Гурков Игорь Борисович

“Communications between Manufacturing Units of Multinational Corporations”, Series: Management WP BRP 38/MAN/2015

2015 · PREPRINT · en

Purpose – We aim to better understand the factors that shape the intensity and perceived effectiveness of communication between heads of the manufacturing units of multinational corporations (MNCs). Design/methodology/approach – A series of interviews and a medium-size survey among subsidiary executives were conducted. Findings – The intensity of most inter-unit communication channels depends on the speed and magnitude of the changes in products and production technologies that manufacturing subsidiaries experience. For newly established subsidiaries, mastering inter-unit communication channels precedes inter-unit cooperation. At the same time, different types of inter-unit cooperation strengthen specific channels of inter-unit communication. The assessment of the efficiency of a communication channel with high media richness strongly correlates to the intensity of its use. Research limitations/implications – The results are confined to one country where the manufacturing subsidiaries of MNCs were surveyed. Further research is needed for the general applicability of these findings to subsidiaries in several countries or regions. Practical implications – As inter-unit communication precedes inter-unit cooperation for newly established subsidiaries, headquarters and more experienced subsidiaries should promote the use of communication channels with high media richness. Several suggestions on how to perform such a task are proposed. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion concerning inter-unit communication and knowledge transfer within MNCs.

"Russian Manufacturing Subsidiaries of Western Multinational Corporations: Support from Parents and Cooperation with Sister-Subsidiaries", Series: Management WP BRP 37/MAN/2015

2015 · PREPRINT · en

The paper presents the results of a medium-size survey of executives of Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of Western multinational corporations on relationship with the parents and sister-subsidiaries. Manufacturing subsidiaries are completely dependent on parents in financing development projects. At the same time, when the subsidiary receives substantial financing for development projects from the parent, it also gets from the parent intensive support in all stages of implementation of such projects. Intensity of cooperation with sister-subsidiaries strongly coincides with the intensity of support by the parent. However, high intensity of cooperation with sister-subsidiaries was observed only for subsidiaries established before 2009. Several practical implications for new entrants into ownership of Russian industrial assets are presented.

Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of Western multinational corporations: Support from parents and cooperation with sister-subsidiaries

2015 · ARTICLE · en

This paper presents the results of a survey of executives of Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of Western multinational corporations (MNCs) regarding their relationship with parents and sister-subsidiaries. Manufacturing subsidiaries are dependent on parents to finance development projects. Accordingly, the subsidiary receives intensive support from the parent for all stages of implementation of such projects. Further, the intensity of cooperation with sister-subsidiaries strongly coincides with the intensity of support from the parent. However, a high intensity of cooperation with sister-subsidiaries was observed only for subsidiaries established before 2009. Finally, several practical implications for new entrants into the Russian manufacturing industry are presented.

Практики управления человеческими ресурсами в российских подразделениях международных компаний в 2014 году

2015 · ARTICLE · ru

Цель. Во-первых, выявить «универсальные» практики управления человеческими ресурсами, использо- вавшиеся в локальных подразделениях транснациональных корпораций, имеющих свои предприятия на территории Российской Федерации, накануне или на первом этапе «похолодания экономического климата» в 2014-2015 гг. Во-вторых, определить области наибольшей вариабельности практик управ- ления человеческими ресурсами в локальных (российских) подразделениях транснациональных корпораций, а также факторы, ведущие к такой вариабельности. Методология. Заочный опрос 52 руководителей предприятий (85% мужчин и 15% женщин, в возрасте от 32 до 67 лет, с опытом управления более трех лет), представляющих в России транснациональ- ные корпорации в секторах — пищевая промышленность, химическая промышленность, машиностроение, строительные материалы. Результаты. Общими (универсальными) харак- теристиками обследованных предприятий являются: преобладание бессрочных трудовых договоров; ежегодно выплачиваемая «тринадцатая зарплата»; оплачиваемое (полностью или частично) добровольное медицинское страхование; бесплатное или субсидируемое питание на предприятии. Вариабельность практик управления человеческими ресурсами д остаточно низка. Существенные вариации наблюдаются лишь в размерах годового вознаграждения и в распространенности применения отдельных социальных льгот. Кроме того, обнаружены различия в восприятии респондентами организационного климата на своих предприятиях. Выводы. Возможное ухудшение условий функционирования зарубежных корпораций приведет не к постепенному, а к резкому слому сложившихся систем управления человеческими ресурсами на российских предприятиях, входящих в их состав. Оригинальность. Исследование представляет собой первое на русском языке описание результатов опроса руководителей российских предприятий зарубежных корпораций по вопросам управления человеческими ресурсами.

