2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Implications of Bridge Individuals and Bridging Roles for Headquarter-Subsidiary Relationships: a Mixed Method Empirical Study of Multinational Companies
| Project/Area Number |
20K13589
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
Liu Ting 京都大学, 経営管理研究部, 講師 (00843450)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | bridge individuals / bridging roles / expatriates / virtual work / multinational companies |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This research utilized a mixed-method approach to investigate a relatively new and unexplored research topic: bridge individuals, bridging roles, and their implications for the headquarter and subsidiary relationships of multinational companies (MNCs). This research project extended the findings from the Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up 2019 project and explored the underlying mechanisms utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 impact, many organizations started to work remotely. I further expanded the current research project to the virtual work environment. I conducted a cross-country survey study exploring how expatriates (one type of bridge individuals) with different host country language proficiencies have used various mechanisms to improve their virtual work adaptivity during the pandemic. Also, I conducted a qualitative study focusing on the virtual meeting and telework influence on employees’ behavior and performance. Findings have been presented at three international conferences. One paper was selected as the Palgrave Macmillan AJBS Best Paper Award 2020 Finalist, and one paper has been submitted to the International Journal of Human Resource Management.
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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
In the first year of this project, I first conducted a quantitative study focusing on the bridge individuals’ co-workers' perception and their relationship with bridge individuals. Due to the challenges that COVID-19 brought to the research, I expanded my research subject to bridge individuals working remotely and conducted a cross-country survey study in eight countries with 994 expatriates in the virtual working environment. Due to the pandemic influence, I could not conduct interviews face to face, so I changed them into online interviews. I interviewed 14 employees working in Japan, examining their behavior and performance change in the telework. I presented these findings at several international online conferences, which are AIB (Academy of International Business), AJBS (Association of Japanese Business Studies), and the 2020 Academy of International Business Southeast Asia Regional Conference. My paper was accepted by the competitive session of AIB, which is one of the top-tier conferences in the field of international business. One paper was also selected as the AJBS Best Paper Award 2020 Finalist. Thus, this research project is progressing rather smoothly.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In the second year of this research project, I will focus on cross-country online interviews. I aim to interview employees regarding their attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, performance and leader-member relationship change during the pandemic, comparing the interview data of Japan, China, Germany and Australia. Second, integrating the effect of COVID-19, I also consider adding virtual team communication and virtual work into the elements of influencing the communication, bridging roles, teamwork, and decision-making process.
Last but not least, I plan to finish the interview study before August and complete this qualitative paper before November and submit to an international Journal, such as the Journal of World Business.
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