Multinational companies transfer managerial practices such as quality management globally. Studies from different perspectives have examined cultural, institutional, and organizational challenges in practice transfer, however, little is known about the micro-processes of intercultural transfer, especially in complex cultural settings as Brazil. Integrating the recontextualization perspective and Scandinavian institutionalist transfer-as-translation approach, this book explores micro-processes of transfer from German MNC to Brazilian subsidiaries from a multiple cultures perspective. Findings show the complementary nature of micro-processes of translation and recontextualization, embedding them into a process model of four stages: Preparation, translation, recontextualization, and institutionalization. Intercultural transfer can be considered an iterative and multi-level process in which practices diffuse from individuals, to teams, to the organization. The book contributes to international management by cross-fertilizing the two approaches, by highlighting cultural and institutional particularities of the Brazilian context using a culturally sensitive methodology, and by showing the transformative power of managerial practices on organizations and ecosystems.
Author(s): Madeleine Bausch
Series: Gabler Theses
Publisher: Springer Gabler
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 410
City: Wiesbaden
Preface
Acknowledgements
Thesis Summary
Contents
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of boxes
1 Introduction
1.1 Introduction to the Topic
1.2 Research Gap and Research Objective
1.3 Structure of the Research
2 Literature Review
2.1 Preliminary Notes on the Literature Review
2.2 Setting the Stage: Intercultural Transfer of Organizational Practices in MNC
2.2.1 Multinational Companies As Actors Of Transfer
2.2.2 Defining Culture
2.2.3 Defining Institutions
2.2.4 International Transfer as Intercultural Transfer
2.2.5 Organizational Practices
2.3 Theoretical Approaches: Three Perspectives on International Practice Transfer
2.3.1 Cultural Approaches
2.3.2 Institutional Approaches
2.3.3 Knowledge-based Approaches
2.4 Country Context: Studies Regarding Brazil
2.5 The Instrument: Quality Management Across Cultures
2.5.1 What is Quality?
2.5.2 A Short History on Quality Management
2.5.3 Quality Management Systems and ISO9001
2.5.4 Quality Management Practices
2.5.5 The Transfer of Quality Management Practices Across Cultures
2.5.6 Cultural and Institutional Influences on the Transfer of QM
2.6 Chapter Summary and Literature Gap
3 An Integrative Model of Intercultural Practice Transfer
3.1 Semiotic Approach: Recontextualization
3.2 Scandinavian Institutionalist Approach: “Transfer as Translation”
3.3 Recontextualization and “Transfer as Translation” in Comparison
3.4 Integrative Model
3.5 Chapter Summary
4 Research Design
4.1 Ontological and Epistemological Foundations
4.2 The Research Design: A Multiple Case Study
4.2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of (Multiple) Case Study Research
4.2.2 Case Selection
4.3 Data Collection
4.3.1 Semi-Structured Interviews
4.3.2 Focus Group Interviews
4.3.3 Documents
4.3.4 Ethnographic Field Work: Observations and Participant Observations
4.3.5 Interim Presentations at the Headquarters
4.4 Data Preparation
4.5 Data Analysis: Deciphering Culture in Germany and Brazil
4.5.1 Interpretive Sensemaking With an Inductive-Deductive Data Analysis Procedure
4.5.2 Coding
4.5.3 Goodness Criteria
4.6 (Self-)Reflexivity in and of the Research
4.7 Chapter Summary
5 Findings
5.1 The Research Context
5.1.1 National Cultures: Brazil and Germany
5.1.2 Regional cultures
5.1.3 Organizational Cultures: YCM, BHT, and GLI
5.1.4 Professional Culture: Engineering
5.2 Transferring Quality Management Practices to Brazil
5.2.1 YellowConstruction Manufacturer: The Tropicalizing Company
5.2.2 BlueHorizon Technologies: The Learning Company
5.2.3 GreenLight Instruments: The Standardizing Company
5.3 Cross-case Analysis
5.4 Chapter Summary
6 Discussion
6.1 Transfer as an iterative process of intercultural negotiation
6.2 The complementary nature of translation and recontextualization
6.2.1 Consideration of micro-processes and agency in recontextualization
6.2.2 Consideration of culture in the “transfer as translation” approach
6.3 The formation of a German-Brazilian hybrid organizational culture
6.4 Cultural specificities in practice transfer to Brazil
7 Conclusion
7.1 Key findings
7.2 Theoretical contribution
7.3 Practical recommendations
7.4 Limitations and future research
References
