The Role of Reflexivity : Managers utilisation of foreignness

Sammanfattning: Previous research concludes that multinational enterprises can gain operational space in foreign institutions by utilising their foreignness. This conclusion is made with an assumption that subunits act with intentionality and insight in their response to institutional demands. To investigate this assumption, we research whether individual MNE managers are reflexive and if they utilise their foreignness deliberately. It was explored by managers individual practical work and social skill, by qualitative interviews with five Swedish MNE managers in the host market Dubai. The analysis revealed that managers are reflexive and form answers to institutional demands in terms of deviation, conformity and mutual adaptation. Mutual adaptation has not been emphasised in previous literature, which makes us conclude that managers utilisation of foreignness is not as superficial as previous research suggest. Finally, our thesis contributes to organisational institutionalism and international business research, by investigating managers practical perspective in the host market Dubai, United Arab Emirates.