The internationalisation of R&D by multinationals: a trade-off between external and internal proximity

Overseas production is frequently seen as a force inducing the decentralisation of R it should, on the contrary, be completed by the implementation of relations of proximity internal to the firm, which we refer to as 'internal proximity'. From this perspective, the multinational firm that manages dispersed R&D units is seen as facing a tension - an organisational trade-off - between external proximity and internal proximity.