The Use of Network Theory in MNC Research

Mats Forsgren

Chapter 2 in Knowledge Flows, Governance and the Multinational Enterprise, 2004, pp 18-37 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract In contemporary research on MNC the network concept has been used quite frequently (see e.g. Ghoshal, 1986; Johanson and Mattsson, 1988; Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989; Forsgren, 1989; Ghoshal and Bartlett, 1990; Forsgren and Johanson, 1992; Ghoshal et al., 1994; Malnight, 1996; Ghoshal and Nohria, 1997; Tsai and Ghoshal, 1998; Zander, 1999; O’Donnell, 2000; Andersson et al., 2001, 2002; Kutschker and Shurig, 2002).1 A closer look at this research reveals that there are some basic differences in how the network concept is used, which partially demonstrates a conflict between two perspectives based on different theory traditions. The first tradition is based on the contingency theory approach and focuses mainly on the internal structure of the MNC. The network concept in this research is mainly used as a new form of organization facilitating the exchange of information between geographically and organizationally dispersed units. The second approach applies the theory of ‘markets-as-business-networks’ in the analysis of the MNC. This approach puts individual business relationships, in which MNC units are involved, at the centre of analysis. In the following discussion we call this approach the business network theory.

Keywords: Social Capital; Multinational Corporation; Contingency Theory; Strategic Management Journal; Business Network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-52387-6_2

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.palgrave.com/9780230523876

DOI: 10.1057/9780230523876_2

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Palgrave Macmillan Books from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().