Global Sourcing Strategy of Multinational Companies: The role of headquarters

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03864
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Management
• Research Institution: Osaka University of Economics (2018); Wakayama University (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: GAO Ruihong 大阪経済大学, 経営学部, 教授 (30420459)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: グローバル調達 / 本社の役割 / 国際購買調達拠点 / 多国籍企業 / 拠点間関係 / 集中購買 / 部品の共通化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, multinational corporations ( MNCs ) are rapidly increasing procurement in Asian countries. This research aims to conduct an international comparative study on the role of the headquarters in MNCs in order to promote the global sourcing strategy. We conducted several interviews with global procurement staffs of MNCs. By comparing MNCs whose HQs are located in US, Europe and Japan, we find that the headquarters of MNCs play an important role in promoting global procurement and creating a system of global sourcing for that. However, we clarify that there is a remarkable difference in the division of roles between the head office and the International Procurement/Purchasing Office (IPO) in Japanese and European companies. We have conducted research reports of these studies at the academic conference and have submitted papers to the journals.

Free Research Field

国際経営

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究はグローバル調達における日欧米多国籍企業本社の役割について扱った国際比較研究である。近年、日本企業の中でも異なる事業部の製品間での共通部品の採用など部品や資材の共通化・標準化に取り組むことによって、グループ全体のコスト低減や調達効率化を図る動きを強めている。本研究により得られた知見は、日系多国籍企業がグローバル調達の拡大・強化及び駐在員人材の育成を図る際に、様々な有益な示唆を与えることができると期待している。