A Grounded Theory Approach to Decision Making Processes of Japanese Multinational Corporations in the US

The purpose of this paper is to understand how Japanese Multinational Corporations (MNCs) make organizational decisions in the United States (US). For this purpose, a grounded theory approach conceptualized by Strauss and Corbin (1990) was employed using a sample of 8 Japanese MNCs operating in the US. Semi-structural interviews with a total of 20 managers, 10 Americans and 10 Japanese, were conducted for data collection. Two decision-making tactics emerged from the analysis of interviews through the grounded theoretical model. Five propositions were generated, illustrating the characteristics of decision-making processes of Japanese MNCs in the US. Implications for future studies will be addressed.