Author (Your Name)

Sarah HigginsFollow

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Open Access)

Department

Colby College. Global Studies Program

Advisor(s)

Patrice Franko

Abstract

This Global Studies honors thesis addresses how managers and leaders of global firms manage innovation across multiple markets. Current research on multinational corporations provides an understanding of different kinds of innovation and the ways to attend to multiple markets. However, there is less documentation of how these innovation strategies are actually implemented on the ground and the tensions that these efforts might produce. Therefore, my research focuses in particular on the challenges and tensions faced by leaders of global firms as they implement transnational innovation strategies. This study is based upon in-depth interviews with 20 participants who held positions in global companies in the pharmaceutical and technology industries as well as academics whose work addresses organizational management and innovation. Results from an analysis of these interviews across and within these two industries provide insights into the literature on multinational corporation global innovation and leadership across international borders.

Keywords

global management, innovation, leadership, technology, pharmaceuticals, corporate culture

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