Transition economy

2015 · CHAPTER · en

Transition economies are economies that are changing from a centrally planned (socialist) economy to a market economy. Since 1979 in China and the late 1980s in the former Soviet Union and countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), these countries have experienced profound changes toward establishing institutions that support private enterprises and entrepreneurship.

The Experience of the Russian Production Divisions of Western Corporations: Conditions for Developing and Maintaining Effective Innovation Routines

2015 · ARTICLE · en

Corporate parenting style of the multinational corporation - A subsidiary view

2015 · ARTICLE · en

The aim of the chapter is to evaluate the concept of corporate parenting styles, identify missing elements in the theoretical constructs, and develop new theoretical constructs. Methodology/approach The chapter provides a summary of the existing literature on corporate parenting styles and uncovers the missing elements in the theoretical constructs. New theoretical constructs fill the gaps. Findings The chapter presents a new typology of corporate parenting style by combining corporate parents’ processes of adding value to and extracting value from subsidiaries. The five-type typology of corporate styles outlines the different levels of value addition and value extraction and various degrees of reciprocity in both processes. This chapter determines the most important factors that affect the selection of corporate parenting style. It postulates that the multinational corporation should exhibit different parenting styles toward its subsidiaries simultaneously and should be ready to amend its parenting styles to reflect changes in a subsidiary’s strategy and its motives for corporate ownership. Research limitations/implications A new agenda for empirical studies oriented toward variability of parenting styles is proposed. Empirical tests of our propositions are needed. I encourage researchers to extend our research by considering the regional (supra-national), industry, and individual levels of analyses. Originality/value The chapter provides a more realistic view of corporate parenting styles than that found in the previous literature and outlines promising directions for further theoretical and empirical research.

Management practices in Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of foreign multinational corporations: challenging some beliefs about contemporary Russian industrial management

2014 · ARTICLE · en

I report the results of observations of management practices in 20 Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of Western multinational corporations (MNCs). I argue that to counterbalance the higher country-specific risks associated with investing in Russia, MNCs impose on their Russian subsidiaries high demands for superior performance in terms of both technical and economic efficiency. My observations confirm that in most cases such demands are successfully met by the implementation of highly effective practices. Thus, I challenge several beliefs about industrial management in Russia, including the myths that Russian firms are hostile towards knowledge sharing and are wary of talent.

Combining Contemporary and Soviet-Era Management Practices to Achieve Excellence at Knauf CIS

2014 · ARTICLE · en

This study analyses the development of Russian manufacturing subsidiaries of MNCs, by underlying the close relationship between local embeddedness and business excellence. We illustrate this relationship by the example of Knauf CIS, a subsidiary of international family-owned company Knauf. We find that the relationship between Knauf’s HQ and Knauf CIS does not hinder the subsidiary’s creativity, and innovativeness; subsidiary’s management processes successfully combine the HQ’s management standards and guidelines with specific managerial and innovation routines, that in a great part are reminiscent of the practices in the Soviet industry during the period of its rapid development (1955-1978).

Российские обрабатывающие производства зарубежных корпораций: глобальные управленческие практики и воздействие на местные институты: доклад к XV Апрельской международной научной конференции по проблемам развития экономики и общества, Москва, 1–4 апреля 2014 г.

2014 · BOOK · ru

Доклад посвящен анализу специфики организации и функционирования российских производств в составе зарубежных корпораций. Особое внимание уделено рутинным и инновационным управленческим практикам, а также организации инновационной деятельности. Определены мотивы инвестирования зарубежных корпораций в производственные активы, смена акцентов в пользу повышения эффективности использования производственного и кадрового потенциала российских подразделений. Сделаны выводы относительно форм и методов воздействия западных корпораций на институциональную среду в России и отдельные элементы внешнего окружения фирмы.