Dr. Lars R. Dzedek finished his doctorate at ESCP Europe Wirtschaftshochschule Berlin, Chair of International Management and Strategic Management. He now leads the regional office of an internal management consulting firm of a large Multinational Corporation. 

Foreword 5
Preface 6
Brief Contents 7
Contents 8
List of Figures 14
List of Tables 21
1 Introduction 23
1.1 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking in Foreign Subsidiaries 23
1.2 Research Background and Research Questions 24
1.3 Objectives and Structure of the Study 26
2 Review of the Literature on Subsidiary Initiatives 30
2.1 Roots of Subsidiary Initiative Research 30
2.2 Findings from the Literature Review and Analysis 31
2.2.1 Overview of the Publication Activity in the Field 31
2.2.2 Framework for the Literature Review and Analysis 33
2.2.3 Concept of Subsidiary Initiatives 34
2.2.3.1 Types of Subsidiary Initiatives 34
2.2.3.2 Objectives of Subsidiary Initiatives 37
2.2.3.3 Process of Subsidiary Initiatives 38
2.2.4 Antecedents of Subsidiary Initiatives 43
2.2.4.1 Environmental Level Context 43
2.2.4.2 Organizational Level Context 44
2.2.4.3 Individual Level Context 48
2.2.5 Consequences of Subsidiary Initiatives 50
2.2.5.1 Environmental Level Consequences 50
2.2.5.2 Organizational Level Consequences 51
2.2.6 Theoretical Approaches in the Subsidiary Initiative Field 53
2.2.7 Research Methodologies in the Subsidiary Initiative Field 56
2.3 Summary of Findings and Implications for Research Project 59
3 Research Framework 66
3.1 Overview of the Research Framework 66
3.2 Elements of the Research Framework 69
3.2.1 Subsidiary Role Types 69
3.2.1.1 Introduction to Subsidiary Role Typologies 69
3.2.1.2 Subsidiary Role Determination and Development 74
3.2.1.3 Subsidiary Roles and Entrepreneurial Behavior 77
3.2.1.4 Selection of Subsidiary Role Typologies for the Research 80
3.2.1.5 Overview of Selected Role Typologies 83
3.2.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Behavior 88
3.2.2.1 Initiative-Related Resource Management 88
3.2.2.2 Headquarters-Subsidiary Alignment 89
3.2.3 Subsidiary Initiative Outcomes 90
3.3 Theoretical Perspectives 92
3.3.1 Selection of Theoretical Perspectives for the Study 93
3.3.1.1 Excluded Theories 93
3.3.1.2 Selected Theories 104
3.3.2 Resource-Based View of the Firm 108
3.3.2.1 Overview of the Resource-Based View 108
3.3.2.2 Advancements of the Resource-Based View 114
3.3.2.3 Resource-Based View in International Business Literature 129
3.3.2.4 Resource-Based View in Entrepreneurship Literature 144
3.3.3 Resource Dependence Theory 147
3.3.3.1 Overview of Resource Dependence Theory 147
3.3.3.2 Resource Dependence Theory in International Business Literature 150
3.3.4 Contingency Theory 156
3.3.4.1 Overview of Contingency Theory 156
3.3.4.2 Contingency Theory in International Business Literature 160
3.3.5 Linking the Theoretical Perspectives 164
3.3.5.1 Relationship Between RBV and RDT 165
3.3.5.2 Relationship Between Contingency Theory and RBV 167
3.3.5.3 Relationship Between Contingency Theory and RDT 168
3.3.5.4 Application of Theoretical Lenses 170
3.4 Contingent and Dynamic Resource-Based Framework 172
3.4.1 Introduction and Basic Assumptions 172
3.4.2 Entrepreneurial Resource Management 174
3.4.2.1 Initiative-Related Opportunity Identification 176
3.4.2.2 Initiative-Related Resource Structuring 177
3.4.2.3 Initiative-Related Resource Bundling 181
3.4.3 Headquarters-Subsidiary Alignment 183
3.4.3.1 Headquarters Involvement 187
3.4.3.2 Corporate Resistance 189
3.4.3.3 Subsidiary Initiative Selling 191
3.4.3.4 Summary of Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Behavior 194
3.4.4 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcomes 196
3.4.4.1 Realized Subsidiary Initiatives 197
3.4.4.2 Resource-Based Outcomes 198
3.4.4.3 Subsidiary Evolution 203
3.4.5 Subsidiary Roles as Contingency Factors 205
3.4.6 Conclusion 211
3.5 Predictions for Role-Specific Initiative-Taking 213
3.5.1 Role Typology by Bartlett and Ghoshal 213
3.5.1.1 Strategic Importance of the Subsidiary Environment 213
3.5.1.2 Subsidiary Resources and Capabilities 221
3.5.1.3 Role-Specific Predictions 229
3.5.2 Role Typology by Jarillo and Martinez 245
3.5.2.1 Subsidiary’s Localization and Local Responsiveness 245
3.5.2.2 Subsidiary Integration 252
3.5.2.3 Role-Specific Predictions 259
4 Empirical Study 279
4.1 Research Philosophy 279
4.2 Research Design 287
4.2.1 Rationale for Case Study Design 288
4.2.2 Description of the Multiple Case Study Design 292
4.2.2.1 Selection of the Case Study Design 292
4.2.2.2 Determination of Units of Analysis and Units of Observation 293
4.2.2.3 Case Selection 293
4.2.2.4 Types of Data 299
4.3 Operationalization of the Research Framework 300
4.3.1 Subsidiary Role Dimensions 300
4.3.1.1 Strategic Importance of the Subsidiary Environment 300
4.3.1.2 Subsidiary Resources and Capabilities 302
4.3.1.3 Subsidiary’s Localization and Local Responsiveness 304
