How MNE subsidiaries transfer HRM practices in distant environments: A tale of two IKEA subsidiaries

While most research in the international business field focuses on impact of national institutional environment multinational enterprises (MNEs), this paper explores opposite relationship—the role and MNE subsidiaries host country environment. I analyze subsidiaries' agency transfer activities human resource management (HRM) practices by bringing case IKEA Korea Japan find that these not only adapted to pressures arising from an distance but also played important influencing arrangement for employment system their countries. With a contextualized model, study finds organizational contexts are embedded shaped agencies strategic responses co-evolved with environments while transferring HRM practices. These findings have implications IB IHRM field, as they highlight potential agents.