ou a busca de novos projetos para atender clientes locais, para obter a atenção da matriz e preparar-se para a mudança de seu papel dentro da MNC. / Although managers have moderate expectations about their subsidiaries' ability to contribute to the strategic and technological renewal of the entire multinational organization, a number of measures could be taken to enable the creation of new technologies in the subsidiaries. As the knowledge generation in a subsidiary is a subject that has not yet been deeply explored in the academic field, the proposal of this work is to bring some contribution in the process of technological knowledge generation as a factor to change the role of a Brazilian subsidiary belonging to a multinational from a developed country. Through a single case study, the data were collected in document analysis, in loco observation and interviews with several collaborators, among them engineers, managers, expatriates, foreigners and Brazilians. Afterwards, the data were triangulated with the content analysis technique. The results indicate the relevance of the technological knowledge generation by the subsidiary and recognized by the headquarter, to change its role in the MNC, represented by a graphic diagram of how such a process occurred. During the process analysis, we noticed some peculiarities in the present case, such as the great significance role of the inpatriate (employee of the subsidiary who spends a certain time in the headquarter and returns) which was less discussed in the literature and for this specific case, the customer role relevance in the process of technological knowledge generation in the subsidiary country, as well as confirming the great importance of the subsidiary manager's role and the moderator factors in this process. Finally, this work brings some practical contribution to managers of emerging-country subsidiaries who can evaluate their subsidiary's initiatives, such as the training of its employees in the headquarters or the search of new projects to serve local clients, to get the parent's attention and prepare to change its role within the MNC.

La letteratura di business internazionale fornisce la prova convincente della diffusione globale di pratiche di responsabilità sociale delle imprese (RSI) e l'importante ruolo svolto dalle multinazionali (MNC) nel trasferimento di pratiche di RSI alle loro controllate estere. La tesi esplora la gestione di strategie di RSI da società controllate di MNC, spiegando il meccanismo che permette loro di bilanciare le pressioni istituzionali divergenti. Questo fenomeno è noto come ‘complessità istituzionale’, derivante dai molteplici ed eterogenee forze istituzionali a cui le controllate di multinazionali e le loro sedi sono esposte in relazione all'adozione di pratiche di RSI. Attingendo alla letteratura su RSI e teoria istituzionale, il primo articolo della tesi sviluppa un framework concettuale e un set di proposizioni da testare per studi futuri, attraverso un approccio configurazionale. Il secondo articolo della tesi esamina come le filiali di MNC gestiscono le pressioni, le barriere e i mezzi che affrontano durante la distribuzione delle loro attività di RSI in cinque paesi africani (Angola, Egitto, Ghana, Kenya e Sud Africa), attraverso 33 interviste, permettendoci di catturare alcuni modelli di variazione nella distribuzione di pratiche di RSI all'interno dei paesi in via di sviluppo. Il terzo documento della tesi analizza le pratiche di dialogo realizzate da 418 società quotate all'indice FTSE4Good in Europa, Nord America e Asia. / The international business literature provides compelling evidence for the global diffusions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices and the important role played by Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in transfer of CSR practices to their foreign subsidiaries. The thesis explores the management of CSR strategies by MNCs’ subsidiaries, by explaining the mechanism that allows them to balance divergent institutional pressures. This phenomenon is known as ‘institutional complexity’, resulting from the multiple and heterogeneous institutional forces to which MNCs’ subsidiaries and their headquarters are exposed in relation to the adoption of CSR practices. Drawing on CSR literature and institutional theory, the first paper of the thesis develops a conceptual framework and a set of propositions to be tested for future studies, through a configurational approach. The second paper examines how the MNCs’ subsidiaries manage the pressures, the barriers and the enablers they face when deploying their CSR activities in five African countries (Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa), through 33 interviews, allowing us to capture some patterns of variations in CSR deployment within developing countries. The third paper analyses the stakeholder dialogue practices realized by 418 companies listed in the FTSE4Good index in Europe, North America, and Asia.