4.3.1.4 Subsidiary Integration and Subsidiary Autonomy 306
4.3.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 309
4.3.2.1 Subsidiary Initiative Opportunity Identification 309
4.3.2.2 Resource Structuring 312
4.3.2.3 Resource Bundling 319
4.3.2.4 Headquarters-Subsidiary Alignment 322
4.3.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 324
4.3.3.1 Extent and Types of Subsidiary Initiatives 325
4.3.3.2 Specialized Subsidiary Resources and Capabilities for MNC Application 327
4.3.4 Additional Measures 329
4.3.4.1 Subsidiary Role and Position in the MNC 329
4.3.4.2 Subsidiary Performance 331
4.3.4.3 Control Measures 332
4.4 Collection of Data 333
4.4.1 Questionnaire 334
4.4.1.1 Objectives 334
4.4.1.2 Approach 335
4.4.2 Interviews 338
4.4.2.1 Objectives 338
4.4.2.2 Approach 339
4.4.3 Archival and Secondary data 343
4.4.3.1 Objectives 343
4.4.3.2 Approach 343
4.5 Data Analysis 343
4.5.1 Questionnaire 343
4.5.2 Interviews and Secondary Data 345
4.6 Scientific Quality Criteria 349
5 Empirical Findings 352
5.1 Company A: Strategic Business Unit Autocomp 352
5.1.1 German Subsidiary 353
5.1.1.1 Subsidiary Roles 354
5.1.1.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 357
5.1.1.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 361
5.1.2 Mexican Subsidiary 363
5.1.2.1 Subsidiary Roles 363
5.1.2.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 366
5.1.2.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 371
5.1.3 South Korean Subsidiary 374
5.1.3.1 Subsidiary Roles 374
5.1.3.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 377
5.1.3.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 381
5.1.4 Australian Subsidiary 383
5.1.4.1 Subsidiary Roles 384
5.1.4.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 387
5.1.4.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 390
5.1.5 Chinese Subsidiary 393
5.1.5.1 Subsidiary Roles 393
5.1.5.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 396
5.1.5.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 400
5.1.6 Romanian Subsidiary 402
5.1.6.1 Subsidiary Roles 403
5.1.6.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 406
5.1.6.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 409
5.1.7 Indian Subsidiary 412
5.1.7.1 Subsidiary Roles 413
5.1.7.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 416
5.1.7.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 419
5.2. Company B: Strategic Business Unit Telecomp 423
5.2.1 Hungarian Subsidiary 424
5.2.1.1 Subsidiary Roles 424
5.2.1.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 427
5.2.1.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 430
5.2.2 Polish Subsidiary 432
5.2.2.1 Subsidiary Roles 433
5.2.2.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 435
5.2.2.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 438
5.2.3 Croatian Subsidiary 441
5.2.3.1 Subsidiary Roles 442
5.2.3.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 444
5.2.3.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 447
5.2.4 Slovakian Subsidiary 450
5.2.4.1 Subsidiary Roles 450
5.2.4.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 453
5.2.4.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 456
5.2.5 Greek Subsidiary 459
5.2.5.1 Subsidiary Roles 459
5.2.5.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 462
5.2.5.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 466
5.2.6 Romanian Subsidiary 468
5.2.6.1 Subsidiary Roles 469
5.2.6.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 471
5.2.6.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 475
5.2.7 Montenegrin Subsidiary 478
5.2.7.1 Subsidiary Roles 479
5.2.7.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 481
5.2.7.3 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking Outcome 484
5.3 Overview of Findings at Autocomp and Telecomp 488
5.3.1 Subsidiary Roles 488
5.3.1.1 Strategic Leader and Active Subsidiary 488
5.3.1.2 Contributor and Receptive Subsidiary 489
5.3.1.3 Black Hole and Autonomous Subsidiary 490
5.3.1.4 Implementer and Quiescent Subsidiary 491
5.3.2 Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 491
5.3.2.1 Entrepreneurial Resource Management 491
5.3.2.2 Headquarters-Subsidiary Alignment 496
5.3.3 Subsidiary Initiative Outcome 498
5.3.3.1 Extent of Subsidiary Initiative-Taking 498
5.3.3.2 Resource-Related Outcomes 501
5.3.3.3 Further Outcomes 502
5.3.4 Summary on Role-Specific Initiative-Taking 504
5.3.5 Additional Findings on Subsidiary Initiatives 508
5.3.5.1 Objectives of Subsidiary Initiatives 508
5.3.5.2 Antecedents of Subsidiary Initiatives 510
5.3.5.3 Subsidiary Initiative Process 517
5.3.5.4 Subsidiary Initiative Outcomes 523
5.3.6 Conclusion 526
6 Contributions, Limitations and the Road Ahead 529
6.1 Implications for International Business Research 529
6.2 Implications for Management Practice 533
6.3 Limitations 538
6.4 Avenues for Further Research 541
Appendix 545
References 568