Managing flexibility in the food industry: A cross-national comparative case study in European multinational companies

Multinational companies are often seen as (potential) agencies for disseminating similar employment practices across countries and hence encouraging industrial relations convergence. The relationship between centre and periphery helps determine the extent to which they perform this role. This article reports findings from research in the Spanish and British subsidiaries of a multinational, which indicate that, despite the considerable formal autonomy of local management, there were many indirect methods by which the head office could ensure conformity with common industrial relations policies.