Measuring Change in ‘Hybrid Factories’: Longitudinal Study of Japanese Manufacturing Subsidiaries in Poland

Abstract

Abstract Objective: This article illustrates how, on the subsidiary level, the mixture of management practices in Japanese manufacturing subsidiaries operating in Poland changes over time. Methodology: Study represents the first, rigorous, longitudinal replication of Japanese Multinational Enterprise Study Group hybridization studies conducted using the original methodology. Researchers visited eight original research sites and measured changes after fourteen years in six of them. Findings: The results indicate significant change in terms of manufacturing practices as well as in the localization of management. On the other hand, there has been practically no change in terms of equipment, organizational culture, and procurement methods. Value Added: Article contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First it confirms dynamic nature of hybridization trough a longitudinal exploration of changes that took place in management practices. Secondly, it combines JMNESG methodology with the most recent developments in research methods, increasing its clarity and replicability thus paving a way for future longitudinal studies of hybridization. Recommendations: Based on this research future studies could replicate JMNESG studies in various locations and contexts thus providing further insights into the nature of change in the hybrid factories operating around the world and the nature of Japanese management over the last 20 years.