Boundary-spanning coordination: Insights into lateral collaboration and lateral alignment in multinational enterprises

• Published in: Journal of world business : JWB Vol. 57; no. 3; p. 101291
• Main Author: Santistevan, Diana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-04-2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Boundary-spanning coordination; Business administration; Collective boundary spanning; Collective bridge; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lateral alignment; Lateral collaboration; Lateral collaboration; Boundary-spanning coordination; Lateral alignment; Collective boundary spanning; Collective bridge; MNE
• ISSN: 1090-9516; 1878-5573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101291

Interorganizational boundary spanning between multinational enterprises requires substantive internal “lateral collaboration” and “lateral alignment.” However, how actors coordinate laterally between multiple nodes and across multiple boundaries for interorganizational boundary spanning is unclear. This qualitative study of a large multinational demonstrates how actors collectively build and maintain interorganizational relationships through collective boundary spanning. To coordinate this activity, actors strategize and map contributors for collective action and then synchronize their communication and problem-solving to ensure lateral collaboration and alignment. This article contributes to the extant literature by a providing a framework depicting how boundary-spanning coordination leads to lateral collaboration and lateral alignment.