The digital challenge for multinational mobile network operators. More marginalization or rejuvenation?

Article


Gooderham, P., Elter, F., Pedersen, T. and Sandvik, A. 2022. The digital challenge for multinational mobile network operators. More marginalization or rejuvenation? Journal of International Management. 28 (4), pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2022.100946
TypeArticle
TitleThe digital challenge for multinational mobile network operators. More marginalization or rejuvenation?
AuthorsGooderham, P., Elter, F., Pedersen, T. and Sandvik, A.
Abstract

Multinational mobile network operators (MNOs) rapidly emerged in the early 1990s and for a decade and a half were the dominant actors in their industry. We analyze the development and competitiveness of a typical MNO, Telenor. With the introduction of 4G in 2010, we show that Telenor, like other MNOs largely failed to respond to the opportunity that connectivity provided to develop digital services. Instead, these were developed by technology platform companies such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. Telenor became a marginalized supplier of standardized internet connectivity. We argue that the ‘decade of lost opportunity’ (2010-2020) for Telenor was a product of a lack of ‘recombinant firm-specific advantages’ (FSARs). With the launch of 5G, an emerging global digital infrastructure, this sidelining is set to intensify unless Telenor responds to this new opportunity by developing B2B digital services. We analyze the FSARs that are necessary for a successful transition of capturing the value that 5G provides and the degree to which they are present, or potentially present, in Telenor.

PublisherElsevier
JournalJournal of International Management
ISSN1075-4253
Publication dates
Online15 Mar 2022
Print31 Dec 2022
Publication process dates
Deposited14 Mar 2022
Accepted08 Mar 2022
Output statusPublished
Publisher's version
License
Accepted author manuscript
File Access Level
Restricted
Copyright Statement

Published version: © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2022.100946
LanguageEnglish
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/89v4y

