Time and MNE strategy: Managing temporal misalignments in global value chains

Abstract

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) operate in a complex environment characterized by the interplay of macro factors from the external environment and firm-specific micro factors. Both sets of factors have important temporal elements, specifically industry clock speed at the macro level and firm activity duration at the micro level. We argue that the temporal alignment of these factors has a crucial effect on firm performance. We explore the theoretical foundations of this phenomenon and propose the concept of temporal coupling as a mechanism for resolving temporal misalignments. Temporal coupling is defined as the ability of an MNE to effectively synchronize its internal processes with external temporal rhythms. The effective implementation of temporal coupling is a higher-order adaptive capability that provides competitive advantage in global value chain organization.