Abstract
This paper discusses how transnational knowledge intensive firms manage complexity across multiple locations, integrating various functional specializations and catering to multifaceted customer demands. Practice theory is used to help us understand collaboration among experts across national borders. By exploring what experts do and analyzing their practices transnationally, different configurations to provide services were found. In total, six configuration types are identified: bilateral, trilateral, chain, star, network and co-location. These configurations differently relate to three interdependent axes: coordinated actions, interaction modes and spatial dimensions. The configurations expose the relevant integrative and responsive settings. The paper contributes to the international organization literature by extending, elaborating and providing examples of transnationality; and to practice theory by exposing shapes and qualitative complexity of transnational collaboration and service provision.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 519-535 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Management and Organization |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jul 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2017.
Keywords
- activity configurations
- collaboration
- knowledge intensive firms