Resilient or not: boundary-spanning in innovation focused MNEs during global crises

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical perspective on whether the boundary-spanner model and consequently complex disaggregated intra-MNE value chain activities are crisis resilient Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a conceptual theory development based on literature integration and phenomenological juxtaposing Findings: The need for boundary-spanning in assisting dispersed new and complex knowledge creation activities – which can hardly be replicated in virtual collaboration spaces alone – will endure if not even grow This requires deeper understanding of boundary spanning in the context of the globally dispersed MNE Increased location diversification engendered by COVID-19 implies a greater need for the boundary spanning function, not less Research limitations/implications: Regarding future research, the crisis provides a unique opportunity for taking a closer look at the formation, nurturing and resilience of interdependence, particularly behavioural interdependence and the actions and characteristics of individuals associated with [boundary spanning] actions Specific research questions should focus on the boundary-spanning model in the virtual space;the characteristics and effects of temporality and the boundary-spanning model, the specific actions of boundary spanners during unforeseen events and the empirical testing of the relationships developed in Table 1 Practical implications: For practitioners, I suggest avoiding compromising structural interdependence with defaulting on top-down hierarchical approaches during crises;and while doing so, not paying attention to the effects of such actions on behavioural interdependence and its champions (i e global boundary spanners) Such interference likely results in sub-optimal global collaboration outcomes and innovation, characterized by fundamentally recursive processes involving creativity, failure, reconfiguring, sensemaking and improvisation Social implications: TBC Originality/value: The author develops a critical perspective to assess the crisis-resilience of the boundary-spanning model In so doing, I juxtapose two contemporary views on the persistence or fading of the global MNE model, and hence, the future need for a socio-behavioural managerial function – like boundary-spanning – connecting dispersed MNE activities The authors provide numerous avenues for advancing extant research on boundary-spanning in MNEs © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited