Not all threats are equal: symbolic and realistic threats and the deployment of parent-country nationals

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Yao, Fiona Kun; Yang, Jing Yu; Chang, Song; Lu, Jane Wenzhen
• 署名单位: University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; University of Sydney; Hong Kong Baptist University; City University of Hong Kong
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-023-00654-7
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 174-193
• 关键词: Multinational enterprises (MNEs); Symbolic threats; Realistic threats; Industry globalization; Global mobility

摘要

Through extending the psychological approach to threats, we advance a threat-contingency model to understand how two domains of host-country threats-symbolic and realistic-drive multinational enterprises (MNEs) to deploy parent-country nationals to manage their foreign subsidiaries. When faced with symbolic threats related to ethics and morals in a host country, MNEs act rigidly and conservatively, increasing the likelihood of deploying parent-country nationals as executives in foreign subsidiaries. When dealing with realistic threats associated with potential economic losses in a host country, however, MNEs are adaptive, decreasing the tendency to transfer parent-country nationals abroad and increasing the use of host-country nationals in foreign subsidiaries. The two threats interact in affecting staffing decisions. Moreover, industry globalization moderates asymmetrically the influences of the two threats: globalization strengthens the effect of symbolic threats but weakens the effect of realistic threats. We used a primary archival study and supplementary laboratory studies to test our hypotheses. Overall, our study provides an additional theoretical account to explain MNEs' divergent responses toward two domains of threats in a host country. We conclude the study with implications for international business and global mobility research. En elargissant l'approche psychologique des menaces, nous proposons un modele de contingence des menaces afin de comprendre comment deux types de menaces liees au pays d'accueil-symbolique et realiste-incitent les entreprises multinationales (Multinational enterprises-MNEs) a deployer des ressortissants de leurs pays d'origine pour gerer leurs filiales etrangeres. Lorsqu'elles sont confrontees a des menaces symboliques liees a l'ethique et a la morale dans un pays d'accueil, les MNEs agissent de maniere conservatrice et rigide, ce qui augmente la probabilite de deployer des ressortissants de leurs pays d'origine en tant que dirigeants dans des filiales etrangeres. En revanche, face a des menaces realistes associees a des pertes economiques potentielles dans un pays d'accueil, les MNEs s'adaptent, ce qui diminue la tendance a transferer des ressortissants de leurs pays d'origine a l'etranger, et augmente le recours a des ressortissants du pays d'accueil dans des filiales etrangeres. Les deux types de menaces s'interagissent en influencant les decisions de dotation en personnel. En outre, la globalisation de l'industrie modere de maniere asymetrique les influences des deux menaces : la globalisation renforce l'impact des menaces symboliques, mais affaiblit celui des menaces realistes. Afin de tester nos hypotheses, nous avons utilise une etude principale fondee sur des donnees archivees ainsi que des etudes complementaires en laboratoire. Dans l'ensemble, notre recherche apporte une perspective theorique supplementaire pour expliquer les reponses divergentes des MNEs face a deux types de menaces dans un pays d'accueil. Nous terminons notre article par une specification des implications pour les recherches en affaires internationales et mobilite mondiale. Mediante extender el enfoque psicologico de las amenazas, avanzamos con un modelo de amenaza-contingencia para entender como dos tipos de amenazas del pais de acogida (simbolicas y realistas) llevan a las empresas multinacionales (MNEs por sus iniciales en ingles) a contratar a nacionales del pais de origen para dirigir sus filiales extranjeras. Cuando se enfrentan a amenazas simbolicas relacionadas con la etica y la moral en un pais anfitrion, las empresas multinacionales actuan de forma rigida y conservadora, aumentando la probabilidad de desplegar a nacionales del pais de origen como ejecutivos en filiales extranjeras. Sin embargo, cuando se enfrentan a amenazas realistas relacionadas con posibles perdidas economicas en un pais de acogida, las empresas multinacionales se adaptan, disminuyendo la tendencia a trasladar a nacionales del pais de origen al extranjero y aumentando el uso de nacionales del pais de acogida en las filiales extranjeras. Ambas amenazas interactuan y afectan a las decisiones de contratacion de personal. Asimismo, la globalizacion de la industria modera asimetricamente las influencias de las dos amenazas: la globalizacion refuerza el efecto de las amenazas simbolicas, pero debilita el efecto de las amenazas realistas. Utilizamos un estudio de archivo primario y estudios de laboratorio complementarios para poner a prueba nuestras hipotesis. En conjunto, nuestro estudio aporta una explicacion teorica adicional de las respuestas divergentes de las empresas multinacionales ante dos tipos de amenazas en un pais anfitrion. Concluimos el estudio con implicaciones para los negocios internacionales y la investigacion sobre la movilidad global. Por meio da extensao da abordagem psicologica a ameacas, avancamos um modelo de ameaca-contingencia para compreender como dois dominios de ameacas do pais anfitriao-simbolico e realista-levam empresas multinacionais (MNEs) a mobilizar nacionais do pais de origem para gerenciar suas subsidiarias estrangeiras. Quando confrontadas com ameacas simbolicas relacionadas com etica e moral num pais anfitriao, MNEs agem de forma rigida e conservadora, aumentando a probabilidade de enviar nacionais do pais de origem como executivos em subsidiarias estrangeiras. No entanto, ao lidar com ameacas reais associadas a potenciais perdas economicas num pais anfitriao, MNEs sao adaptativas, diminuindo a tendencia de transferir para o exterior nacionais do pais de origem e aumentando o uso de nacionais do pais de acolhimento em subsidiarias estrangeiras. As duas ameacas interagem afetando decisoes de pessoal. Alem disso, a globalizacao na industria modera assimetricamente as influencias das duas ameacas: a globalizacao fortalece o efeito de ameacas simbolicas, mas enfraquece o efeito de ameacas reais. Utilizamos um estudo em dados primarios e estudos laboratoriais complementares para testar nossas hipoteses. No geral, o nosso estudo fornece uma explicacao teorica adicional para explicar respostas divergentes de MNEs em relacao a dois dominios de ameacas num pais anfitriao. Concluimos o estudo com implicacoes para negocios internacionais e a pesquisa sobre mobilidade global. (sic)(sic)扩(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)急(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(MNE?(sic)(sic)(sic)东(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)((sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)?(sic)?(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)署(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)offspring(sic).(sic)东(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)offspring(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)东(sic)(sic)潜(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)offspring(sic)(sic)趋? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)offspring(sic)(sic)东(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)节(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic): (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)档(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)?(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)辅(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)? (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)东(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)额(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)尾(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).