VIVE LA RéSISTANCE: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESISTANCE AND MANAGEMENT INNOVATION

Abstract

This research examines the development of management innovation (MI) through resistance encountered in international settings. MI literature is at an embryonic stage and has been missing from the international business discipline even though it has been shown to be a sustainable competitive advantage for firms. This leads to the overarching research questions for this study: How is MI developed in international organizations? The underlying theoretical foundation is based on hybridization, which proposes mixing organizational climate and local culture creates mimicry and resistance. Resistance can be seen in adaptations of policies, practices, and procedures, also known as organizational climate. The initial study links the outcome of hybridization to the current MI process model. The second study delves into the attributes associated with resistance being converted to MI. These empirical studies show MI being created through resistance in international settings and lay the groundwork for additional discoveries. The methodological approach for these studies is nontraditional. The first study was a qualitative deductive case study with analysis including a priori coding, thematic analysis, and pattern matching. The results supported the proposition that resistance, through hybridization, can create MI in international organizations. Building on the initial findings, the second study used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), which goes beyond linear regression analysis, to identify combinations of attributes that result in MI. Theoretical cues from innovation and cross-cultural literature were referenced to select relevant conditions. The study setting was not a private firm but instead the U.S. Department of State (DOS). The data was composed of reports generated through qualitative methods by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at 15 large embassies and consulates. This unique data source provides a plethora of rich context and a glimpse into the black box of resistance. The results of both findings contribute to the fledgling MI literature and create additional interdisciplinary research avenues. The theoretical contribution extends hybridization theory beyond simplistic outcomes of mimicry and resistance and further links it to the MI process and the creation model. This study also contributes to methodology literature since the methods of both studies are still scarce in business studies. The empirical findings build on proposed theories and bolster the methodological approaches. Practitioners will also find the results useful and operational. These findings support shifting the view of resistance as merely tolerated or as an obstacle to overcome, to a possible competitive advantage in developing MI. The overarching goal is to encourage a renewed look at resistance so that scholars and managers will embrace the forgotten view of “Vive la Résistance.”