Download files


Publisher's version
  • 61
    total views
  • 15
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Control of subsidiary HRM policies by multi-national corporate headquarters: the role of institutional differences and labor unions
Fenton-O'Creevy, M. and Gooderham, P. 2024. Control of subsidiary HRM policies by multi-national corporate headquarters: the role of institutional differences and labor unions. International Business Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2024.102323
Country-of-origin effect
Gooderham, P. 2024. Country-of-origin effect. in: Asmussen, C., Hashai, N. and Minbaeva, D. (ed.) Encyclopedia of International Strategic Management Cheltenham Edward Elgar. pp. 40-42
Digital transformation of incumbent service firms: legacy removal strategies
Gooderham, P., Meyer, C., Stensaker, I., Elter, F., Madsen, A. and Pedersen, T. 2023. Digital transformation of incumbent service firms: legacy removal strategies. Beta: Scandinavian Journal of Business Research. 37 (1), pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.18261/beta.37.1.3
Managing human resource management tensions in project-based organisations: evidence from Bangalore
Mathew, J., Srinavasan, V., Croucher, R. and Gooderham, P. 2023. Managing human resource management tensions in project-based organisations: evidence from Bangalore. Human Resource Management Journal. 33 (2), pp. 432-451. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12439
Institutional duality and human resource management practice in foreign subsidiaries of multinationals
Stavrou, E., Parry, E., Gooderham, P., Morley, M. and Lazarova, M. 2023. Institutional duality and human resource management practice in foreign subsidiaries of multinationals. Human Resource Management Journal. 33 (1), pp. 69-94. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12357
Contextualizing AMO explanations of knowledge sharing in MNEs: the role of organizational and national culture
Gooderham, P., Pedersen, T., Sandvik, A., Dasí, À., Elter, F. and Hildrum, J. 2022. Contextualizing AMO explanations of knowledge sharing in MNEs: the role of organizational and national culture. Management International Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11575-022-00483-0
'Americanization' and the drivers of the establishment and use of works councils in three post-socialist countries
Croucher, R., Gooderham, P. and Sandvik, A. 2022. 'Americanization' and the drivers of the establishment and use of works councils in three post-socialist countries. Human Resource Management Journal. 32 (2), pp. 430-448. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12408
Guest editorial [Special Issue: Do multinational enterprise contribute to, or reduce global inequality?]
Zhao, S., Gooderham, P., Papanastassiou, M. and Harzing, A. 2021. Guest editorial [Special Issue: Do multinational enterprise contribute to, or reduce global inequality?]. Critical Perspectives on International Business. 17 (1), pp. 2-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-03-2021-107
Individual-level rewards and appraisal: the influence of context
Gooderham, P. and Mayrhofer, W. 2021. Individual-level rewards and appraisal: the influence of context. in: Parry, E., Morley, M. and Brewster, C. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contextual Human Resource Management Oxford University Press (OUP). pp. 501-519
Talent development as an alternative to orthodox career thinking: the Scandinavian case
Larsen, H., Stensaker, I., Gooderham, P. and Schramm-Nielsen, J. 2020. Talent development as an alternative to orthodox career thinking: the Scandinavian case. in: London, M. (ed.) Oxford Handbook of Lifelong Learning New York Oxford University Press (OUP).
Successful and unsuccessful radical transformation of multinational mobile telephony companies: the role of institutional context
Elter, F., Gooderham, P. and Stensaker, I. 2021. Successful and unsuccessful radical transformation of multinational mobile telephony companies: the role of institutional context. in: Verbeke, A., van Tulder, R., Rose, E. and Wei, Y. (ed.) The Multiple Dimensions of Institutional Complexity in International Business Research Vol: 15 Emerald Publishing Limited.
Context and HRM: theory, evidence, and proposals
Mayrhofer, W., Gooderham, P. and Brewster, C. 2019. Context and HRM: theory, evidence, and proposals. International Studies of Management and Organization. 49 (4), pp. 355-371. https://doi.org/10.1080/00208825.2019.1646486
VUCA and the future of the global mobile telco industry
Dasí, À., Elter, F., Gooderham, P. and Pedersen, T. 2019. VUCA and the future of the global mobile telco industry. in: van Tulder, R., Verbeke, A. and Jankowska, B. (ed.) International Business in a VUCA World: The Changing Role of States and Firms Emerald Publishing Limited.
Global strategy and management
Gooderham, P., Grøgaard, B. and Foss, K. 2019. Global strategy and management. Cheltenham Edward Elgar.
A framework for comparative institutional research on HRM
Gooderham, P., Mayrhofer, W. and Brewster, C. 2019. A framework for comparative institutional research on HRM. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 30 (1), pp. 5-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2018.1521462
The effect of organizational separation on individuals' knowledge sharing in MNCs
Dasí, À., Pedersen, T., Gooderham, P., Elter, F. and Hildrum, J. 2017. The effect of organizational separation on individuals' knowledge sharing in MNCs. Journal of World Business. 52 (3), pp. 431-446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2017.01.008
Institutional change and regional development in China: the case of commodity trading markets
