2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
An Empirical Investigation of Bridge Individuals and Bridging Roles in Multinational Companies
| Project/Area Number |
19K23227
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| Research Institution | Hiroshima City University |
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Principal Investigator |
Liu Ting 広島市立大学, 国際学部, 講師 (00843450)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | bridge individuals / bridging roles / headquarter & subsidiary / language skills / cultural skills / multinational companies |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This research project aims to develop and test the theoretical model of the factors affecting bridging roles and the consequences of bridging roles. As the first year of this research project, I first conducted the theoretical study. I started from the literature review, with the research question of "What are the essential nature and underlying dimensions of bridging roles performed by bridge individuals in MNCs? "
Integrating with the insights from the literature review and interviews I conducted in my previous research project, I completed two conference papers regarding the locally recruited parent country nationals (PCNLs) in Japanese subsidiaries. These two papers were presented at one domestic conference and one international conference. I also presented one study regarding bridging roles in the best paper session of Academy of Management (AOM) 2019 annual meeting and published in the Best Paper Proceedings of AOM. One book chapter based on this topic was also published in the Hiroshima City University Business Research Series in April 2020. Another two papers were accepted by two international conferences and will be presented in the competitive sessions.
Through the first year of research activities, I further explored the new concept of PCNLs and their bridging resources in the context of MNCs. I also demonstrated a theoretical framework concerning the negative consequences of performing bridging roles by PCNLs. This adds significant value to the deeper understanding of the bridging role and bridge individuals in MNCs from the PCNL's perspective.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
As the first year of this project, I first conducted a theoretical study, participated in several conferences, and presented my research fundings. I obtained feedback and advice from researchers and at the same time I also collected information of this topic. The potential of the topic of PCNLs ( locally recruited parent country nationals) was highly evaluated by researchers from the international business field. I incorporated concepts of role stress, identification dissonance, and cultural identity into our theoretical framework and demonstrated their negative and positive influence on the effects of the bridging roles have on PCNLs’ status. However, since this is a new topic and I have limited data, the underlying dimensions of PCNLs should be further explored in future study.
I also submitted two papers to two international conferences, which are AIB (Academy of International Business) and AJBS (Association of Japanese Business Studies). My paper was accepted by the competitive session of AIB, which is one of the top-tier conferences in the field of international business. I also wrote one book chapter based on this year's study and published in the Hiroshima City University Business Research Series.
Thus, the first year of this research project is progressing rather smoothly, with conference information collecting, presentation, and a book chapter published. However, due to the influence of COVID-19, the data collection process, which was supposed to conducted from January to March, was postponed.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In the second year of this research project, I will focus on the questionnaire development and data collection. This project aims to develop the framework by which to understand bridge individuals and bridging roles; to find the potential factors and gather the potential consequences of bridging roles in changing intergroup relationships and personal outcomes; Based on the findings in the first year, I aim to develop new theories and hypotheses by integrating insights with the extant theoretical frameworks; namely, social network theory, job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, and the perspective of cultural identity integration. Before submitting to the journal, I will submit the papers to at least two conferences. However, because of the impact of COVID-19, the conference presentation and data collection progress could be affected and conducted in a vicarious methodology.
Second, integrating the effect of COVID-19, I also consider adding virtual team communication and Telework into the elements of influencing the communication, bridging activities, teamwork, and decision-making process. Comparing the data of East Asia countries such as China, Japan, and Korea can be a potential direction.
Last but not least, I plan to finish the paper before November and submit to an international Journal, such as the Journal of World Business.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The data collection to be conducted from January to March could not be executed. The reason can be summarized as below. First, the literature review process was longer than planned. Second, due to the effect of COVID-19, I assumed at the current global situation i.e., fear, lack of control, and sense of threat would affect the validity and reliability of the survey process and then affect the findings. Thus, The data collection was postponed, and the money for that was left. As for the second research year, I will change the methodology to adapt to the influence of COVID-19 and conduct productive research.
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