Micro-political processes in a multinational corporation subsidiary : a postcolonial reading of restructuring in a sales department

Hopkinson, Gillian Clare and Aman, Asad (2019) Micro-political processes in a multinational corporation subsidiary : a postcolonial reading of restructuring in a sales department. Human Relations, 72 (12). pp. 1869-1890. ISSN 0018-7267

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Abstract

What shapes micro-political contest in the subsidiary of a multinational corporation? We use observational and interview data from a Pakistani subsidiary of a global company to address this question. We trace debate surrounding the entry of modern (self-service) retail through multiple voices. Following postcolonial theory, we show how top management create a narrative that combines the progressiveness of modern retail with the locally salient discourse of izzat/honour. This hybrid narrative defines the terrain and terms of micro-political contest for all others in the subsidiary. Our analysis shows how some workers adapt this hybrid story to support their interests, whilst the attachment of izzat to the modern restricts the possibility of resistance for others. We examine how the narrative enables the establishment of an elite and a dominated group. The postcolonial approach allows us to argue that the subsidiary is a specific site of micro-political struggle where both geo-political factors and relationships with other parts of the multinational corporation shape micro-political processes.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Human Relations
Additional Information:
The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Human Relations, 72 (12), 2018, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2018 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Human Relations page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/HUM on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1400/1408
Subjects:
?? discourseidentityizzatmodern retailmultinationalpakistanpostcolonialismpowersubsidiarysifarishstrategy and managementsocial sciences(all)management of technology and innovation ??
ID Code:
128941
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
13 Nov 2018 09:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
19 Mar 2024 00:37