The strategic assembly of global firms: A microstructural analysis of local learning and global adaptation

Strategic assembly—the comprehensive and coordinated use of internal development, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and alliances—is a novel approach to the construction and management of global firms. This article describes the role and characteristics of strategic assembly in the construction and management of the global multibusiness firm, an emerging form of global organization. We present a study of Group Renault and its relationship with two key players in the lucrative and emerging market for autos in Turkey, emphasizing the coevolutionary processes through which local players enter and dominate a local market and the global parent, utilizing local learning and organization, adapts to the global environment. We conclude with a call to action for research on the relationship between the strategic logic of global assemblers and the strategies of the firms at multiple levels of analysis.