types of managers

key management positions in the transnational company

1. global business manager

2. functional manager

3. country manager

4. corporate manager

global business manager

responsibilities

• develop global efficiency and competitiveness

roles

• global business strategist

  • consistency of business strategy with corporate strategy; reconcile different views and prepare an integrated strategy; incorporate perspectives and interests of geographic and functional managers

• architect of asset and resource configuration

  • oversee the worldwide distribution of key assets and resources; link resources and capabilities in a configuration that resembles the integrated network form (transnational)

• cross-border coordinator

  • build on the most capable national operations and capitalize on locations of strategic importance and interdependency

worldwide functional manager

responsibility

• provide support to line managers, particularly by diffusing innovations and transferring knowledge on a worldwide basis

roles:

• worldwide intelligence scanner

  • capture and transmit leading-edge information across national boundaries in order to track trends, developments, and potential challenges and make appropriate adjustments

• cross-pollinator of best practices

  • identify and evaluate leading-edge practices; take initiatives that will expose others to the new ideas

• champion of transnational innovation

  • identify local innovations that have applications elsewhere by scanning the company’s worldwide operations

country manager

responsibilities

• defending the company’s market position against global competitors

• responding to local customers and host governments

• leveraging local resources and capabilities to strengthen the company’s competitive position worldwide

roles

• sensor and interpreter of local opportunities and threats

• build and leverage local resources

• frontline implementer of corporate strategy and active contributor to this strategy

skills and qualifications of a country manager

• entrepreneurial skills

  • innovator and opportunist

• strategic skills

  • creative analyst

• administrative skills

  • controller and manager

• executive skills

  • organizational leader

pressures and constraints on the country manager

• MNC internal motivations

• host country interests

• global competitive environment

corporate manager

responsibilities

• to integrate the many different levels of responsibilities

• plays perhaps the most important role in transnational management

• identified and develops talented global business, country and functional managers

roles

• leader

• talent scout

• developer