A typology of de-coupling in international sourcing by MNEs in selective de-globalization
基于新制度理论，通过美印五家企业的案例研究，提出地缘政治合法性概念，将跨国公司的采购策略分为实质性脱钩、象征性脱钩、平衡脱钩和不脱钩四种类型，为理解选择性去全球化下的企业应对提供框架。
The 2018 U.S.–China trade war signaled the emergence of selective de-globalization, fueled by China's rapid technological advancement and growing U.S. concerns over national security and economic rivalry. Government interventions have disrupted global supply chains, compelling MNEs to reassess their sourcing strategies. This study draws on neo-institutional theory, integrating geopolitical coercive pressures and geopolitical legitimacy to analyze firms' strategic responses under selective de-globalization. Applying an abductive approach, we examine five case studies of firms from the U.S. and India. These cases reveal a shift from regulatory to geopolitical coercion, prompting a redefinition of legitimacy as geopolitical legitimacy. Through this new understanding of geopolitical legitimacy, which incorporates both home-country and global dimensions, we provide a framework for assessing MNE responses to escalating geopolitical pressures. We categorize firms' sourcing strategies into four types: substantial decoupling, symbolic decoupling, balanced decoupling, and no decoupling. Our study provides a new institutional framework for understanding MNE sourcing adjustments under selective de-globalization, offering practical insights for businesses and policymakers and suggesting future research directions.