To what extent is there a regional logic in the management of labour in multinational companies? Evidence from Europe and North America

This paper questions the extent to which a regional logic is adopted by multinationals in how they organise their operations overseas, and seeks to examine the variation within and across regions in this regard. Data are drawn from two of the parallel surveys of employment practice undertaken by the INTREPID (is a research network of academics across 10 countries engaged in comparative research on multinationals) network, namely Canada and the UK. The analysis tests four hypotheses regarding the similarity and differences in the adoption of a regional logic using the data as illustrative of firms in the regions of North American and European. Our analysis demonstrates how divergent structures and dynamics of regional integration in different continents have led to different strategies and processes in multinational companies. In doing so the paper provides insights into the nature of variation within the multinational community and across regional contexts.