Wang, J. and Gooderham, P. 2014. Institutional change and regional development in China: the case of commodity trading markets. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space. 32, pp. 471-490. https://doi.org/10.1068/c11254b
National and firm-level drivers of the devolution of HRM decision making to line managers
Gooderham, P., Morley, M., Parry, E. and Stavrou, E. 2015. National and firm-level drivers of the devolution of HRM decision making to line managers. Journal of International Business Studies. 46 (6), pp. 715-723. https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.5
The labor market regimes of Denmark and Norway – one Nordic model?
Gooderham, P., Navrbjerg, S., Olsen, K. and Steen, C. 2015. The labor market regimes of Denmark and Norway – one Nordic model? Journal of Industrial Relations. 57 (2), pp. 166-186. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022185614534103
Designing global leadership development programmes that promote social capital and knowledge sharing
Stensaker, I. and Gooderham, P. 2015. Designing global leadership development programmes that promote social capital and knowledge sharing. European Journal of International Management. 9 (4), pp. 422-462. https://doi.org/10.1504/EJIM.2015.070229
Effective boundary spanners in IJVs experiencing performance downturn
Gooderham, P., Zhang, M. and Jordahl, A. 2015. Effective boundary spanners in IJVs experiencing performance downturn. in: Camillo, A. (ed.) Global Enterprise Management, Volume II: New Perspectives on Challenges and Future Developments New York Palgrave Macmillan.
Functional-level transformation in multi-domestic MNCs: transforming local purchasing into globally integrated purchasing integrated purchasing
Elter, F., Gooderham, P. and Ulset, S. 2014. Functional-level transformation in multi-domestic MNCs: transforming local purchasing into globally integrated purchasing integrated purchasing. in: Orchestration of the Global Network Organization Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
A multilevel analysis of the use of individual pay-for-performance systems
Gooderham, P., Fenton-O'Creevy, M., Croucher, R. and Brookes, M. 2018. A multilevel analysis of the use of individual pay-for-performance systems. Journal of Management. 44 (4), pp. 1479-1504. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315610634
Improvisation: a legitimate strategy in the face of adversity
Best, S. and Gooderham, P. 2015. Improvisation: a legitimate strategy in the face of adversity. Small Enterprise Research. 22 (1), pp. 49-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2015.1017871
Developing organizational social capital or prima donnas in MNEs? The role of global leadership development programs
Espedal, B., Gooderham, P. and Stensaker, I. 2013. Developing organizational social capital or prima donnas in MNEs? The role of global leadership development programs. Human Resource Management. 52 (4), pp. 607-625. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21544
Governance mechanisms for the promotion of social capital for knowledge transfer in multinational corporations
Gooderham, P., Minbaeva, D. and Pedersen, T. 2011. Governance mechanisms for the promotion of social capital for knowledge transfer in multinational corporations. Journal of management studies.. 48 (1), pp. 123-150. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00910.x
One European model of HRM? Cranet empirical contribution
Gooderham, P. and Nordhaug, O. 2011. One European model of HRM? Cranet empirical contribution. Human Resource Management Review. 21 (1), pp. 27-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2010.09.009
Human resource management in US subsidiaries in Europe and Australia: centralisation or autonomy?
Fenton-O'Creevy, M., Gooderham, P. and Nordhaug, O. 2008. Human resource management in US subsidiaries in Europe and Australia: centralisation or autonomy? Journal of International Business Studies. 39 (1), pp. 151-166. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400313
Dynamic capabilities as antecedents of the scope of related diversification: the case of small firm accountancy practices
Døving, E. and Gooderham, P. 2008. Dynamic capabilities as antecedents of the scope of related diversification: the case of small firm accountancy practices. Strategic Management Journal. 29 (8), pp. 841-857. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.683
The impact of bundles of strategic human resource management practices on the performance of European firms
Gooderham, P., Parry, E. and Ringdal, K. 2008. The impact of bundles of strategic human resource management practices on the performance of European firms. International Journal of Human Resource Management. 19 (11), pp. 2041-2056. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190802404296
Measuring competing explanations of human resource management practices through the Cranet survey: cultural versus institutional explanations
Brookes, M., Croucher, R., Fenton-O'Creevy, M. and Gooderham, P. 2011. Measuring competing explanations of human resource management practices through the Cranet survey: cultural versus institutional explanations. Human Resource Management Review. 21 (1), pp. 68-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2010.09.012
The influences on direct communication in British and Danish Firms: country, 'strategic HRM' or unionisation?
Croucher, R., Parry, E. and Gooderham, P. 2006. The influences on direct communication in British and Danish Firms: country, 'strategic HRM' or unionisation? European Journal of Industrial Relations. 12 (3), pp. 267-286. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959680106068913