Competing for attention?

Seminar arranged by SMG

Friday, August 18, 2006 - 12:00 to 14:00

SUBSIDIARY INITIATIVES, ATTENTION TACTICS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON PERFORMANCE

Seminar arranged by Center for Strategic Management and Globalization by Tina Ambos (University of Edinburgh)

ABSTRACT: Scholars have recently argued that – even compared to information – top management’s attention is the most critical, scarce and sought-after resource in organizations (Haas and Hansen, 2005). However, the effectiveness of supply and demand mechanisms for attention in the differentiated MNC remains largely unexplored. The study aims to investigate this question in the context of subsidiary initiatives. Linking subsidiary entrepreneurship theory (Kanter, 1982; Burgelman, 1983; Birkinshaw, 1997) and the attention-based view of the firm (Ocasio, 1997), we are able to show that subsidiary initiatives combined with headquarters attention positively impact subsidiary performance. Moreover, we explore the effects of subsidiaries’ proactive tactics to manage attention.

 

The page was last edited by: Communications // 08/17/2006