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Toward a loose coupling view of digital globalization

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Abstract

The emerging digital context for international business along with rising deglobalization forces have accentuated multinational enterprises’ organizing challenges, particularly with regard to managing relationships with global platform and ecosystem partners. We propose that the loose coupling perspective, which suggests the coexistence of coupling (linkages) to maintain responsiveness and looseness (separateness) to retain distinctiveness, can provide valuable insights on addressing such external governance-related challenges in the context of global platforms and ecosystems. We draw on and integrate ideas from loose coupling theory and digitalization to inform on the key contingencies and mechanisms of MNEs’ external organizing. We show how these insights can be further integrated with other perspectives such as new internalization theory to inform combined internal and external governance in digital globalization.

Résumé

Le contexte numérique émergent des affaires internationales ainsi que les forces croissantes de déglobalisation ont accentué les défis organisationnels des entreprises multinationales, notamment à l’égard de la gestion des relations avec les partenaires de la plateforme et de l'écosystème globaux. Nous proposons que la perspective du couplage lâche (loose coupling), laquelle suggère la coexistence du couplage (liens) destiné à maintenir la réactivité et du relâchement (séparation) destiné à conserver la spécificité, puisse apporter des renseignements précieux sur la résolution de tels défis liés à la gouvernance externe dans le contexte des plateformes et des écosystèmes globaux. Nous nous appuyons sur et intégrons les idées issues de la théorie du couplage lâche et de la numérisation, afin de mettre en lumière les contingences et les mécanismes clés de l'organisation externe des entreprises multinationales. Nous montrons comment ces éclaircissements peuvent être davantage intégrés dans d'autres perspectives, telle la nouvelle théorie de l'internalisation, pour éclairer la gouvernance combinée, interne et externe, dans la globalisation numérique.

Resumen

El contexto digital emergente para los negocios internacionales junto con las crecientes fuerzas de la desglobalización ha acentuado los retos en la organización de las empresas multinacionales, particularmente con relación a la gestión de relaciones con los socios de la plataforma global y del ecosistema. Proponemos que la perspectiva del acoplamiento flexible, la cual sugiere la coexistencia del acoplamiento (vínculos) para mantener la capacidad de respuesta con la holgura (separación) para conservar la singularidad, puede proporcionar conocimientos valiosos para enfrentar los retos relacionados con la gobernanza externa en el contexto de las plataformas y los ecosistemas globales. Recurrimos e integramos ideas de la teoría del acoplamiento flexible y la digitalización para informar sobre las contingencias y los mecanismos clave de la organización externa de la empresa multinacional. Mostramos cómo estas ideas pueden integrarse con otras perspectivas como la nueva teoría de la internacionalización, para informar sobre la gobernanza interna y externa combinada en la globalización digital.

Resumo

O contexto digital emergente para negócios internacionais, juntamente com crescentes forças de desglobalização, acentuaram os desafios organizacionais de empresas multinacionais, particularmente no que diz respeito ao gerenciamento de relacionamentos com plataformas globais e parceiros de ecossistemas. Propomos que a perspectiva de acoplamento flexível, que sugere a coexistência de acoplamento (ligações) para manter a capacidade de resposta e a flexibilidade (separação) para manter distinção, pode fornecer insights valiosos sobre para lidar com tais desafios relacionados à governança externa no contexto de plataformas e ecossistemas globais. Aproveitamos e integramos ideias da teoria de acoplamento flexível e digitalização para informar sobre as principais contingências e mecanismos de organização externa de MNEs. Mostramos como esses insights podem ser mais integrados com outras perspectivas, como a nova teoria de internalização para informar a governança combinada interna e externa na globalização digital.

摘要

国际商务的新兴数字情境以及不断增强的去全球化力量加剧了跨国企业的组织挑战, 尤其是在管理与全球平台和生态系统合作伙伴的关系方面。我们认为, 保持响应性的耦合 (联接) 与保留独特性的松动 (分离) 的并存的松耦合观, 能为应对全球平台和生态系统情境中这样的与外部治理相关的挑战提供有价值的见解。我们借鉴并整合了松耦合理论和数字化的想法, 以提供有关跨国公司 (MNE) 外部组织的关键偶然性和机制的信息。我们展示了这些见解如何进一步与其它观点 (例如新内部化理论) 整合, 为数字全球化内部和外部的联合治理提供信息。

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Correspondence to Satish Nambisan.

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Accepted by Alain Verbeke, Editor-in-Chief, 10 April 2021. This article has been with the authors for two revisions.

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Nambisan, S., Luo, Y. Toward a loose coupling view of digital globalization. J Int Bus Stud 52, 1646–1663 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-021-00446-x

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