Research Interests

I study the interdependence between firms’ internal organizational choices and their product-market competitive behavior and performance.  I seek to understand the determinants of instruments of corporate control and how these instruments influence an organization’s ability to capture value under various threats.  My research focuses on providing insight into strategic decisions by managers of multi-unit firms, such as multimarket firms, multinational firms, and not-for-profit/hybrid organizations.

· Sengul, M. 2008. Essays on Delegation and Control in Multi-Unit Firms. Doctoral Dissertation, INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.  "Wiley-Blackwell Outstanding Dissertation Award in Business Policy and Strategy, Finalist"

 

 

Publications

Multimarket firms

Firms that operate across multiple geographic or product markets face two concurrent challenges: the need for delegation of decision-making for effective strategy implementation at the market level and the need for coordination of operations across markets for effective strategy implementation at the firm-level.  These challenges are further heightened when firms compete with each other in multiple markets, because market overlaps increase the extent of their strategic interdependence. 

· Obloj, T. & Sengul, M. Incentive life-cycles: Learning and the division of value within firms. Provisionally Accepted at Administrative Science Quarterly.

· Sengul, M., Gimeno, J., & Dial, J. 2012. Strategic delegation: A review, theoretical integration, and research agenda. Journal of Management, 38(1): 375-414. "An earlier version received: Honorable Mention, McKinsey/SMS Best Conference Prize”

· Yu, T., Sengul, M., & Lester, R.H. 2008. Misery loves company: The spread of negative impacts resulting from an organizational crisis. Academy of Management Review, 33(2): 452-472.

 

 

Multinational firms

The key aspect that distinguishes multinational firms from other forms of multiunit-multimarket firms is that they operate across national boundaries.  That gives rise to a set of unique challenges in examining the interdependence between their internal organizational choices and competitive behavior and performance. 

· Rangan, S. & Sengul, M. 2009. The influence of macro structure in the international realm: IGO interconnectedness, export dependence, and immigration links in the foreign market performance of transnational firms.  Administrative Science Quarterly, 54(2): 229-267.  "An earlier version was nominated for: Carolyn Dexter Best International Paper Award"

· Rangan, S. & Sengul, M. 2009. Information technology and transnational integration: Theory & evidence on the evolution of modern multinational enterprise. Journal of International Business Studies, 40 (9, JIBS40/AIB50 Anniversary Issue: Innovations in International Business Theory): 1496-1514. "Winner of Emerald Citation of Excellence Award for one of the top 50 management articles published in 2009 in the field of business and management"

 

 

Not-for-profit/hybrid organizations

Not-for-profit and hybrid organizations differ from their for-profit counterparts by pursuing a social mission, rather than profits, as their ultimate objective.  Hybrid organizations also differ from a typical not-for-profit by aiming to generate enough revenue through commercial activities to be self-sustaining.

· Battilana, J., Gilmartin, M., Sengul, M., Pache, A.-C., & Alexander, J.  2010. Leadership competences for implementing planned organizational change. Leadership Quarterly, 21(3): 422-438.

· Battilana, J. & Sengul, M. 2006. Interorganizational cooperation between not-for-profit organizations: A relational analysis. In O. Kyriakidou & M. Ozbilgin (Eds.), Relational Perspectives in Organizational Studies: A Research Companion: 197-220.  Edward Elgar.

 

 

Miscellaneous

· Battilana, J., Anteby, M., & Sengul, M. 2010. The circulation of ideas across academic communities: When locals re-import exported ideas. Organization Studies, 31(6): 695-713.

 

 

Refereed Conference Proceedings

· Rangan, S. & Sengul, M. 2006.  ICT influence on the internationalization-internalization coupling.  Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, Atlanta, GA.

· Rangan, S. & Sengul, M. 2005. Institutional influences in multinational competitiveness: An empirical exploration. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, Honolulu, HI.

· Yu, T., Lester, R.H., & Sengul, M. 2002. Reputation spillovers: How changes in corporate reputation affect competitive action.  Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, Denver, CO.

 

 

Work in Progress

· Sengul, M. & Gimeno, J. Constrained delegation: Allocation of decision rights and resources in firms that compete across multiple industries. Revise and resubmit at Administrative Science Quarterly.

· Rangan, S. & Sengul, M. Liability of foreignness as greater vulnerability to inequity in economic exchange.

· Sengul, M. Structural cannibalization.

· Battilana, J., Pache, A.-C., Sengul, M., & Model, J. Beyond organizational instability and conflict: On the challenges of remaining hybrid.

 

 

 

 

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests are in the areas of strategic management, global strategy, competitive analysis, and research methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  I currently teach the capstone undergraduate strategy course, Strategy & Policy, and an MBA strategy elective, Industry and Competitive Analysis. 

 

 

Cases

· IMAX, 2002: The Introduction of Digital Re-Mastering Technology (Sengul, M., Venino, A., & Gimeno, J.), ECCH/INSEAD case, forthcoming

· IMAX, 2012 (Sengul, M., Venino, A., & Gimeno, J.), draft

· IMAX, 2002 & 2012. (Sengul, M. & Gimeno, J.), teaching note, draft

· Garmin: Follow the Leader (Sengul, M. & DeBruin, P.), draft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Last edited: February 27, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

---