The influence of transnational strategies on global production networks

In this book the strategic alignment of multinational manufacturing companies is investigated, incorporating research streams from operations, strategic and international management. Grounding on the paradigms of the transnational strategy, the author analyzes the configuration and coordination of global manufacturing systems on a strategic level. In a first step, this book gives a structured overview of configuration possibilities for global production networks, illustrating advantages and disadvantages of different designs of the global production function. In the following chapters, centralized and decentralized approaches for the coordination of manufacturing networks are analyzed in detail, especially considering the unique differences of the single sites within a company. With ist structured approach, this book supports researchers as well as practitioners in the current discussion about the design of manufacturing networks and the implementation of coordination systems.