Why do some multinational corporations relocate their headquarters overseas?

• 成果类型: Article; Proceedings Paper
• 署名作者: Birkinshaw, Julian; Braunerhjelm, Pontus; Holm, Ulf; Terjesen, Siri
• 署名单位: University of London; London Business School; Royal Institute of Technology; Uppsala University; Queensland University of Technology (QUT); Max Planck Society
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.541
• 发表日期: 2006
• 页码: 681-700
• 关键词: multinational corporation; headquarters; corporate strategy; INTERNATIONALIZATION

摘要

This paper examines the decision by a multinational corporation (MNC) to relocate its business unit and/or corporate HQ overseas. We argue that business unit HQs move overseas in response to changes in the internal configuration of their unit's activities and the demands of the product markets in which they operate, whereas corporate HQs move overseas in response to the demands of external stakeholders, in particular global financial markets and shareholders. Using data on 125 business unit HQs and 35 corporate HQs, we test and find support for these arguments. The research highlights important differences between corporate- and business-level strategy, and it suggests ways in which the theory of the MNC needs to be reconsidered. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.